02/07/2008

“As independent producers we are very much interested in the freshness, originality and enthusiasm of Eastern European cinema,” said Italy’s Francesco Tagliabue of Fast Rewind and Albania’s Arben Tasellari of Albanian General Vision, who joined forces to make the first Italian/Albanian theatrical film in history, East West East.

Written and directed by Gjergj Xhuvani, one of Albania’s most acclaimed directors (his Slogans won the Youth Award at Cannes in 2001), the shoot begun last April in Tirana has wrapped in Trieste.

In East West East, Xhuvani relates the dreams, heroics and a dose of healthy naivety of his people in the years of transition from communism to democracy, through the adventures of a group of amateur bicyclists, trained by a former champion in his 50s, who are called to France to represent Albania in a race.

The plot is a re-elaboration of various true stories, recollections and personal suggestions that the director and his co-screenwriters drew from their memories. “This is an ensemble story,” said Xhuvani, “that brings together those of many Albanians after the fall of the Berlin Wall. Some tried to leave yet still many return. Freedom cannot be found outside one’s country, but inside one’s self".

The professional, nearly all-Albanian cast features Ndricim Xhepa, a star at home, while Italian audiences will recognize Nela Lucic, the Bosnian-born actress who recently became an Italian citizen and has worked with Pupi Avati, Tinto Brass and Peter Del Monte.

The film will be edited in July by Claudio M. Cutry, who has previously worked with Sydney Pollack, the Frazzi brothers and Roberto Faenza.

(Translated from Italian)