Emergency restoration measures were urgently implemented after the Korça Regional Directorate of Cultural Heritage identified the Turan Tower as an at-risk monument.

Minister Gonxhja said that every intervention was carried out respecting the authenticity of the monument and traditional construction techniques, with the aim of preserving its historical and cultural values.

This restoration was made possible through an investment by the National Institute of Cultural Heritage (IKTK) in partnership with Regional Directorate of Cultural Heritage Korça. It marks a vital step in IKTK’s ongoing efforts to protect and promote Albania’s most valuable historical landmarks.

Dating back to the 19th century, the 15-meter-tall Turan Tower is a classic four-story field tower of the region. Its small, square layout and windowless, solid volume reflect its original, purely defensive purpose.

/j.p/p.s./

This is one of the few genuine, surviving original discs. Niko Kotherja told ATA that the disc was useless, broken into three parts.

The historian explained that in its original state, it was impossible to hear the voice and that a great deal of work was needed to put the three parts together and to ensure the disk is read correctly. In this way, the great Fishta was resurrected through his voice.

Asked about technical details of the restoration, Kotherja said that the restoration was carried out in Korça, using efficient methods and at the same time creating the most favorable ground for reproduction on the gramophone. The disc still needs a final intervention, to eliminate noise, and then the moment will come to digitize the content of both sides.

“What you see is one of the only authentic copies of the disc that has reached to our days, where the original voice of the colossus of Albanian letters and thinker Father Gjergj Fishta is recorded. As far as I know, other original copies of this disc have been limited, so not a high circulation like other music discs that were sold at that time”, said Niko Kotherja.

He explained that, after a long time of work, now one can hear in almost 7 minutes the voice of the colossus reciting two of the songs of his masterpiece “Highland Lute”.

The disc, recorded in Shkodra, is believed to date back to 1937 or 1938 and is the only audio material of Father Gjergj Fishta so far. It is part of the collection of historian Kotherja, along with hundreds of other audio evidence dating back to period before World War II. The other discs contained in this collection are diverse, such as folk music, patriotic songs, audio recordings of personalities, such as Aleksandër Moisiu, etc.

It is worth noting that part of this collection are all the recordings on discs of the “Flag Anthem”, from 1918 to 1952. This collection contains recordings made by record companies in Italy, America, France, Turkey, etc.

Niko Kotherja told ATA that there will be a presentation of this recording, which may come on an anniversary of Fishta or during events in which he was a protagonist, such as the Manastir Congress. /a.f/p.s./

Prime Minister Edi Rama shared today in the social media a video with extracts of the digitally restored films, writing that “19 iconic films from the former “New Albania” film studio, with image, sound and color masterfully restored in 4K by the National Film Archive, will soon be shown exclusively on the screen of the public Albanian Television (RTSH).”

The National Film Archive began the restoration project of the films in 2012 in collaboration with foreign studios. The films that have been restored so far are cinematographic productions dating back before the 1990s in our country.

A 4K film restoration is a process of enhancing old films to a 4K resolution. This results in a significantly more detailed and clearer picture with richer colors, making it possible for audiences to see the old films with the clarity and quality of modern films.

Thus, these old productions have undergone a genuine process of digitalization in both video and audio to be a special asset in the Albanian cinematographic fund. /m.q/a.f/p.s./

The ancient building located in the gathering place, known as the agora, is now restored and ready to welcome visitors passionate about antiquity.

The specialists of Vlora Regional Directorate of Cultural Heritage successfully carried out the restoration of the ancient building in the public area of ​​the ancient city of Amantia. During the process, there were identified and used some of the original blocks to complete the masonry. The building regained its vertical shape and the stone slab floor, preserved in very good condition.

This newly restored monument adds to the wealth of Amantia Archaeological Park, making it a new point of reference for all lovers of our national history and culture. /j.p/p.s./

For the first time in context of this festival, there was played the improved 4K version of the film “Captain” in a special ceremony, organized by the Central State Film Archive as well as by TIFF. During the ceremony, the group of creators and protagonist actors of the film were honored with the Award of Recognition: Muharrem Fejzo, Fehmi Hoshafi, Albert Vërria, Nikolin Xhoja, Robert Ndrenika, Valbona Simixhiu, Ilia Terpini and Shyqyri Sako.

The National Film Archive thanked all those present in this evening, especially the Vërria, Hoshafi, Fejzo and Xhoja families who traveled from afar to once again celebrate the “Captain” and to honor the memory of their beloved ones in this beautiful evening. Special thanks went for the actor Robert Ndrenika, present in the hall, as well as for Shyqyri Sako, the family members of actress Melpomeni Çobani and for the scriptwriter Skënder Plasari.

The film “Captain” was produced 52 years ago by directors Fehmi Hoshafi and Muharrem Fejzo.

Its restoration is a project of the Albanian National Film Archive, financed by ACE – Association des Cinémathèques Européennes, which was brought to the public with the support of the Tirana International Film Festival in the TIFF Classics program. /j.p/p.s./

Attending the inauguration ceremony were representatives from the Delegation of the European Union, the Ministry of Economy, Culture and Innovation and the municipality of Durrës.

In the eastern part of the castle, part of the municipality of Durrës, you can see the plain of Ishmi and Krujë-Dajt Mountains, while in the west, the delta of the Ishëm River, the Cape of Rodon and a part of the coast of the Adriatic Sea.

