The first term used to refer to animated films in Albania was multiplicative film. Later, the term cartoon film (film vizatimor) was introduced.

     The magical art of animated films would give its first fruits in Albania in 1975, with the realization of the first film of this cinematographic genre in the studios of ”Kinostudio Shqipëria e Re” (New Albania Kinostudio), today known as Albafilm Animacion, as the only state owned institution that produced feature films and documentaries with annual financing and program. The introduction of this new cinematographic genre would bring on the screen a cartoon film of 5 minutes made by the pioneers of this genre Vlash Droboniku and Tomi Vaso. 

1975

 

These two young creators, who had just returned from a several-month specialization in Animafilm Studio, Bucharest, would be committed to working for one year filled with passion. It was a brave initiative facing many difficulties, but the will for this wonderful art of cinematography brought about a successful film.

"Zana dhe Miri" (Zana and Miri) had a childish plot realized through the technique of shaped cardboard. The main characters were two little children playing with a ball, without taking proper care of the flowers nearby. 

The film was screened on November 24, 1975 before the creating staff and was evaluated a lot because its success led to the introduction of a new cinematographic genre. This film was genesis of a new sector which, in 1981, would be named the sector of cartoons composed of editors directors, painters, cameramen, executive painters and parlors of different techniques. 

  At first, in the years 1975 -1989, the sector would be chaired by the cameraman Tomi Vaso; in the years 1980 - 1985 administrative chairman was N. Taja; in the years 1985- 1993 administrative chairman was E .Derhemi; and in the years 1983 - 1993 editor in chief was G.Leka.

The years 1975 – 1990 will be remembered as the decades of production and creativity supervised by the state. During these years, talented creators who were graduated from the Institute of Arts would work for about one year in filming groups in the function of painters, animators or set designers providing assistance for directors and using their experience as a guide for their future films, which would have the character of author- films. The number of films increased from 4 – 5 films a year to 12 - 14 films a year in different techniques. The increase of production would bring about a huge workload full of sacrifices, but this new generation of artists was characterized by a common phenomenon; that of passion and love for the genre of film that stimulated a fast development of experimental requests depending on the issues treated.

Quality experiments and achievements  

Because there is no specialized school of animated film in Albania, the creators chose the hardest way, that of experimentation as the only autodidactic means of further improving artistic mastery. The technique of shaped and articulated cardboard became a favorite technique for all directors, painters, animators, and cameramen. Through this technique and through the easiness of the characters, they understood the big secret of movement and rhythm, of building the scenes and sets that would further improve the experimental values, especially through the realization of films such as: "Pika e Ujit" (The drop of water), "Mirela" (Mirela), " Pipiruku" (Pipiruku), " Dy gosti" (Two banquets), "Festa e pranverës" (Spring festival), "Kau dhe ujku" (The ox and the wolf), "Stop Kundravajtje” (Stop, violation!), "Bredhi midis nesh" (The fir-tree among us), "Toçi dhe Poçi" (Toçi dhe Poçi), "Nevoja të ndihmon" (Need helps), "Dimri dhe fëmijët" (The winter and children), "Gara e milingonave" (Ants race), " Ditë korrjesh" (Harvest day), "Krimbi" (The worm),  "Abetarja dhe Zogjtë e boltës" (The ABC-book and the world’s birds),  "Kush e meriton" (Who deserves it),  etc., films that would create the film archive and would be welcomed by the children and the audience during their premiers and screenings in the cinemas as scheduled by the kinofilm distribution sector.

 

1977                   

                                                                                                                                                                    Bujar Kapexhiu was one of the first director-painters that would use his lovely humor by experimenting with the cellophane technique in the film "Zhgaravinat" (Meaningless writings) in 1977. The cellophane technique continued to be successful from a group of directors that used humor in their films, such as R. Qafzezi, E. Konomi, A. Maku, A. Dauti,  G. Qendro,  V. Droboniku, S. Xhahysa,  Xh. Delia, etc. 

1983

 

The director, B. Ikonomi, would treat the topic of legend through the experimentation of combined frames in the film “Ilira" (Illyria) realized in 1983, which together with the film "Lufta për Jetën" (The struggle for life) realized in 1981 remain as the two most valuable experimenting films in this technique. 

1983

Meantime, another creator would experiment with puppets. It would all start with the film "Zogu Pushbardhë" (White-feathered bird) the first serial realized by V.Droboniku  in 1983. this technique quickly became lovely and mastery in other creators such as B.Ikonomi  in the film "Merimanga dhe Brumbulli" (The spider and the beetle),  J.Zhongo in the film "Lodrat e Mirit" (Miri’s toys), A.Muharemi and  V.Droboniku in the film "Kërpudha" (The mushroom), as well as GJ. Varfi, who would successfully dedicate himself continuously to this technique in all his films.

