Albanian film “The Delegation” (Le Dernier Prisonnier), directed by Bujar Alimani, was screened in the French city of Reims on Thursday evening.

The event took place through cooperation between the European Commission Representation in France and the association “7ème Œil.” Albanian Ambassador to France Dritan Tola, Montenegro’s Ambassador to France Dubravka Lalović and Jessica Larsson, Deputy Head of the European Commission Representation in France, attended the screening.

Alimani’s film tells a story set in Albania in October 1990, during the final months of the communist regime and on the eve of democratic change. The plot follows the arrival of a European delegation in Tirana to observe reforms introduced by the government, while a state official travels to a remote prison to bring an important dissident to the capital.

Released in 2018 and written by Artan Minarolli, the film received international recognition and won awards at the Warsaw International Film Festival. It also represented Albania in the race for the 2020 Academy Awards.

The cast includes prominent Albanian and international actors, among them Viktor Zhusti, Xhevdet Ferri, Ndriçim Xhepa, Richard Sammel, Kasem Hoxha, Tristan Halilaj, Rovena Lule, Bislim Muçaj, Mehmet Xhelili, Armando Dauti, Jorgaq Tushe and Lulzim Zeqja.

The screening in Reims introduced French audiences to one of Albania’s most acclaimed recent films and highlighted Albanian cinema on the international cultural stage.

/a.c/