Kujtim Çashku (born 5 August 1950) is an

Albania Albania ( ; or ), officially the Republic of Albania (), is a country in Southeast Europe. It is located in the Balkans, on the Adriatic Sea, Adriatic and Ionian Seas within the Mediterranean Sea, and shares land borders with Montenegro to ...

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 (, "International Exhibition of Cinematographic Art of the Venice Biennale") is an annual film festival held in Venice, Italy. It is the world's oldest film festival and one of the ...

for ''Colonel Bunker'', the Best Screenplay Award, the FIRESCI Prize and the Silver Pyramid at the 2005 Cairo International Film Festival as well as the Bronze Palm at the

Valencia Valencia ( , ), formally València (), is the capital of the Province of Valencia, province and Autonomous communities of Spain, autonomous community of Valencian Community, the same name in Spain. It is located on the banks of the Turia (r ...

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

Trieste Trieste ( , ; ) is a city and seaport in northeastern Italy. It is the capital and largest city of the Regions of Italy#Autonomous regions with special statute, autonomous region of Friuli-Venezia Giulia, as well as of the Province of Trieste, ...

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

Tirana Tirana ( , ; ) is the capital and List of cities and towns in Albania, 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 ov ...

'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

Bucharest Bucharest ( , ; ) is the capital and largest city of Romania. The metropolis stands on the River Dâmbovița (river), Dâmbovița in south-eastern Romania. Its population is officially estimated at 1.76 million residents within a greater Buc ...

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 located primarily in Western Europe. Overseas France, Its overseas regions and territories include French Guiana in South America, Saint Pierre and Miquelon in the Atlantic Ocean#North Atlan ...

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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'' as well as for writing and directing the 1996 political drama '' Colonel Bunker'', which became the official Albanian submission for the

Academy Award The Academy Awards, commonly known as the Oscars, are awards for artistic and technical merit in film. They are presented annually by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (AMPAS) in the United States in recognition of excellence ...

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, genre of film 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 the ...

, ''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''">Face_to_Face_(1979_film).html" ;"title="'Face to Face (1979 film)">Face to Face''with Piro Milkani *1980 Pas vdekjes[''After Death''] *1982 ''Shokët'' [''Comrades''] *1983 ''Dora e ngrohtë'' [''A Man's Handshake''] *1985 Të paftuarit [''The Uninvited''] based on the writings of Ismail Kadare *1987 ''Vrasje ne gjueti'' 'Killing During a Hunt''*1989 Balada e Kurbinit Ballad of Kurbin''">' Ballad of Kurbin''*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 21st-century Albanian educators People from Tirana 1950 births Living people Merited Artists of Albania