NEUE SCHÖNHAUSER FILMPRODUKTION präsentiert in koproduktion mit ON FILM SWR ARTE mit unterstützung von QKK QENDRA KOMBETARE E KINEMATOGRAFISE MEDIENBOARD BERLIN-BRANDENBURG DEUTSCHER FILMFÖRDERFONDS einen film von JOHANNES NABER ”DER ALBANER“ mit NIK XHELILAJ XHEJLANE TERBUNJA IVAN SHVEDOFF AMOS ZAHARIA STIPE ERC,EG bildgestaltung STEN MENDE musik OLI BIEHLER co-autoren ANDETA SPAHIVOGLI CHRISTOPH SILBER ALEXANDER STEIMLE szenenbild INA TIMMERBERG montage BEN VON GRAFENSTEIN tongestaltung ANDRÉ ZACHER kostümbild JULIANE MAIER maskenbild KATHI KULLACK produktionsleitung ANDRÉ FETZER

herstellungsleitung DORISSA BERNINGER redaktion STEFANIE GROß, SWR GEORG STEINERT, ARTE koproduzent DRITAN HUQI produzent BORIS SCHÖNFELDER buch und regie JOHANNES NABER

www.DER-ALBANER.de

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CONTENTS THE FILM

Logline, Synopsis, Summary ............................................... 3

Key Facts ............................................................................ 4

Cast .................................................................................... 6

Interview with Director Johannes Naber .............................. 8

Vita Nik Xhelilaj, ”Arben“ ................................................... 9

Vita Xhejlane.Terbunja, ”Etleva“ ......................................... 9

Vita Johannes Naber, Screenplay & Director ...................... 10

Vita Boris Schönfelder, Producer ....................................... 11

LogLINE:The dark side of the European dream.

SyNoPSIS:A one-way trip to the dark side of the European dream. Where no one looks. Where no one cares. Where exile, loneliness and money prevail. This is the story of Arben, ”the Albanian“, who leaves the poorest country of Europe for the richest. He needs money to marry and obey the rules of his people. But the eldorado has its own rules, it is not welcoming to strangers and only the strongest survive. ”The Albanian“ is one of them, and he will pay the price. And learn that losing his innocence does not guarantee a fair return ticket.

SummAry:Arben is Albanian. With his father, he goes back and forth between Greece and Albania to make some money. It’s enough as far as Arben’s family is concerned but it’s not enough to get married. And at 20, Arben is deeply in love with Etleva, a girl who lives on a farm close to his in the mountains. She’s pregnant with Arben’s child but her father wants 10.000 euros for her because he has debts. Arben promises he will get the money within six months and decides to go to Germany. But Germany does not wait for him and in Berlin, Arben has no visa, almost no name, he is ”the Albanian“. To survive, he starts working for a cleaning company, he sleeps outside and makes barely 20 euros per day. Everything changes when he meets Slatko. Slatko is ill, he has pneumonia and Arben saves his life by taking him to a doctor. This friendship opens doors for the young Albanian. He enters the human trafficking business, a business full of risk and money. Arben is good at it but he has chosen the wrong side. His Serbian boss is killed by a Polish rival. Under pressure, alone, with no time left, Arben realises that he can only count on himself. More risk, more money. One night, Arben murders the Pole and steals thousands of euros. Now he can return home to marry Etleva. He has the money, a brand new car, some tailor-made clothes. He’s a new man. But nobody waits for him in Albania. He is too late. Etleva was rejected by her father after giving birth alone. And when Arben finally finds her in Tirana, love has turned into hate. Etleva has stopped waiting. Arben wasn’t by her side when their child was born. He did not fulfill his promise.

