Fatos Berisha’s “Flying Circus” directed and screenplay won the Best International Feature Film Award at the Santa Barbara Film Festival.

The film is a minority co-production between B2 from Kosovo, B2 from Albania, Ikone Studio from Kosovo, and Black Cat Production, produced by Christian Burovski and Tomi Salkovski.

The cinematography is by Almir Zikoli, editing by Vladimir Pavlovski and music by Ognen Anastasovski. Director Fatos Berisha also appears as a screenwriter. The film’s producer is Vjosa Berisha. The lead roles are starring Armand Smajili, Tristan Halilaj, Afrim Mucach, Shpetim Selmani, Velibor Topic and others.

The Flying Circus is a surrealistic black comedy based on true events. Kosovo is on the verge of war. Dodona, a small theatre in Prishtina, is the last public institution to be closed down. Their theatre performance is invited to perform in a theatre festival in Albania. However, the road is dangerous, and they have no passports to cross the border. Despite the temptation, initially they decide not to go. But then Fatmir hears on the news that Michael Palin of the Monty Python crew will be filming in Albania during the festival days. They cannot resist the idea that they might get to meet their idol. However, the only way to get to Albania is by illegally crossing the border of Montenegro and Albania, which comes with a great risk.

At this year’s 35th edition of the Santa Barbara International Film Festival, dedicated to the presentation of independent and international film, the main award went to Richard Hobert’s “Birdcatcher’s Son.”

The film had its world premiere at the prestigious Black Night Film Festival in Tallinn, Estonia.

“Flying Circus” is a minority co-production financially supported by the Film Agency of the Republic of Northern Macedonia.