The film industry in Albania comprises the art of films and movies made within the country or by Albanian directors abroad. Albania has had an active cinema industry since 1897 and began strong activities in 1940 after the foundation of both the "Kinostudio Shqipëria e Re" and National Center of Cinematography in Tirana.[1] [2] Early Albanian films were introduced in Albania in 1909 by painter and photographer Kolë Idromeno in Shkodër.[3] [4] [5] Afterwards, the first public screening of foreign films took place over the years.
The motion pictures have won international and prestigious awards and each year new Albanian films are seen at film festivals around the globe.
In consideration to the Albanian diaspora, there are several internationally renowned actors such as the Albanian-Americans Eliza Dushku, Klement Tinaj, Masiela Lusha, Jim and John Belushi, Kosovo-Albanians Bekim Fehmiu and Arta Dobroshi and Turkish-Albanian Barish Arduç.
Albania annually hosts several International Film Festivals. The most important is certainly the Tirana International Film Festival, which takes place in the capital of Tirana. Born in 2008, the Durrës International Film Festival is also among the most prominent exhibitions held in summer at the Amphitheatre of Durrës.
| width=220 | Title | width=220 | Translation | width=40 | Year | width=120 | Genre |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Bijtë e shqipës së Skënderbeut | The sons of Skanderbeg's Albania | 1941 | Documentary short | ||||
| Luftëtari i madh i Shqipërisë Skënderbeu | The Great Albanian Warrior Skanderbeg | 1953 | Epic war | ||||
| Fëmijët e saj | Her Children | 1957 | Drama | ||||
| Tana | Tana | 1958 | Drama | ||||
| Vitet e para | The First Years | 1965 | Historic war | ||||
| Prita | The Trap | 1968 | War | ||||
| I teti në bronx | The Father in Bronze | 1970 | |||||
| Mëngjese lufte | Mornings of War | 1971 | Coming of age | ||||
| Malet me blerim mbuluar | The Mountains Covered in Tulips | 1971 | |||||
| Yjet e netëve të gjata | The Stars of the Long Nights | 1972 | Drama | ||||
| Operacioni zjarri | Operation Fire | 1973 | War comedy | ||||
| Rrugicat që kërkonin diell | The Alleys That Sought Sunlight | 1975 | Drama | ||||
| Beni ecën vetë | Beni Walks on His Own | 1975 | Comedy | ||||
| Zonja nga qyteti | The Lady from the City | 1976 | Comedy | ||||
| Lulëkuqet mbi mure | Red Poppies on Walls | 1976 | Coming of age drama | ||||
| Përballimi | The Confrontation | 1976 | |||||
| Njeriu me top | The Man with the Cannon | 1977 | |||||
| Tomka dhe shokët e tij | Tomka and His Friends | 1977 | Coming of age | ||||
| Gjeneral Gramafoni | The General Gramophone | 1978 | Drama | ||||
| Liri a vdekje | Freedom or Death | 1979 | Historic | ||||
| Nëntori i Dytë | The Second November | 1983 | |||||
| Të paftuarit | The Uninvited | 1985 | Psychological | ||||
| Një jetë më shumë | One More Life | 1986 | |||||
| Përrallë nga e kaluara | A Tale from the Past | 1987 | Comedy | ||||
| Këmishët ne dyllë | The Cloaks in Wax | 1987 | |||||
| Rojet e mjegullës | The Keepers of the Fog | 1988 | Psychological thriller | ||||
| Muri i gjallë | The Living Wall | 1989 | Medieval fantasy | ||||
| Balada e Kurbinit | Ballad of Kurbin | 1990 | Romantic drama | ||||
| Vdekja e kalit | The Death of the Horse | 1992 | Psychological drama | ||||
| Plumbi prej plasteline | The Clay Bullet | 1994 | Sci-fi psychological drama | ||||
| Një ditë nga një jetë | A Day from a Life | 1994 | |||||
| Kolonel Bunker | Colonel Bunker | 1998 | Historical | ||||
| Tirana Viti Zero | Tirana Year Zero | 2001 | Comedy | ||||
| Trishtimi i zonjës Shnajder | The Sorrow of Mrs. Schneider | 2008 | Romantic drama | ||||
| Koha e Kometës | Time of the Comet | 2008 | Historical drama | ||||
| Lindje, Perëndim, Lindje | East, West, East | 2009 | Comedy | ||||
| Amnistia | Amnesty | 2011 | Drama | ||||
| Falja e gjakut | The Forgiveness of Blood | 2011 | Drama | ||||
| Farmakon | Pharmakon | 2012 | Drama | ||||
| Jeta mes ujërave | Life Between the Waters | 2017 | Drama | ||||
| Mali i harrum | The Forgotten Mountain | 2018 | Drama | ||||
| Takim në ajër | Encounter in the Air | 2019 | Drama | ||||
| Freestyle to Montenegro | Freestyle to Montenegro | 2021 | Documentary | ||||
| Alexander (2023 film) | Alexander | 2023 | Documentary |
During China's Cultural Revolution, many Chinese audience members were introduced to avant-garde and modernist storytelling techniques and aesthetics through Albanian film.[6]