A new photo exhibition is bringing 20th-century Italian cinema to Tirana. The exhibition, “L’Italia che sognavamo”, opened today and will remain on display until October 23.

Visitors can see the exhibition in the area in front of the Central State Film Archive. It features photographs from Italian cinema throughout the 20th century.

The Italian Cultural Institute, the Italian Embassy in Tirana, the Municipality of Cesena and the Malatestiana Library organized the exhibition. Brunella Garavini from the Malatestiana Library in Cesena and Elton Koritari from EjAlbum curated the exhibition.

“Italian cinema of the 20th century is not simply a collection of films. It represents one of the greatest ways a country has looked at itself,” curator Elton Koritari said.

He explained that the exhibition presents the Italy that Albanians watched with fascination during the years of dictatorship. At the same time, it shows the mechanisms that created that powerful image.

For generations of Albanians, Italian cinema and television offered a forbidden window onto the other side of the Adriatic. Only 70 kilometers of sea and a television signal picked up secretly separated and connected the two peoples.

Before Italy became a destination, it existed as an image. It appeared bright, desirable and dreamlike.

The photographs also document the transformation of Italian society. They capture not only what appeared on screen, but also the world behind the scenes.

/a.c/