©ELSANI & NEARY MEDIA GMBH

The Albanian Virgin

Die albanische Jungfrau (Working title)

Feature Film | 2019-2021 | Drama, Love, Romance, Society, Western, Women | Albania, Belgium, Germany, Kosovo

Main data

Director	Bujar Alimani
Written by	Katja Kittendorf
Production	90 Productions [al], Elsani & Neary Media GmbH [de], Potemkino [be], Elsani Film [de]
Distributor	Elsani & Neary Media GmbH [de], The Playmaker Munich (formerly Arri Media International) [de], Splendid Film GmbH [de], 24 Bilder Film GmbH [de]

Shooting data

Start of shooting	12/08/2019
End of shooting	07/02/2020
Number of shooting days	35
Locations	Albanien, Kosovo
Filming regions	Albania, Kosovo

Project data

Film financing	Film- und Medienstiftung NRW [de] - production funding: 500.000 EUR (04/2019) Film- und Medienstiftung NRW [de] - distribution funding (theatrical): 25.000 EUR (01/2023) German Federal Film Board (DFFF) [de] - production funding: 180.628,83 EUR German Federal Film Board (FFA) [de] - production funding: 200.000 EUR (06/2019) MOIN Film Fund Hamburg Schleswig-Holstein [de] - production funding: 100.000 EUR (06/2019)
Length of movie	2h 3min
Aspect ratio	Cinemascope (1 : 2,39)

Cast

Trailers/Videos

Trailer/Video on Vimeo
German Trailer

Stills

Posters

Behind the scenes

Brief synopsis

1958 in Albania: An arranged marriage by ancient tradition forces Luana to deny her love for Agim, son of communist traitors, who were abondoned to the coutry side – the village of Luana and her family. Luana does everything to please her father, the tradition and knows the rules of the kanun and is ready to sacrifice her tue feelings for Agim and follow the tradition. But very soon she realizes that the word of a woman does not count and the kanun is to benefit the men. She has no other choice than being one of them. Becoming a man.

Cast

Actor	Role name	Voice actor / SpeakerVoice actor
Rina Krasniqi	Luana [L]
Kasem Hoxha	Ismail [L]
Nik Xhelilaj	Flamur [L]
Mimoza Azemi	Lule [SR]
Shkurte Sylejmani	Luana (14) [SR]

Crew

Activity	Name	Comment
Production accountant	Yvonne Kowal
2nd AD	Jennifer Piasecki
Colorist	Christian Kuß Final DI 4K	Final DI 4K
Director of photography	Jörg Widmer
Steadicam operator	Robert Patzelt und 2 Unit D.O.P	und 2 Unit D.O.P
1st assistant camera	Daniel Weber Winter Shoot Red Monstro 7K	Winter Shoot Red Monstro 7K
1st assistant camera	Alexander Sachariew
DIT digital imaging technician	Markus Kreuzwirth Helium/Monstro, QC / CC / Dailies	Helium/Monstro, QC / CC / Dailies
Video assist/playback operator	Alexander Durisic & additional camera assistant	& additional camera assistant
Still photographer	Roland-Guido Marx + Making Of	+ Making Of
Costume distressing	Sarah-Julia Durisic
Director	Bujar Alimani
Online editor	Jasper Brandt
Key grip	Maike Maier
Gaffer	Horst Mann
Best boy electric	Oliver Noell
Best boy electric	Bernd Kremer Winterteil	Winterteil
Lighting technician / electrician	George Bozkurt winterteil	winterteil
Lighting technician / electrician	Sabrina Carli
Key makeup artist	Carmen Botermann
Additional make up artist	Hanna Buß
Set decorator	Stivi Rrapo
Production manager	Michael Fette
Production coordinator	Sylke Ferber Winter Shoot	Winter Shoot
Screenwriter	Katja Kittendorf
Production sound mixer	Michael Schlömer
Second boom operator	Andreas Fritsch
Adr mixer	Christoph Hundt