1985

The technique of drawings would strongly attract the director-painter G.Leka, who would use metamorphoses through emotions and figurative values created by the tip of the pencil on a piece of paper. The technique used in the film "Plumb Ballit" (A bullet between the eyes) was a further achievement, which would be applied by another creator, A. Muharremi. The film "Gjethja” (The leave) made by him would masterfully create the feeling of the movement of pastel. It was this director who perfected this technique in the film "Sa nata dita" (Night and Day). A work that was both beautiful and of high quality as well as hard regarding its painting on paper was achieved even by the director-painter G.Qëndro in the following years, especially in the film realized with aquarelle "Parullat" (Slogans).   

  

1988                        

                                                                                                                                                               

In this year, two young talented creators in love with plastics and the modeling of form would live between the dream and reality with a wish to experiment in the technique of plasticine. In 1988, director-painters like Jani  Zhonga and Stefan Taçi would use this technique to make a film of high values and artistic level entitled "Veza e rallë" (The rare egg). This would be the most favorite technique for these two creators and by the creator A. Maku in his coming films such as "Kërkoj" (Look for), "Gurëgdhëndësi" ( The stonecutter), "Divi dhe Gjahtari" (Divi and the hunter) etc.

This period of production and experimentation increased the level of the quality of films creating its peculiarities and individual stylistic features for directors and painters, part of these achievements being the creative work in perfecting the mastery of filming by cameramen like Tomi Vaso, Diana Diamanti, Vangjush Valla, Faruk Basha, Jovan Kondakci, Beqir Vaqari, Sonja Mamaqi, Leonard Dori. 

  While in creative premises and filming studios one could feel a tick-tack of cameras, the group of executive painters handled a great workload, drawing on papers, modeling of puppets, shaping of cardboards, and millions of colorings of cellophanes. Those wonderful tireless golden hands carved the love, passion and steel will on all the films created during this period. In sign of great admiration and evaluation, we would like to mention Natasha Vodica, Elefteri Mella, Zamira Keçi, Beti Kumi, Lejla Llazani, Diana Hoxha,  Ana Arapi,  Zana Thaçi, Alimja Dinja, Andon Ikonomi, Milto Çarka,  Thanasi Shyti,  Mirela Palloshi, Bledar Tirana, Vehap Kokalari, etc.

Screenplays, Editorial office and topics 

The film like all kinds of arts were politically oriented and supervised. Thus, there existed a framework and no one dared to cross the line. It was especially difficult for screenwriters in choosing topics. The screenplays were first discussed with the artistic council that was masterfully chaired by the leading artist K .Dhamo, later the sector had its own editorial office, in 1981 it was composed of screenwriters and editors such as L. Rama, V. Musta, S. Pone. The topics were proposed by writers and directors. The topics of the first films were mainly addressed to children, later creators tended to open up new venues, somewhat delicate for that time. Creators like Artur Muharremi, Robert Qafzezi, Artan Maku,  Artur Dauti, Gëzim Qëndro,  Sokol Xhahysa would use philosophical topics, as in the film  "Sa Nata Dita" (Day and Night), which remains a good and special example of crossing the line. Other creators would often tend for artistic freedom of expression in the directorial aspect, graphical styles, characters, sets and other composing elements of films. 

Serials 

The animated film had its own attempts and achievements in the serial films. Serials started with films like " Pipiruku" (Pipiruk) directed by Bujar Kapexhiu,  "Jo keshtu Piku" (Don’t  do this Piku!) directed by Artan Makun,  "Pushbardhi" (The White-feathered) directed by Vlash Drobonikun  and "Robinsoni" (Robinson) in the films by Sokol Xhahysa (During history of Albanian animation, the connection of creators and composers, composers of music or montage became evident and added special values to the animation film, such were composers like  L. Dsidari,  F. Deda,  R. Radoja, Sh. Shehu, J. Papadhimtri,  A. Lalo, A. Peçi,  etc.,  and  composers of music like  N. Andoni , M. Meçule,  E. Bushati,  A.Pasko, E. Kume,  E. Budini, N. Karamani, V.Leka, Sh. Papapavllo,   K. Kotmillo, K.Tollko, F.Uka,  A.Osmanlliu, M.Berxolli, Zh. Kosturi, S. Konduri, etc.)

Festivals

The year 1976 would mark the realization of the first festival of Albanian film, with the participation of the animated film also. Since its beginning, the animated film was awarded prizes in international festivals of animation in the Balkans and Europe, where the level of Albanian animation was highly evaluated. Some animated films were awarded different prizes, such as in important festival like Annesy- France 1987, 1999, Venice,  California - USA, Athens,  Istanbul, Serbia, Rumania, Germany, Netherlands, Lithuania, Poland, Ukraine, Italy, Spain, Portugal, Egjypt, Iran, Hiroshima-Japan, Argentina, Brazil, Pristine, Dokufest, etc.