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KEY FACTS KEY FACTS

Title: DEr ALBANEr (”The Albanian“)

TV producer: SWR, Stefanie Groß

SWR Press, Annette Gilcher Tel: + 49 (0)7221 - 9294016 Fax: + 49 (0)7221 - 9292047 Email: annette.gilcher@swr.de

ARTE, Georg Steinert PF 1980, 77679 Kehl Tel: + 33 (3) - 88142115 Fax: + 33 (3) - 88142100

ARTE Press Feature Film and TV Drama, Stefanie Krisch Tel: + 33 (3) - 88142152 Email: stefanie.krisch@arte.tv

Film foundation : Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg Deutscher Filmförderfonds NCC (Albanian National Center of Cinematography)

Distributor: Kinowelt GmbH

Production company: Neue Schönhauser Filmproduktion GmbHProducer: Boris Schönfelder Neue Schönhauser Str. 19, 10718 Berlin Tel: + 49 (0)30 - 34391021 Fax: + 49 (0)30 - 52135649 Email: info@neueschoenhauser.de

Co-production Company: On Film ProductionCo-Producer: Dritan Huqi Sh.p.k.,Rruga e Sami Frasheri, Pall Agimi, shk 19, ap 336, Tirana - Albania Tel: + 355 42 223 830 Fax: + 355 69 20 56 175

Script Development: April 2001 – June 2009

Casting Albania: September – December 2008

Casting germany: February – July 2009

Shooting 1: September 1 - September 12, 2009 Bajram Curri, AlbanienShooting 2: November 13 - December 8, 2009 Berlin, GermanyShooting 3: Dezember 15 - Dezember 20, 2009 Tirana and Bajram Curri, Albanien

Days of shooting 32

running time: 104 mins.Shooting format: Super 16 mm

Picture size: 1:1.85Sound: Dolby Digital 5.1Projection format: 35 mm

written & directed by: Johannes Naber

DoP: Sten Mende

Co-authors: Andeta Spahivogli Christoph Silber Alexander Steimle

Casting germany: Uwe Bünker

Production Design: Ina Timmerberg

music: Oli Biehler

Sound Design: André Zacher

Editor: Ben von Grafenstein

Costume Design: Juliane Maier

make-up: Kathi Kullack

gaffer: Florian Kronenberger

Production manager: André Fetzer

Line Producer: Dorissa Berninger

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CASTCAST

Arben NIK XHELILAJ(pronounciation: Nik Dschelilai)

”The Albanian“ is the third movie for the actor from Tirana after ”The Sorrow of Mrs. Shnajder” by Piro Milkani (2005) and ”Alive“ by Artan Minarolli (2008)

EtlevaHis beloved, who is pregnant with his baby.

XHEJLANETERBUNJA

”The Albanian“ is her cinema debut. She comes from Kosovo and studied acting at the State Art Academe in Pristina (2005-2009).

SlatkoA sick immigrant, that Arben nurses back to health and befriends.

IVAN SHVEDOFF This Russian actor who lives in Prague is known to the German Audience mainly from ”England“ by Achim von Borries (1999) and ”Lights“ by Hans-Christian Schmid (2003).

IlirArben’s talented younger brother that betrays him.

AMOS ZAHARIA Played in several Albanian short films, won as best actor in ”She, The Saint“ by Eno Mil-kani (2007) on the International Filmfestival in Tirana. Studies at Marubi-School in Tirana, to become a director.

DamirA two-faced people smuggler.

STIPE ERÇEG Known for ”The Edukators“ by Hans Wein-gartner (2004) and as furious Holger Meins in Bernd Eichingers ”Baader Meinhof Komplex“ (2008).

Arben‘s fatherFor whom the honor of the family is of main concern.

ÇUN LAJÇI An actor from Kosovo. Known for ”Kolonel Bunker“ by Kujtim Cashku (1996) and ”Time of the Comets“ by Fatmir Koci (2008)

Arben‘s uncleWho understands Arben, and helps him to make his way to Germany.

LUAN JAHA Actor and director from Kosovo well known as the main role in ”Kukumi” by Isa Qosja

The PharmacistWho doesn’t send the illegal immigrants back onto the street.

