Director: Kastriot Abdyli

Producer: Kastriot Abdyli

Screenwriter: Kastriot Abdyli

Co-Writer: Isa Qosja

Director of photography: Vladimir Samoilovski

Production Design: Zeni Ballazhi

Sound designer: Igor Popovski

Editor: Blagoja Nedelkovski, Kastriot Saqipi

Music: Memli Kelmendi

Principal cast: Deplphine Depardieu, Selman Lokaj, Hazir Haziri, Safete Rogova, Liridona Shehu, Sefedin Nuredini, Xhevat Qoraj, Ismail Kasumi, Labinot Lajqi, etc.

Brief Synopsis:

This contemporary story takes place in a Balkan village, where the old and the new, traditional and modern, eastern and western, intertwine. Ilir, a young Albanian man from Macedonia who has migrated to France, has decided to marry (perhaps out of love, but perhaps also to secure his residence permit) a French woman by the name of Sabine. Because of legal issues (Ilir entered France on a fake visa) he must return to do that in his native village. This seems like a great opportunity though: for him to finally see his family after 7 years of absence, and for Sabine to learn more about his roots. However, their surprise visit quickly turns sour when Ilir’s father, a traditional old man, realizes that his son has returned only to marry some foreign woman and then leave again, thus breaking the promise he once made to a girl from their village.

FESTIVALS:

  • World premiere of “The Return” – “Oldenburg International Film Festival “ September 12 – 16, 2018 – Official competition,
  • International Film Festival Mannheim-Heidelberg” November 15 – 25 2018,
  • PriFest – 2018, Pristina
  • “The Return” Calgary European Film Festival (Nov 3-11, 2018),
  • International Film Festival Innsburg” 2019, Official, 2019, Official competition
  • 17th Tirana International Film Festival”, 23rd to 29th September 2019.
  • “Bulgarian feature film festival”.2019, Varna.
  • “14th Annual Macedonian Film Festival” October 18, 19, 20, 2019
  • “Balkan Film Festival” in Pogradec, 2019 winner of”Best Balkan Spirit” award
  • “18th Dhaka International Film Festival” 2020
  • “MittelmeerFilmtage 2020 Festival in Munich” 2020

MK, XK | 2018 | 81’| DCP | Drama | Produced by Dardania Film (MK) Co-produced by Shkupi Film (XK)

dardania_film@hotmail.com