What was the first feature film produced in Albania in 1953?

The first 'New Albania' fiction feature was a co-production with the Soviet Union, SCANDERBEG (1953), an epic about the 14th century warrior who held off the Turkish occupation until his death. Directed by the Russian Sergei Yutkevich and featuring Albanian actors, the film showcased several astonishing battle sequences and went on to win the International Prize at the 1954 Cannes film festival.

A notable period in Albanian filmmaking followed, with the first entirely homegrown production, Kristaq Dhamo's TANA (1958) and continued through the next decade with Hysen Hakani's moving DEBATIK (1961) and TOKE JONE (Our Land, 1964). In 1967, the partisan drama NGADHNJIM MBI VDEKJEN (Triumph Over Death), co-directed by Gezim Erebara and Piro Milkani, introduced the leading actors Timo Flloko and Rikard Ljarja to the big screen.