Production companies

Company	Comment
90 Productions [al] Koproduktion	Koproduktion
Elsani & Neary Media GmbH [de]
Potemkino [be] Koproduktion	Koproduktion
Elsani Film [de] Koproduktion	Koproduktion

Distribution / Sales companies

Company	Comment
Elsani & Neary Media GmbH [de]
The Playmaker Munich (formerly Arri Media International) [de] international sales	international sales
Splendid Film GmbH [de] Germany (theatrical)	Germany (theatrical)
24 Bilder Film GmbH [de]

Facilities

Department	Company	Comment
Cameras and Utilities	Moonrocketfilms On Set Lab // DIT // Equipment	On Set Lab // DIT // Equipment
Grip	Maier Bros. GmbH
Lighting and Utilities	Maier Bros. GmbH
Production Services	Mahl-Art-Catering
Costumes	Kostümfundus Babelsberg GmbH KB: Charlotte Willems	KB: Charlotte Willems
Costumes	PATIN-A SHOP GmbH Costume supplies	Costume supplies
Film Processing/Transfers	wefadetogrey GmbH

Awards

Award winner	Year	Award	Category
Bujar Alimani	2022	fsff - Fünf Seen Filmfestival [de] Audience Award	Audience Award	Nominated
Bujar Alimani	2022	Film Festival della Lessinia [it] Audience Award	Audience Award	Winner
Bujar Alimani	2022	PriFest - Prishtina International Film Festival [al] Best Balkan Film (Vjosa Berisha)	Best Balkan Film (Vjosa Berisha)	Winner
Elsani & Neary Media GmbH [de]	2022	PriFest - Prishtina International Film Festival [al] Best Balkan Film (Vjosa Berisha)	Best Balkan Film (Vjosa Berisha)	Winner
Elsani & Neary Media GmbH [de]	2022	Filmfestival Oostende [be] Audience Award	Audience Award	Winner
Rina Krasniqi	2022	Festival du Film de Cabourg [fr] Special Mention for the role of Luana	Special Mention for the role of Luana	Winner
Rina Krasniqi	2022	PriFest - Prishtina International Film Festival [al] Best Actress	Best Actress	Winner
Bujar Alimani	2021	Warsaw Film Festival [pl] Int. Competition - Special Mention	Int. Competition - Special Mention	Winner
Bujar Alimani	2021	Warsaw Film Festival [pl] Ecumenical Jury Award	Ecumenical Jury Award	Winner

Festivals

Year	Country	Festival	Comment
2022	Albania	PriFest - Prishtina International Film Festival Best Balkan Film Vjosa Berisha Award	Best Balkan Film Vjosa Berisha Award
2022	Canada	Blue Mountain Festival
2022	France	Festival du Film de Cabourg Honorable Mention - Actress Rina Krasniqi	Honorable Mention - Actress Rina Krasniqi
2022	Italy	Film Festival della Lessinia Audience Award (Premio del pubblico)	Audience Award (Premio del pubblico)
2022	Austria	Der Neue Heimatfilm (Freistadt)
2022	Germany	Fünf Seen Filmfestival
2022	Germany	Film Kunst Messe Leipzig
2022	Finland	Oulu International Children's and Youth Film
2022	Italy	Balkan Film Festival (Rome)
2021	Poland	Warsaw Film Festival World premiere / international competition	World premiere / international competition

Cinema releases and premieres

Type	Country	Date	Comment
Theatre release	Germany	Thursday, 09/02/2023
Premiere		Friday, 08/10/2021	Warsaw Film Festival

Crew United

The Albanian Virgin

Main data

Shooting data

Project data

Cast

Trailers/Videos

Stills

Posters

Behind the scenes

Brief synopsis

Cast

Crew

Production companies

Distribution / Sales companies

Facilities

Awards

Festivals

TV-broadcast

Cinema releases and premieres

Links