19/09/2017 - Gentian Koçi’s debut drama will be the Albanian submission for the 90th Academy Awards

Daybreak [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Gentian Koçi
film profile] by debutant filmmaker Gentian Koçi is Albania’s official submission for the Best Foreign-language Film Academy Award, it has been announced by the Albanian National Center of Cinematography. The film had its world premiere at the Sarajevo Film Festival, in the Feature Competition, where Ornela Kapetani was awarded the Heart of Sarajevo for Best Actress for her performance.

The film is a subtle social drama following the story of young mother Leta (Kapetani), who is struggling with her finances, as she has fallen behind on her rent and needs to support her infant child. Leta works for a well-off woman, taking care of her bedridden mother, Sofia (Suzana Prifti), who is in great pain. Intrigued, she moves into Sofia’s apartment, but at the same time, she covets her pension payments, and a local postman (Kasem Hoxha) is willing to help her.

After the decision was made public, Koçi stated to Cineuropa: “I am very happy about this nomination. It is always an honour to represent your country. Of course, the path towards an Oscar is very, very difficult, but not impossible. The film has just had its world premiere, and it has just been released in Albanian cinemas, so I really hope that this news can extend the international visibility of Daybreak – and especially its festival life.”

Daybreak was written and directed by Koçi, and is an Albanian-Greek co-production by Koçi's Tirana-based Artalb Film and Greek company Graal Films, supported by the Albanian National Center of Cinematography, the Greek Film Centre, the Albanian Ministry of Culture, Albanian Public Radio-Television, the Municipality of Tirana and the SEE Cinema Network. French sales agent Wide Management handles the international sales.