After directing the successful feature film “Right to Love” award-winning filmmaker Paul Kurti shot his next project “Out of Sight” in Albania. Out of Sight is a docuementary told from the perspective of Albanian children how they understand their world, reflecting on the future of Albanian and present lifestyles.
Director Kurti explains that his interest on the society of tomorrow from the eyes of the new generation is what inspired him to make this project.
“I was born in Albania and left in the year 2000, after living through the 90s, a confused decade of transitions for the country and the Albanian society. Every time I visit Albania, I see a lot of aesthetic changes. However, I still find the same confusion about the future as before.
Thus, I decided to make a film, about children who were born after I left the country. Children that did not live through the fall of communism and rise of democracy of the early 90s; the pyramid schemes and rebellion of the mid 90s; or the Kosovo war of the late 90s.
I wanted to explore what it means to be an Albanian child in the new millennium. And since these children are the future of the country, we could get a glimpse into the society of tomorrow,” said director Paul Kurti.
Director Paul Kurti hopes that with this documentary people can learn more about the social conditions of Albania facing youth. The documentary delves into issues like education, poverty, environment and future prospects as seen and understood from the eyes of children.
“I hope that after watching this film, audiences will become more aware that there is so much we can learn from these children. Concepts such as education, order, cleanliness and poverty, become so much more powerful through their voices.
While working on the film, I came across some situations that I was not aware of. On the suburbs of Tirana I saw extreme poverty. Children that were forced to leave school at a younger age because their parents could not afford to buy them books and clothes for school. We show the story of a girl in a similar situation in the documentary. Her parents had removed her from school in grade 4 and she had been sitting at home for the last 4 years. In the meanwhile, her 3 younger sisters were also being removed from school once they got to grade 4. I had never met a child that spoke about school with such passion as her. It was all she has been thinking for the last 4 years, while slowly realizing that she might never get another chance at education.
There are many similar stories that are untold and that people in bigger cities are seldom aware of. That is why I titled the film “Out of Sight,” added Paul Kurti.
The documentary is sponsored by Soros and it is expected to premiere this fall at Top Channel. A short clip of the documentary can be viewed here: http://vimeo.com/73023819 and further updates on the work of Paul Kurti can be found here www.paulkurti.com. / E. Babamusta