The jury struggled to select a winner among a wealth of excellent performances.

The jury particularly praised Drita Kaba Karaga’s performance, describing it as profound and impressive.

The International Film and Television Festival in Bari, “Bif&st” is one of the most important cinematographic events in the Mediterranean region.

The director said he was thrilled to return to Bari, 35 years after his arrival on the “Vlora” ship as an emigrant.

The story of the movie goes like this:

In order to become a mother to her young and motherless niece, Fran, who, although born a woman, lives the celibate life of a man, has to make the hard choice of either continuing to maintain the status of a “man” or give it all up to reconnect with the feminine maternal feelings that she has suppressed for so long.

THE MAN OF THE HOUSE, Andamion Murataj’s debut as a director entered production in February and was shot in and around Tirana, Albania as a coproduction with Austria and Italy.

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At the joint press conference with Head of SPAK Altin Dumani and SPAK Prosecutor Vladimir Mara, after a major operation against international drug trafficking that led to the arrest of 42 people and 10 others declared wanted, Rossi said that work is underway to achieve common results and to fight crime in Italy and Albania.

“We have been working for 10 years to achieve common objectives to fight crime in Albania or Italy. We are aware that the Albanian investigative authorities and in particular SPAK are very capable of fight against crimes, together with us. This joint force is very important”, stated Chief Prosecutor Rossi.

He added that, “Unfortunately, the Albanian mafia is a very large international force, but we are sure that the Albanian people, through the Albanian Prosecution and Courts, will be able to fight this “cancer”.

“It is precisely through cooperation that we have managed to coordinate together to achieve this objective. There is also an extraordinary presence of the Italian and Albanian Judicial Police who, together with us, achieve common objectives”, he stated. /a.f/p.s./

Attending the event organized by the high authorities of Bari, Puglia region, were MP Mimi Kodheli, chairwoman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Assembly, Pandeli Majko and Milva Ekonomi, mayors, university directors and Albanian and Italian scholars.

Before the start of this event, Speaker Spiropali met Mayor Vito Leccese and expressed her gratitude to the municipality and the “Aldo Moro” University of Bari for organizing the memorial ceremony for the patriot and writer Luigj Gurakuqi.

Spiropali and Leccese placed wreaths of flowers on the plaque commemorating the assassination of Luigj Gurakuqi.

In her speech, Spiropali highlighted the fact that, “Luigj Gurakuqi ended his earthly journey in this city that he loved perhaps more than his homeland, Albania. Delegate to the Vlora Assembly, the author who wrote the text of the Declaration of Independence and its co-signer, would be enough for us to call Luigj Gurakuqi one of the founding fathers of the Albanian state”.

“Luigj Gurakuqi was neither a casual nor episodic figure, but a personality with a decisive role in the fate of Albania at the beginning of the last century. Luigj Gurakuqi did not become among the most prominent men of Albania in a day or by chance. He was the closest associate of Ismail Qemali, the founder of the independent Albanian state, who also, by a sad coincidence, had breathed his last, six years ago, also in Italy, in Perugia”, emphasized Spiropali.

Speaker of the Parliament emphasized that, “Gurakuqi was also the closest associate of the liberal democrat Fan Noli, who served as Prime Minister of Albania during 1924 and in whose government Gurakuqi served as Minister of Finance”. /k.s/r.e/a.f/p.s./

In a post in the social media, Durrës Port Authority wrote that, “Rigel V”, the newest ferry of the Ventouris Ferries company, has a capacity of 1030 passengers and 450 beds. This investment aims to improve the passenger experience and increase the flow of passengers and goods between the two ports.

Durrës Port Authority emphasized its commitment to the constant improvement of infrastructure and quality of services, guaranteeing higher standards and a safer and more efficient maritime transport./r.e/p.s./

In the activity entitled “Open Day”, Prefect of Korça region Nertil Jole congratulated the leaders of the university and the faculty, especially Dean Sonela Stillo and Professor Rafael Prodani, for the work and encouraging efforts they make, to arouse the interest of high school students, to join the path of education at the university of their city, but also to take advantage of additional opportunities and windows for training, thanks to the programs that are offered as valuable experiences in other countries and cities of Europe.

In his message to young people, Nertil Jole emphasized the importance that, regardless of their academic and professional direction, they should never distract their attention from contributing to their hometown, always showing a special interest, to exploit every potential that Korça region offers for further economic development in various sectors./p.s./

Attending the event was  Mayor of Tirana Erion Veliaj and that of Durrës Emiriana Sako, Mayor of Bari Antonio Decaro, the Italian Ambassador in Tirana Fabrizio Buçi.

Mayor Veliaj praised the hospitality of the Italian people during those difficult days. “I do not believe that there are Albanians who have forgotten that photo and the hospitality of the people of Bari”, said Veliaj.

The Mayor underlined that 30 years later, there are 20 thousand Italians who have chosen to work and live in Tirana.

“Things have changed today. Next year, Tirana will be the “European Youth Capital” and this is probably the moment to be back. So, to have young people from Italy exploring Albania”, he said.

While praising the transformation of Tirana, the Mayor of Bari, Antonio Decaro said that now the two countries look forward together.

On her part, Mayor of Durrës Emiriana Sako said that following the event organized on August 5 in Durrës, we inaugurated in Bari together with Mayor of Bari Antonio Decaro the new square “Sono Persone 8.8.1991” exactly where it is located “also the monumental work of the same name, whose twin is located in the promenade” Taulantia “in Durrës”, said Sako./p.s./

The award was presented to the Prime Minister Edi Rama at the commemoration ceremony of the 30th anniversary of the beginning of Albanian emigration to Apulia, at the Apulia Regional Council.

“The Albania’s Prime Minister Rama has tried to show his people that poverty cannot be overcome by ugliness, you must act to make the city even more beautiful. The Tirana paint project has gone down in history and I have followed this story as a prosecutor at that time. I was not in Tirana. Then his ability to build a universal political leadership based on a deep humanity and knowledge of the human soul that is an asset not only of the EU nor of the Albania,” Emiliano said.

According to Emiliano, this ability is experienced with humility, friendship and sometimes even annoyance because the Prime Minister Rama does not like rhetoric.

“Now I know I’m bothering him, it’s probably telling me you’re talking a bit like Michele, but someone in this room has to say a few things as they risk to be forgotten. Time has a strange ability to forget the bad things, but also the good things. I have always felt close to you when you did what you could do, helping us during the pandemic, when we were not adequately prepared and you came to assist us. I felt close when we spoke, and reasoned about the future of our enterprises, what will happen after the pandemic,” Emiliano underlined.

“Albania has made all the sacrifices in these 30 years by improving itself. I remember when I went to Tirana for the first time for a very important judicial act, the police attached high importance to the control. I came to Tirana accompanied by an escort of 20 carabinieri as well as Albanian police. Tirana looked like a city that came out of the war, there were also traces of the trauma it had suffered. I have visited the city other times. Recently, the Skanderbeg Square successfully verifies the major changes that this country has undergone, evoking high-arousal emotions,” he added. //a.i/