This castle, built in the years 1572-1574, was declared a Category I monument in 1977. In front of the entrance to the castle, there is the tomb of the famous Albanian painter Ibrahim Kodra.

This castle was damaged by the 2019 earthquake and was in critical condition before restoration. The works included the fortification walls and continued with the restoration and consolidation of the terrain and landscape inside the castle.

During the ceremony, there was also announced the 3rd public call for proposals of EU4Culture, which aims to promote and support the social and economic growth of the communities surrounding the project’s cultural heritage sites.

EU4Culture invited non-profit organizations in the municipalities of Durrës, Kavaja, Kruja, Kurbin, Lezha, Mirdita, Rrogozhina and Tirana to submit their proposals for funding projects that support communities living in the areas around cultural heritage sites affected by the November 2019 earthquake.

The application period is open until June 30, 2024./k.s/p.s./

Prime Minister Edi Rama posted the trailer of the restored film in the social media while inviting everyone to watch it in the cinema.

Rama said that the iconic film “Poppies on the Walls” was restored in 4K by a prestigious international studio, which made this jewel of Albanian cinematography art intact for all generations.

The premiere of the film will be held today at 17:00, with the presence of the director Dhimitër Anagnosti and the stars of the film: Timo Flloko, Strazimir Zaimi, Krenar Arifi, Artur Hoxholli, Roland Ohri, Agron Domi.

The film mainly takes place in an orphanage of Tirana in the years of the city’s occupation from the Italian fascists at the start of World War II. /p.s./

“An exciting evening among artists, family members of those who live no longer and we remember them with esteem, and who left their trace on Albanian cinema”, said Minister of Culture Elva Margariti who was present at this event.

In the projection room, there was present the screenwriter Natasha Lako, some of the main actors such as Roza Anagnosti, Ardian Cerga and Petrika Riza, relatives of them and the family members of the late Director Muharrem Fejzo. Minister Margariti remembered Director Fejzo, the painter of the film Ilia Xhokaxhi, the cameraman Ilia Terpini and actor Gulielm Radoja, some of the pillars of the iconic film, who are no longer alive.

“We do not have them among us to celebrate the good news, not only of the rescue of a film, but also of the establishment of a laboratory at the Albanian National Film Archive, so that the digitization and restoration can be carried out in our institution”, said the Minister of Culture .

“Mësonjëtorja” is part of our film heritage, which keeps alive the work and memory of our great artists.

The restoration of this film, whose music bears the signature of Limos Dizdari, was realized thanks to the cooperation of the National Film Archive, Harabel Contemporary Art Platform and ABI Bank./p.s./

“Even “General Gramophone” is coming in 2023″, writes PM Rama, recalling that the legendary film of 1978 was subject to digitalization, making this gift of our nostalgic cinema to be there for all generations.

“General Gramaphone” has been restored at the “Dabimus” srl center in Bari.

The restoration of this film was made thanks to cooperation of the Central State Film Archive and Fondazione Gramsci di Puglia within the project “For a network of cultural institutions between Puglia and Albania”.

Earlier, Minister of Culture Margariti announced that, together with the premiere of the film, there will be promoted the book written by Ester Gjika “Film after film –me, the daughter of …” as well as a performance of a musical piece in clarinet, performed by the trio virtuoso: Sokol Bimi: clarinet, Fatmir Lela: lute; Ronaldo Deda: violin.

“General Gramophone”, is considered an iconic film directed by the great Viktor Gjika, with a script by Vath Koreshi and music by Aleksandër Peçi.

The restoration process of old Albanian films started a few years ago, where some of the best Albanian productions such as “Tale from the past”, “Second November”, “Tana”, “Death of the horse”, were realized.

Immediately after its production, “General gramaphone” had a wide echo both inside and outside the country. After the screenings in Albania, the film would participate in the Balkan Film Festival (1979) in Istanbul, Turkey, where it would receive an Honorary Diploma, being evaluated as a very successful film even by the critics attending the festival.

There was also an international appreciation for the great actor Bujar Lako who worked and lived 24 hours a day with the virtuoso Laver Bariu throughout the entire preparatory phase of the film so that to perfectly interpret the wonderful piece with clarinet./p.s./

The film is by director Saimir Kumbaro, scriptwriter Nexhati Tafa and was produced in 1992. Timo Flloko, Rajmonda Bulku, Niko Kanxheri are among the actors who perform excellently in this film.

This film was supposed to reappear once again for the public, but already with this maximum quality. The screening took place on the official YouTube channel of the Central State Film Archive from May 19 to 26. For the international public, the film had English subtitles attached.

The restoration and presentation of “The Death of a Horse” was made possible thanks to the A Season of Classic Films program, an initiative of the Association of European Cinematographers – ACE (Association des Cinémathèques Européennes) where the State Central Archive of the Film is a member since 2019, and with the financial support of the Creative Europe MEDIA program. The film was also restored thanks to the work of Israeli restoration expert Shai Drori, and Australian filmmaker Steven Kastrissios.

The Archive stated that, “During the days that this film was played, it was watched by 2977 viewers all over the world. The viewers, among others, were from Japan to Georgia, who attended the online restored film “The Death of a Horse”, while good news comes from our partners in the Cinegrell laboratory, Switzerland – where the first Albanian feature film “Tana” is being restored “.

The Archives thanks Cinegrell and supervisor Louise Burkart. /j.p/r.e/p.s./