ANDRÉ M.HENNICKE

”Der Untergang“, Dir: O. Hirschbiegel”Alter Affe Angst“, Dir: Oskar Roehler”Toter Mann“, Dir: Christian Petzold

SaliWho mediates the ille-gal crossing to Germa-ny, for Arben.

BRUNO SHLLAKU Cinema- and theater actor from Shkoder, Albania. Played among other things in ”Alive“ by Artan Minarolli and ”Busulla“ by Buyar Alimani.

NicolaWho falls inlove with Slatko and marries him.

EVA LÖBAU ”Hotel Very Welcome“, (2007)”Der Wald vor lauter Bäumen“, (2003)”Das Verlangen“, (2002)

Etleva’s fatherwho rejects his daughter, because she is pregnant with a fatherless baby.

GULJEM RADOJA Albanian actor”Kolonel Bunker“ by Kujtim Cashku(1996) and ”Necrologij“ by Fatmir Koci(1994)

Etleva’s motherWho is pulling strings behind the scenes.

YLLKA MUJO ”Honeymoons“, a Serbian-Albanian movie by Goran Pascaljevic(2009) and ”Black Flowers, Red Flowers“ (2003)

FlorençWas an immigrant worker in Leverkusen, Germany.

JULIAN DEDA Albanian Comedian, is in an ensemble of an Albanian comedy show comparable to ”Saturday Night“.Performed along with Nik Xhelilaj in Artan Minarolli’s movie ”Alive“ (2008)

People SmugglerDamir’s competitor in the people smugglers - business.

TOMEK NOWICKI ”Rosa Roth“, ”KDD“, ”Großstadtrevier“, ”Polizeiruf 110“. German actor of polish origin.

Arben’s grandfatherA proud and grumpy man of the mountains.

VASILLAQ GODO A South-Albanian theater actor from Vlora. Also played in the movie ”The General Of The Dead Army“ by Dhimiter Anagnosti (1989)

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MAIN CAST

NIK XHELILAJ, born in 1983 in Tirana, Albania

Languages: Albanian (first language), Italian, English.Education: 1999-2000 Acting classes at the National Art Academy of Tirana, Albania. Since 2004 he studied acting at the University of Tirana, Faculty of Arts.

movies2005 ”The Sorrow of Mrs. Shneider” – 35mm Film, Director: Piro Milkani2007 ”Me një Përdorim” – shortfilm, Marubi Film School, Tirana2008 ”Alive” – 35mm Film, Director: Artan Minarolli

Theater Engagements2007 ”Këmbanat e Muzgut” (The Twilight Bells) / Director: Alfred Bualioti and Anton Qesari2008 ”Tango” / Director: Driada Dervishi

XHEJLANE TErBuNJA, born in 1986 in what is today Republic of Kosovo

Languages: Albanian (first language), Serbokroatian, English.Education: 2005-2009 acting at the Academy of Art, Pristina

movies2008, ”The Thirteenth“, part: Jeta, Short movie / Director: Besim Ugzmajli, Pristine2009, ”Woman in Black“, part: Nita, Short movie / Director: Besim Ugzmajli, Pristine2009, ”DER ALBANER“, part: Etleva, Movie / Director: Johannes Naber, Albania2010, ”Kthimi (The Return)“, part: Besa, Short drama movie / Director: Ersin Samli, Pristine

Theater Engagements (selection)2010, The International Ankara Youth Festival, Pantomime, Turkey2010, ”My grandma, the old lady“, Written by Xhejlane Terbunja, Dir. by Genc Mehmetaj and Arlinda Morina, Dodona Theatre, Pristine2009, ”Picnic on battle field“, the keeper, Written by F. Arrabal, Dir. by Florent Mehmeti, Oda theatre, Pristine2009, ”Couples violence“, Gresa, Experimental theatre, Dir. by Agnes Nokshiq, Dodona Theatre2008, ”Gogoli“, Keta, Children’s theatre, Written by Arian Krasniqi / Dir. by Xhejlane Terbunja and Alban Morina, Professional Theatre, Prizren2008, ”Macbeth“, lady Macbeth, Dir. by Luan Jaha, Dodona Theatre, Pristine2008, ”Tartuffe“, Marianne, Written by Zh.B.Molier, Dir. by Luan Jaha, Dodona Theatre, Pristine2008, ”Parsimony“, Marianne, Written by Molier, Dir. by Luan Jaha, Dodona Theatre, Pristine2008, ”Medea“, Medea, Written by Euripides, Dir. by Luan Jaha, Dodona Theatre, Prisitne

