03/08/2024
Revolutions are not scheduled; they exist in and through time as explosions and rebellions against forces that must be overcome so that prosperity and liberty can find a way to join life. One might witness them firsthand, spark them abruptly, or discover them unfolding at a documentary festival.
The opening ceremony brought together cinephiles and audiences to witness a reflection and a strong statement on the condition of humanity. It highlighted the immediate necessity of using the power of creation and narration—the power of image and word together—to pave the way for a better future amidst an immense sea of hurt, wars, and collapse. There might be a silver lining, a butterfly waiting to embrace everyone as it spreads its wings.
The XXIII edition of DokuFest has immediately focused on the possibilities of freedom, political, historical, and societal order through its numerous programs, special screenings, and well-curated works by directors and storytellers.
While the tools may remain the same, the ways stories are told define a lifetime and shape our understanding and reflection on everything happening around us. Documentaries invite the curious eye to travel the world and open spaces to think, understand, reflect, and react.
At the Opening Ceremony, the legacy of making a statement as a reflection on what the world holds up to its mirror underscored the necessity of standing up and uniting in the fight for freedom, challenging borders as means of separation, and delving into identity and the present moment with knowledge and insight.
Discussing the legacy of what DokuFest has brought throughout the years for all the nostalgics and for those who wish to revisit memories from previous years, festival presents the Triangle Program. This program features stories from past documentaries, along with a selection of films shown at Vienna Shorts and Bucharest IEFF. This year’s program unfolds through past and present with the "Blast from the Past" program, in collaboration with Kino Lumbardhi, showcasing iconic films from Kubrick, Fellini, and Wenders.
It also includes the "1974: Then is Now" program, which highlights conflict, resistance, and addiction through time while weaving in the futures of humankind. With a focus on Ukraine and "No Other Land: Films on Palestine," the festival presents the many intrinsic and underlying realities of countries at war, experiencing multifaceted threats to life, identity, and their future.
With compelling film programs, the Nationals section depicts stories of the human condition during transition and the various challenges the human spirit faces, including stagnation, illegality, and overwhelming nostalgia for a simpler life. We invite you to explore all the competing categories and discover what the fabric of reality and skillful imagination can bring to the screen.
DokuNights is back, urging us to the dancefloor with an exceptional line-up for eight days. Every day, DokuTalks under the New Order theme awaits us at Shani Efendi, while DokuPhotos returns with the works of Mykhaylo Palinchak, the Ukrainian photographer offering intricate insights into his war-torn homeland. This exhibition, curated by Ferdi Limani on behalf of DokuFest, marks a collaboration with Docudays in Ukraine.
There is so much to uncover throughout these remaining eight days, through all the film and music programs, talks, and events that promise a memorable edition.
This edition opened with a film from the collaborative program Blast from the Past (DokuFest and Kino Lumbardhi) with Kubrick’s Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb, this timeless documentation, a satire on the Cold War that brought the audience together to Kino Lumbardhi, while today marks the 10 year anniversary of the famous speech of Veton Nurkollari together with the volunteers as a choir chanting the speech in protection of Kino Lumbardhi as a permanent space of heritage.
It is going to be a week filled with programs and lots of admiration for the seventh art. And following up the speech used for the opening of DokuFest, from Charlie Chaplin’s interpretation in “The Dictator”: Let us all unite!
By: Blerina Kanxha
Photo: Agon Dana
