The Albanian

Arben is Albanian. With his father, he goes back and forth between Greece and Albania to make some money. It’s enough as far as Arben’s family is concerned but it’s not enough to get married. And at 20, Arben is deeply in love with Etleva, a girl who lives on a farm close to his in the mountains.
She's pregnant with Arben’s child but her father wants 10.000 euros for her because he has debts. Arben promises he will get the money within six months and decides to go to Germany.
But Germany does not wait for him and in Berlin, Arben has no visa, almost no name, he is ”the Albanian“. To survive, he starts working for a cleaning company, he sleeps outside and makes barely 20 euros per day. Everything changes when he meets Slatko. Slatko is ill, he has pneumonia and
Arben saves his life by taking him to a doctor. This friendship opens doors for the young Albanian.
He enters the human trafficking business, a business full of risk and money. Arben is good at it but he has chosen the wrong side. His Serbian boss is killed by a Polish rival.

Under pressure, alone, with no time left, Arben realises that he can only count on himself. More risk, more money. One night, Arben murders the Pole and steals thousands of euros. Now he can return home to marry Etleva. He has the money, a brand new car, some tailor-made clothes. He’s a new man. But nobody waits for him in Albania. He is too late. Etleva was rejected by her father after giving birth alone. And when Arben finally finds her in Tirana, love has turned into hate. Etleva has stopped waiting. Arben wasn’t by her side when their child was born. He did not fulfill his promise.

Info



Director:
Johannes Naber
Producer: Boris Schönfelder, Dritan Huqi
With: Nik Xhelilaj, Xhejlane Terbunja, Ivan Shvedoff, Amos Zaharia, Stipe Erceg, Andre Hennicke
Germany/Albania 2010, 104 Minutes, drama

 

Awards & Festivals

Antalya Golden Orange Int. Film Festival 2010
Best Actor Nik Xhelilaj

Palm Springs Int. Film Festival 2011
New Voices / New Visions

Max Ophüls Award 2011
Best Feature

Perspektive German Cinema/Berlinale 2011
Official Selection

32nd Moscow International Film Festival

Silver George Special Jury Price and Silver George for Best Actor Nik Xhelilaj

45th Karlovy Vary International Film Festival Competition East of the West

Pusan International Film Festival 2010
Official Selection

Bergen International Film Festival 2010
Official Selection

16th Cinema Tous Ecran Film Festival Genf
Reflet d’Or for Best Film and Audience Award