IMAGES FROM THE SIEGE - A NEWSREEL HISTORY OF COMMUNIST ALBANIA - III

Synopsis

DHIMBJE E THELLË, BETIM I MADH (Deep Grief, Big Oath) (1985) (63 min)
Dir. Kujtim Gjonaj, Halil Kamberi

At the time of his death in 1985, Enver Hoxha, along with Fidel Castro, was one of the world’s longest-ruling absolute dictators. This doc highlights the cult-like, nearly religious fervor that accompanied the passing of the seventy-six year old Hoxha, a three pack a day smoker and diabetic who’d already suffered two heart attacks and a stroke. Though the funeral and burial were carefully choreographed, amid the uncontrollable sobbing is a traumatized Albania uncertain of what the future holds.