简介：《地拉那零年》是2000年之后阿尔巴尼亚电影在世界上获得声誉最高的两部影片之一，另一部是《口号大过天》（2001）。《地拉那零年》讲述了一个带超现实色彩的爱情喜剧，发生在本世纪初的地拉那城。 影片获2001年希腊Thessaloniki国际电影节金亚历山大奖，科隆地中海国际电影节评委会特别奖等。 NikuandKlaraareverymuchinlove.Bothyoungstershavedifferentdirectionstopursueagainstabackdropofhighlyemotionalpeoplelivingintheedgeofdespair.AcrazyGermantourist,hiresNikutohelphimpursuehisownmaddream.Afilmcelebratingthemaverickspiritoffilmmaking. TheGoldenAlexander,therichestfestivalprizeinChristendom(12.5milliondrachmas;nextyear,36,700euros),wasawardedbytheJohnBoorman-ledjurytoFatmirKoci'sTiranaYearZero,aworkofenergeticAlbaniannationalismthat'smoreKusturicathanRossellini.Tirana'ssurrealismissweetlyconfrontational:Everyone'sgotaKalashnikov,thoughnobodywouldeveractuallyuseone. Theherosupportshisfamilybydrivingarundowntruck;hisgirlfriendaspirestointernationalmodelingsuccesswhilehewaitsforthephoenixtorisefromtherubble. Albanianwriter/directorFatmirKociexaminesthecurrenttroublesofhiscountryinhisseconddramaticfeature,TiranaYearZero.WhileithascertainsimilaritiestoRobertoRossellini'sneo-realistclassicGermanyYearZero--takingplaceinwhat'sbasicallyawarzone--Koci'sfilmisadarkcomedy.Kociusedacastofnon-actors(includingsomeplayingcharactersbasedonthemselves)andveteransoftheAlbaniantheater.HisepisodicfilmfollowsNiku(NevinMecaj),afriendlybutratherfecklessyoungman,throughafewtumultuousdaysin1997.Koci'sfocusisontheoddwaystheAlbaniansattempttoearnaliving,andonthecommondreamofleavingAlbaniatoachievefantasticsuccessinotherEuropeancountriesorinAmerica.Kocihas,infact,referredtohisfilmas"acalltotheAlbanianpeoplenottoabandontheirnativeland."NikuisperhapstheonlycharacterinthefilmwhowillinglychoosestostayinAlbania,despitepressurefromhisprettygirlfriend,Klara(ErmelaTeli)tomoveawaywithher.WhenasculptorofferstotakeKlaratoParis,wherehe'shavinganexhibit,shecan'tconvinceNikutoleave,soshegoeswithouthim.Nikufindswhateverworkhecanamidthechaosinthecountry.ThisusuallyinvolvestheuseofaricketyChinesetruckhisfatherhasgiventohim.Atonepoint,hedrivesaneccentricGermanman,Gunter(LarsRudolph)tothelovelySoutherncoastofAlbania,whereGunterhireshimtohelphimtransportoneofthethousandsofbunkersthatlinethecoast(builtbyformerdictatorEnverHoxha)backtoGermanyasasouvenir.NikualsodrivesaroundaFrenchjournalist(LauraPelerins)whophotographsamanchoppingdownatreeonlytofindherselfthreatenedbyhisaxe. TiranaYearZeroisanentertaininglytwisted,butultimatelyunsatisfyingjourneythroughastrangeland.FatmirKoci'sfilmfunctionsbetterasatravelogueofanationincrisisthanasdrama.Albaniaisthestarofthefilm,butthatseemsalmostbydefault.Niku(NevinMecaj),themaincharacter,ispassiveandsullen.Hedoesn'tengageaudiencesympathy.WhileKocimayseeNikuasapatrioticfigureheadforstayinginhishomelanddespiteallofitstroubles,thisperceptionisseverelyundercutbyNiku'sindolence.ItseemslikehestaysinAlbaniabecauseit'stoomuchtroubletoleave.InadditiontosabotagingKoci'stheme,thissucksalotofthedramaoutofthestory.It'shardtocarewhetherornotNikuandhisgrumpygirlfriend,Klara(ErmelaTeli),staytogether.ThefilmpicksupsomenarrativemomentumwhenNikubeginsworkingforGunter(LarsRudolf),thecrazyGerman,butGunterisratherpuzzlinglydroppedfromthestoryafterashorttime.However,KocidoessuccessfullycapturethechaosofcontemporaryAlbania,leavingthefilmwithalottorecommendit.Thisisacountrywhere,whenoneofthesporadicblackoutsoccursduringtheshowingofaWesternatthelocalmoviehouse,agroupofarmedtheatergoerscheerfullypicksupwheretheactionleftoff.It'sacountrywhere,whenamanfiresarifleoutofhisapartmentwindow,almostalloftheneighborstogototheirwindowsandfiretheirrifles.It'salandwherehundredsofthousandsofbunkersdotthepicturesquecountryside,andamassivehellholeofadumpliesrightbesidethecapitalcity.Kocibringsthisabsurdworldtolifewithimmediacyanddrywit,butdoesn'tcreateacentralcharacterwithacompellingreasontostaythere.…