Kujtim Çashku (born 5 August 1950) is an

Albania Albania ( ; sq, Shqipëri or ), or , also or . officially the Republic of Albania ( sq, Republika e Shqipërisë), is a country in Southeastern Europe. It is located on the Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea and shares ...

n film director and screenwriter who has won numerous awards at international film festivals, including the Critics Prize at the 1996

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Mediterranean Film Festival and the

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Award at the 1998

Venice Film Festival The Venice Film Festival or Venice International Film Festival ( it, Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica della Biennale di Venezia, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival h ...

for ''Colonel Bunker'', the Best Screenplay Award, the FIRESCI Prize and the Silver Pyramid at the 2005

Cairo International Film Festival The Cairo International Film Festival ( ar, مهرجان القاهرة السينمائي الدولي) is an annual internationally accredited film festival held in Cairo Opera House. It was established in 1976 and has taken place every year si ...

as well as the Bronze Palm at the

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Festival of Mediterranean Cinema for ''The Magic Eye'', and the CEI Award at the

Trieste Trieste ( , ; sl, Trst ; german: Triest ) is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is the capital city, and largest city, of the autonomous region of Friuli Venezia Giulia, one of two autonomous regions which are not subdivided into prov ...

Film Festival for his "brave commitment to the development of Albanian cinema". He is the founder and director of

Tirana Tirana ( , ; aln, Tirona) is the capital and largest city of Albania. It is located in the centre of the country, enclosed by mountains and hills with Dajti rising to the east and a slight valley to the northwest overlooking the Adriatic Sea ...

's Marubi Film & Multimedia School, the first film university in Albania, as well as the supervisor of OraFilm, Albania's first film production company, and founder-organizer of Albania's first Human Rights Film Festival (IHRFFA).

Career as filmmaker and educator

A native of Tirana, Kujtim Çashku studied at the city's Higher Institute of Arts as well as at Institute of Theater and Film Art in

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and started in the filmmaking profession in 1975, working as an assistant director. During the succeeding years, as his career took him to

France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic, Pacific and Indian Oceans. Its metropolitan area ...

Poland Poland, officially the Republic of Poland, is a country in Central Europe. It is divided into 16 administrative provinces called voivodeships, covering an area of . Poland has a population of over 38 million and is the fifth-most populou ...

and

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, he became, in the process, Albania's internationally best-known cinema personality for directing the 1989 romantic drama ''

Ballad of Kurbin ''Ballad of Kurbin'' (original title ''Balada e Kurbinit'') is a 1990 Albanian romantic drama film directed by Kujtim Çashku and written by Vath Koreshi. The film stars Reshat Arbana and Timo Flloko. Cast *Reshat Arbana * Timo Flloko * Besa I ...

'' as well as for writing and directing the 1996 political drama ''

Colonel Bunker ''Kolonel Bunker'' is an Albanian, French and Polish historical film released in 1996. It was selected as the Albanian entry for the Best Foreign Language Film at the 69th Academy Awards, but was not accepted as a nominee.Margaret Herrick Library, ...

'', which became the official Albanian submission for the

Academy Award The Academy Awards, better known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit for the American and international film industry. The awards are regarded by many as the most prestigious, significant awards in the entertainment ind ...

s and won international prizes, including the 1998 prestigious CIFT ETC Enrico Fulghinoni in

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. His most publicized international success came with the 2005

road movie A road movie is a film genre in which the main characters leave home on a road trip, typically altering the perspective from their everyday lives. Road movies often depict travel in the hinterlands, with the films exploring the theme of alienatio ...

, ''Magic Eye'',Brennan, Sandra. ''All Movie Guide''
/ref> which won 9 international awards, including FIPRESCI 2005, "Silver Pyramid" for Best Screen Play and Best Actor at the 2005 Cairo International Film Festival, "Bronze Palm" for Best Cinematography and Best Music at 2006 Mostra Valencia, as well as CEI Award and Third Best Film Audience Award at 2007

International Film Festival.

Filmography

*1976 ''Pranverë në zemrat tona'' 'Spring in Our Hearts''(documentary) *1977 ''Ata ishin katër'' 'They Were Only Four''with Esat Musliu *1979

Ballë për ballë ''Face to Face'' (original title ''Ballë për Ballë'') is a 1979 Albanian drama film directed by Kujtim Çashku and based on a novel by Albanian author Ismail Kadare. Plot A translator at the conference of communist parties witnessed the bigge ...

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''] *1996 Kolonel Bunker 'Colonel Bunker''*2004 ''Syri magjik'' 'The Magic Eye''

Screenplays

*1996 ''Koloneli Bunker'' 'Colonel Bunker''*2003 ''Equinox'' *2004 ''Syri magjik'' 'The Magic Eye''

References

Bibliography

*Wiśniewski, Jerzy (1997). "Mirror of the Soul": interview with Kujtim Çashku. ''Albanian Review'', 2. *Hoxha, Abaz (2002). ''Enciklopedia e kinematografise shqiptare. Autore & vepra'' 'Encyclopedia of Albanian Cinema. Directors & Titles'' Tirana: Toena.

External links

*
Albanian Film Archives website
{{DEFAULTSORT:Cashku, Kujtim Albanian film directors Albanian screenwriters Albanian educators People from Tirana 1950 births Living people Merited Artists of Albania