In the 11th Festival of Song

In the 11th Festival of Song

  • Overview
  • Crew

Status

Released

Release Date

Jan 1, 1971

Runtime

0h 11m

Genres

Documentary

Original Title

Në Ë Festivalin E 11 Të Këngës

Production Companies

Shqipëria e Re

Director

Donika Muçi

Description

No one knows why for certain, but from 1968 to 1973 communist Albania enjoyed a brief liberalisation in the arts. Banned books and Beatles records changed hands. Albania’s Nobel-nominated novelist Ismail Kadare wrote two of his most famed masterpieces, Kështjella (The Castle) (1970) and Kronikë në gur (Chronicle in Stone) (1971) during this period. The rock'n'roll and jazz arrangements featured in this concert documentary were the pretext that brought about the end to the artistic thaw. Several performers seen in the festival were sent to prison or internal exile. The portly, smiling music conductor, Gasper Çurçia, was later accused of forging bus tickets and executed.