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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).
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