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Press Kit Alive! ALIVE! a film by Artan Minarolli ALB / A / F 2009, 90min, 35mm, color www.alive-thefilm.com World Premiere Karlovy Vary IFF, 5 July 2009, selected in the section East of the West Albanian Premiere Durres Film Festival, 27 August 2009 Theatrical Release Albania, 5 September 2009, Imperial Cinema Festivals Karlovy Vary IFF, Durres FF, Pusan IFF, Antalya IFF, Bergen IFF, Montpellier IFF, Balkan Snapshots, Connecting Cottbus IFF, Chennai IFF, Pune IFF, Palm Springs IFF, Film d’Amour de Mons IFF, Belgrade IFF, CINEMA MUNDI Brno IFF, Cleveland IFF, Tiburon IFF, International Festival of Medi- terranean Film Tetouan, Minneapolis/St.Paul IFF, Festival of European Coproductions Sofia, Moscow IFF, Lato Filmow Warsaw IFF, Scottsdale IFF Awards Albanian nominee for Foreign Language Oscar Special Jury Award, Durres Prix du soutien technique GTC, Montpellier Don Quichotte Award – Federation Internationale des Ciné-Clubs FICC, Cottbus FF starring Nik Xhelilaj, Xhevdet Feri, Besart Kallaku, Bruno Shllaku, Niada Saliasi, Luli Bitri, Tinka Kurti, Reshat Arbana, Eni Çani written and directed Artan Minarolli director of photography Jacques Bouquin editor Oliver Neumann sound Hjalti Bager-Jonathansson, Daniel Fritz art design Mihal Rama, Ylli Beqiri composer Baptiste Bouquin producers Artan Minarolli, Ebba Sinzinger, Vincent Lucassen, Marie Balducchi There is cramming and getting laid in Tirana. But all of a sudden the student is caught up by an archaic world which claims that he is a part of it. When his disabled father dies, a blood feud is being revived and he is held liable for a murder committed by his grandfather 60 years earlier. At first he endeavours to bring his opponents to their senses. As this proves futile, he – in the course of events - becomes increasingly paranoid and, unwillingly, starts to resemble his opponents. When he decides to arm himself and train, the notion of a modern present dissolves into melancholy. The student is catapulted into an Albanian reality that is devoid of all romantic folklore. In a country where until recently Hoxherian despotism and a grisly mountaineers’ mentality were ruling alongside, there is neither a right to a “modern” every day life nor the possibility of escaping to such, while the insistence on tradition is leading directly into catastrophe as well. Thus, Artan Minarolli’s heroes shipwreck on their own great expectations. 2
Press Kit Alive! Logline In a country where tradition is constantly at war with modernity, a student is forced to assume responibility for an ancient crime. He is thrust into the gruesome, feudal heart of contemporary Albania. Short synopsis Koli, a college student, hides in the countryside to escape a blood feud, but soon realizes he has to go back to his school, to his life in the city, at the risk of confronting his assassin and involuntarily, he becomes a reluctant mirror of his country’s love-hate relationship with tradition. Synopsis Koli is studying languages at Tirana University, but according to the old code of honour “Lek Dukagjine”, vengeance hangs upon him for a killing his grandfather committed some 60 years before. Koli gets courage and travels to the family that holds the claim of vengeance against him, somewhere in a distant mountainous region. The elders of the family take him in as a guest and treat him hospitably. His destined assassin, a boy with a clean and pretty face, sits in their midst. When Koli asks for reconciliation, he is rejected. He is told he has “Besa” (“word-keeping”) for three days only, after this vengeance will again be upon him. Koli has no choice but to seek shelter with his relatives Zef and his son Fike in a village not so far from Tirana. Fike is about Koli’s age and the two of them get along quite well. Fike gets Koli a job at the local car-wash. But he cannot accept that his life should suddenly have stopped, and when he finds his presence in the village actually endangers the others, he decides to take whatever risk there is, and returns to Tirana to the university, Diana, to life. Now Koli can study, he has his girlfriend, but he is now easy to be found and the assassin’s bullet can hit him any second. Koli gets a gun and starts target practice, to be able to defend himself. He secretly carries his gun everywhere, even into the study-rooms of his university. Diana understands him less and less every time. He is not the Koli of the old days anymore. His assassin makes an attempt on his life. In a reflex, Koli fires back, the assassin is killed, while Koli is wounded in the leg. Koli is looking closely at the beautiful face of the dead assassin. He unbuttons his shirt and realizes that his assassin is female. The family has grown up the girl like a male because she was in charge for this revenge. The only thing he can do now is to disappear, flee the country. He gets a ride on an old ship which smuggles illegal immigrants, and gets into the crammed hold. As a result of an accident the ship sinks. “My film isn’t about killing and getting killed; it is instead born out of the need to show the colors and the complexity of a world in transition towards something mysterious and beautiful.” Artan Minarolli Director/Screenwriter Artan Minarolli Born in Tirana, Albania, Artan Minarolli is a graduate of the University of Albania, Albafilm, and the Film School in Denmark. He has worked as an actor and director in theater and film, as well as in documentary. His filmography includes The Moonless Night (2004), The Clay Bullet (1995), and 100% (1994). 3
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PRESS KIT

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