 1991 -  a new world 

The year 1991 would bring about a new world for Albanian cinematography in general and for animated film in particular. The events that would occur in Eastern countries, overthrows of systems, would have an influence even in Albania, which was the last to overthrow dictatorship and the totalitarian regime to establish democracy. Another ray of hope came along with this highly desired change. The former “Kinostudio” would be named Albafilm. Everything would be transformed to fit into the free market, this freedom opened up new venues for innovations, but in the same time it had a strong influence on animated films. 

A considerable part of creators emigrated abroad working for various studios and TV channels, for example A. Muharemi and R. Qafzezi emigrated in France,  J. Zhonga in  Greece,  E. Konomi in Spain  M. Fagu in  Italy,    S. Xhahysa  in Switzerland,  V. Droboniku  in USA, ( B.Ikonomi  1956 - 2008 in Canada ).  Now they are artist of the Diaspora, who keep alive not only pas creations, but also the continuation of this art. Many of them live in European countries and the USA, and have been awarded prizes in various festivals. 

A new venue of life and creativity    

In Albania, after these events in 1993 the animated film would separate itself as a studio named "Alba film Animation". There were a lot of efforts in this difficult economic period for the existence of this genre of Albanian cinematography. "Alba Film Animation" was first chaired by the director B. Ikonomi. In this period, the production of films reduced considerably due to lack of finances. Very soon the difficulties lead to bankruptcy, and the animated film joined again to the "Alba film distribution".   The creation of Children’s National Centre would bring about the establishment of private associations. In these moments, associations of film production and distribution were created.

These private associations attracted groups of talented creators, and this was a great opportunity for the life of film and creators because it opened an avenue for creations of high quality, which established the physiognomy of animated film. These associations realized successful creations and artistically mastery topics. The chairmen of these associations like "4+1", "Studio 7", "Pegaso", "Ibro", "Maku", etc., were not only chaired by famous directors, but they also operated in collaboration with directors of previous generations and those of a new generation in the genre of animated film like B. Kapexhiu, A.Dauti,  Gj .Varfi,  Sh .Veseli,  A. Faja,  E. Faja,  A. Maku,  I. Kaso,  R. Nova,  B.Shijaku,  A. Malltezi,  E. Vogli, B. Millo, M.Çarka, A. Ikonomi, etc.  Some of these creators apply classical techniques, while others have been dedicated to digital systems 2D and 3D, which they apply with love and passion outside schoolings and specialized courses on these contemporary techniques. Some of the films by these associations have been nominated and awarded national and international prizes in different film festivals.                                                                             

The films made by film associations are sponsored by Children’s National Centre, which compiles cultural policies in the field of cinematography and at the same time supports projects for films that apply for different festivals. But these financings have been limited in the field of animation, which puts creators and film associations in a difficult situation.

ANIFEST ROZAFA 2010 

  "AniFestROZAFA 2010" is the newest film event in Albania, and its special values stand in two aspects: First, it is addressed only to animation and second, its slogan by children and for children includes a multidimensional universe dedicated to children. This International event joins together life, freshness and children’s creativeness form all over the world, from children’s schools of animation, which have an influence on establishing various schools of animation in Albania. This event is at the same time open for films of high quality from masters of animation from all the countries of the world presenting children topics. The composition of the two juries, the children jury and the adult jury, creates a sense of evaluation and seriousness. Thus, the event has been approved by state institutions of culture and the Children’s National Centre. Its first debut and success in the first edition on October 04-09, 2010 with the participation of 26 countries of the world, demonstrates a dignified evaluation and admiration for this wonderful art of cinematography. 

1975-2010, 35 years of Albanian Animated Film 

The 35^th anniversary of animated film would be the best gift of this event in its eve. The recall, selection and screening of the films made in the last 35 years, as well as bringing into attention the authors who debuted in this art would make this past creativeness be evaluated as contemporary and full of values. Those who are among us would be present through the screen, and they would be best admired. Presenting the rich archive of films made in the last 35 years during the days of the festival through the panorama section and the competition section made creators feel happier among each other in the cinema, which was filled with the voices of children from Shkodra and the audience. This is the miracle that has been long desired, and it came as such during the days of "AnifestRozafa 2010". The city of Shkodra, where this event takes place, is one of the Albanian cities with an ancient tradition in the field of art, and one of the most art-loving and welcoming cities of Albania. 

Vlash Droboniku