INTERVIEW WITH jOHANNES NABER,SCREENpLAY AND DIRECTOR

What is the Movie‘s theme? How did you come on to it?

Johannes Naber: The first theme is illegal immigration. And the second theme, that’s to say Albania, its culture and people were only added later. I wanted to tell a story about illegal immig-rants. Why do they come to us in Germany? What motivates them? How do they manage to survive here? It is estimated that there is at the moment more than a million immigrants living in Germany, without residence permits. One million people, that work, eat, live and die, without being documented by any stati-stic or registered anywhere. And that in overregulated Germany! These people go through a lot of trouble, not to be noticed by us. And then it is like that: Nobody notices them. So it is high time that we pay attention to their fate and fortune.

Isn’t this rather a topic for a documentary?

Johannes Naber: I come from documentary filmmaking, so it seems natural to approach the topic in documentary style. But two things are immediately clear: it’s very difficult to get an illegal immigrant to appear in front of the camera, with that they risk too much. And when we really want to understand them, then we have to show how and why they leave their homes in the first place. That’s almost impossible. One can of course fake a documentary, like Michael Winterbottom had done for instance. But that is not my cup of tea. So I’ve decided to write a fictional story, based on what might be the research done for a documentary.

Why Albania?

Johannes Naber: Albania appealed to me because it lays so close to Europe, and because of his strange history. After ages of paranoid Stone Age-Stalinism, Albania developed into a turbo capitalistic media society. An enormous plunge. I went there for the first time in 2001 - with a minibus and a video camera. The mix between the archaic and the modern, between honorable pride and unconditional hospitality, that I came across, impressed me immensely. The prejudice against Albania that exists in Europe, is so absurd that it quickly became a second reason for making the movie: to put the country back in context. This country needs a chance in Europe, and therefore we still need to overcome a heap of clichés.

Doesn’t the movie represent exactly these clichés about criminal Albanians?

Johannes Naber: Initially perhaps. But doesn’t the movie explain to everyone why an illegal immigrant in Schengen-Europa doesn’t have much choice than to deal in illegal prospects? And that isn’t a problem of mentality, but a problem of the system and that it concerns us all?

How was working with the main actor Nik Xhelilaj? Where did you find him?

Johannes Naber: There are no casting-agencies in Albania and Kosovo. Over there it means starting from scratch, by arranging a group casting. That’s how it works in Albania. Like the Dardenne-Brothers did two years ago for ”The Silence of Lorna“, I also started at zero. An absurd waste of time, also for the actors. Yes, and at some point Nik came to the casting and it was immediately clear. He won the part without any effort. It was so easy. There is no scene in this movie without Nik. Arben’s character development and the part he plays, is immense. It carries the story. I’ve helped Nik to find the personage, but at the end, it was Nik – assisted by the script - that defined the character. That is only possible with an exceptionally talented actor. Additionally he couldn’t speak a word of German. He picked a couple of phrases and improvised with what he had. I taught him some more words or suggested to leave away a few he had, depending on the scene and on how good Arben’s German would have had to be at certain different points.

The interview has been abbreviated.

