THE REMIGRANT

Synopsis

The Remigrant tells a story about Bashkim (50) and his son Besnik (17). They have a lot in common. They both had to leave their homes at their young age. The father had to flee to Austria because of the war in Kosovo and his son has to go back to Kosovo at the request of the father. The return to Kosovo after seventeen years in Vienna is a hard growing up test for both of them. The strong desire for the place of childhood connects and separates father and son alike.

Director Biography

Astrit Alihajdaraj grew up as the youngest of four children in Istog, a small town in northwestern Kosovo. As the political situation in Kosovo escalated, he moved to Vienna to start a new life. Initially he studied economics at the Vienna University of Economic and Business until he was discovered for Barbara Albert´s cinema debut NORDRAND, which took part in the Film Festival in Venice in 1999. Immediately afterwards, he got several further engagements and eventually trained to be an actor at the Vienna Film School. There, he also discovered his love for the theatre. He is currently working on stage as well as in film and TV productions. The Remigrant is his first film as director.