Kino Kosova, 20.–24.9.2023

Shpija

Director	Flaka Kokolli
Duration	6 min
Language
Genre	Short, animation
Animators:	Giorgi Gabisonia, Avtandl Gvaramia, Flaka Kokolli, Djellza Bullaku
Country	Kosovo
Year	2022
Distributor	Film Director

Synopsis

A young girl trying to leave her home finds it difficult in more than one way. After struggling to leave the house she was raised in she finds that it follows her wherever she goes, wreaking havoc and making it impossible for her to lead a normal life.

When she turns to face it, the house now appears submissive and harmless, but only until she turns away again. Eventually, finding the strength to hold it accountable, she turns to face the house only to find that it is now on her chest.

As she reaches inside herself to confront the damage caused by her home, followed by a transformative battle, she finds that once accepted and processed the past can be something to wear with pride rather than avoid in shame. Having found the strength to risk it all by leaving her old home and having dealt with the turmoil, she now is presented with the opportunity for a fresh start. We see her leaving her new home without trouble, ready to begin a new phase of her life.

Official trailer

Biografie

Flaka Kokolli is an animator from Kosovo. She was born in 1998 in Prishtine. Starting at 2014 she has been working for the Anibar Festival in workshop tutoring, film selection for the main program and recently also interviewing the guests in animation related topics.
After finishing her studies in the metropolitan university of Budapest with a major in animation, she worked for a couple of studios as an animator and illustrator to later on open her own studio ‘Flammorum’. With Flammorum she has had commissioned animation projects, including the short film called ‘Mardhë’ produced and ideated by oral history initiative, which won the special mention prize in Dokufest.