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THE DIRECTOR THE pRODUCER

BorIS SCHÖNFELDEr, ProDuCEr

Vita:

1995-1998 Line Producer at Degeto Film GmbH in Frankfurt1998-2001 Executive Producer at Degeto Film GmbH in Frankfurt HA ProductionSince 2001 Executive Producer at Medienkontor Movie GmbHSince 2007 Executive Producer at Neue Schönhauser Filmproduktion GmbHSince 2008 Producer at Neue Schönhauser Filmproduktion GmbH

TV and movie productions (selection)

1995-1998 ”Kommissar Beck – die neuen Fälle“ Schwedish-German co-production 8x90min ”Logan – ein Bulle unter Verdacht“ American-German co-production 3x90min ”Erdbeben in New York“, ”Angst über den Wolken“ American-German co-production respectively 90min ”Der blonde Affe“ Danish-German co-production cast: Jürgen Prochnow, Karoline Eichhorn, Götz Otto, Michael Mendl1998-2001 ”Klinik unter Palmen“ 6x90min ”Donna Leon – die Fälle des Commissario Brunetti“ 4x90min ”Bel Ami – der Liebling der Frauen” 90min ”Mord im Kloster“ cast: Mario Adorf, Thekla Carola Wied 90min ”Die Meute der Erben“ cast: Günther Pfitzmann 90min ”Die Katzenfrau“ 90min ”Tigermännchen sucht Tigerweibchen“ 90min ”Probieren Sie’s mit einem Jüngeren“ cast: Senta Berger 90minSince 2001 Development of Cine- and TV-projects as executive director of Medienkontor Movie2003 ”Antikörper“ Cinema director: Christian Alvart cast: Wotan Wilke Möhring, Heinz Hoenig, André Hennicke2004 ”Ein langer Abschied“ ARD, director: Johannes Fabrick cast: Sophie von Kessel, Tim Bergmann ”Heimliche Liebe – der Schüler und die Postbotin“ Sat1 director: Franziska Buch, cast: Marie Bäumer, Kostja Ullmann ”Vater Undercover – im Auftrag der Familie“ Sat1 director: Vivian Naefe, cast: Armin Rohde, Esther Schweins2007 ”North Face“( 23.10.08) director: Philipp Stölzl, cast: Benno Fürmann, Johanna Wokalek, Florian Lukas, Ullrich Tukur2008 ”Liebesticket nach Hause” Sat1 (broadcast: 23.09.08) director: Sebastian Vigg, cast: Wolke Hegenbarth, Christine Kaufmann2009 ”Hinter Kaifeck“ (12.03.2009) director: Esther Gronenborn, cast: Benno Fürmann, Alexandra Maria Lara

JoHANNES NABEr, SCrEENPLAy AND DIrECTor

Vita28.05.1971 Born in Baden-Baden, Germany1991 Matriculated in Baden-Baden1991-1993 Study Philosophy and Indian Philology at the Free University of Berlin.1993-1999 Film Academy Baden-Württemberg, LudwigsburgSince 1995 excels as a gaffer on various cinema- and TV films (e.g: ”Lost Killers“ 1999, ”Unter dem Eis“ 2005, ”Guten Morgen, Herr Grothe“ 2006)February 1999 Diploma in the faculty of Documentary films at the Filmacademy Baden-WürttembergSince April 1999 Freelance director, scriptwriter and gaffer.

movies / Director

1997 ”Leinfelden-Echterdingen“, shortfilm, 10 min, 16 mm actors: Sven Pippig, Waldemar Kobus, Gerhard Polacek

1999 ”Popstar“, Musik-Documentary, 60 min, S16, Nominated for Prix Europa 2000 protagonists: Singer/Songwriter Knarf Rellöm and the Girlband ”Funky Diamonds“

2005 ”Anfassen Erlaubt“, Documentary, 92 min, S16 SWR/RBB/MfG Puberty drama. Three 14-year old girls from Rastatt and their first dancing class.

2007 ”Der Zweifel“, shortfilm, 13 min, 35mm, SWR/ARTE actor/actress: Stipe Erçeg, Lisa-Maria Potthoff

movies / Screenplay

2006 ”North Face“ (revision), Director: Phillip Stölzl Prize of the German Filmcritique 2008: Best Script

2001-2009 ”Der Albaner“, 2004 film foundation Medienboard Berlin-Brandenburg

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