-What inspired the lyrics of your new song “Prodigio”?
The inspiration for the lyrics of the new song comes from the desire to communicate more and more the love for life and the joy of living it, with the awareness that life itself is a miracle, a wonderful thing, and worth living fully.
-The Catholic religion has always had a strong connection with music, which often becomes a means of spreading its message. Which classical composers have inspired you the most?
In reality, there are no classical composers who have inspired me, because, although I greatly appreciate their music and works, I don’t listen to classical music. However, I agree that classical music is of great value and brings many good things.
-Do you also listen to pop music and singer-songwriters? If so, which ones?
Of course, I often listen to pop music and singer-songwriters. I think it’s very beautiful and can convey important messages. I listen to many artists, including Ligabue, Pino Daniele, Pooh, and many others…
-We greatly admire your creative work, as we consider Art to be the main form of spiritual expression. What are you working on after the success of your songs “Canta la gioia,” “Il dono,” and others?
Currently, after the last song “Prodigio,” I am working on a piece that is as communicative as possible, and above all joyful and full of vitality. Of course, I am also, and most importantly, seeking the right inspiration, without which I risk being boring. In conclusion, I would like to thank all of you and my supporters who, with much affection, help me, through various means, to bring my songs to the world. Thank you all…
I was 14 years old when I received my first camera as a birthday gift from my brother, who had emigrated to Italy. From that day on, I started seeing the world through its lens. At that time, while my dream was to make films, most of my peers dreamed of escaping Albania, risking their lives on small boats to reach Italy or other European countries. Witnessing their struggles only strengthened my desire to stay and create something meaningful in my own country.
-When did you realize that cinema would become the protagonist of your life?
I grew up with this idea, as much as I could understand from television. In the village where I was born, there was no cinema. When I started high school, I had to leave my family and move to a larger city. There, I began working at a local TV station. After a few years, I decided to challenge myself further and moved to the capital, Tirana, where I worked in national television. I also pursued my studies in directing at the Academy of Arts. During my time there, I made my first short film, Gjyshja (Grandmother), which turned out to be very successful. From that moment on, my only focus was cinema and taking it to a higher level.
-What inspired the idea behind The Passport?
The Passport is based on a true immigration story that happened in recent years in Albania. I have always wanted to make a film about migration and the struggles of Albanians who left the country illegally, facing extreme difficulties. Coming from a family of emigrants myself, this subject has always been close to my heart. Through this film, I aim to send a message to young people who are still considering leaving Albania illegally. Not only do they put their lives at risk, but unintentionally, they also contribute to the financial growth of human trafficking networks.
-Tell us about the international success of The Passport.
The Passport is currently being screened in major European cities, including London, Rome, Athens, Zurich, Berlin, and Brussels. After Europe, the film will also reach audiences in the United States and Canada. It has been very well received by Albanian audiences, who see their own stories reflected in it, but also by international viewers who have found it compelling and eye-opening. Where does cinema stand today? I believe that cinema, in general, is not experiencing its best days. I think we are currently facing a crisis, as people are moving away from movie theaters. With declining viewership, the entire film industry suffers. Online streaming is taking over and, unfortunately, diminishing the beauty of traditional cinema. It is making people lazier, less willing to go to the theaters, and this is something we feel more and more every day.
-How do you imagine the world of cinema 100 years from now?
With the rise of artificial intelligence, I fear that films will lose their true essence. The magic of cinema that we grew up with and experienced firsthand will be gone, and everything will feel artificial. Unfortunately, I believe that movie theaters will eventually turn into museums. People will abandon them, and they will remain as symbols of the past. Cinema will primarily be consumed on smartphones, stripping it of the authentic experience that once connected audiences to the true art of filmmaking.
The P.R. project is actually a refinement, meaning the completion and natural extension of Risveglio Planetario, a multidisciplinary project that originated in its original form in Italian as a song in the years 2021/22. The current P.R. maintains its song form but in English, and the music video is adapted to the new version. This process involves the art of spirituality, photography, music, cinema, poetry, society, politics (understood as “polis”), philosophy, and the interconnectivity of all things.
The song format, combined with the video, is a strategic way to maintain the lightness and accessibility of concepts that would otherwise be less accessible, if not unattainable, to our contemporary audience. In fact, the song format serves as a true Trojan horse, allowing us to breach the walls of the city of Troy that imprison us within a pre-established reality, otherwise impenetrable. I use the metaphor of the impenetrable walls because it is a fact that we find ourselves in this condition both as individuals and as a society. Obviously, Planetary is in English to honor its planetary mission.
The inspiration for this work came from an intuition and personal sensitivity, from a vision ahead of its time and events. The observation of the acceleration of events at the expense of humanity’s culture, which in my eyes is neither credible nor conceivable, is a sign of weakness in an economic, political, and cultural system at its peak of fragility and obvious decline. This downward trajectory represents, in my view, the prelude to a new era: Risveglio Planetario – Planetary Rebellion. I believe this work will confirm the success of the Italian version.
The work that Wild Filmmaker is doing is and will increasingly be important and strategic for the world of cinema, offering crucial visibility to independent productions that are free from pre-established logics. Thank you, Wild Filmmaker, for your dedication and sensitivity.
-How has your experience on the set of “The Passport” changed you?
A lot. First and foremost, from a self-awareness perspective. A role like that allows you to challenge yourself, confronting many weaknesses and insecurities, but at the same time, it encourages you to trust yourself and dive in with courage, using those same vulnerabilities and insecurities to serve such an intense and delicate role. Throughout this process, working with and feeling the trust of the director Eduart Grishaj has been essential, and he will always have my sincere admiration and deepest gratitude. Furthermore, The Passport allowed me for the first time to connect directly with the hearts of millions of my fellow countrymen around the world, and I must admit it’s a beautiful feeling.
-Tell us about your character in “The Passport.”
Edon is a young man searching for stability in a country that seemingly has little to offer him. He represents an entire generation of the Albanian people. Orphaned by his father from a young age, he is determined to find a better future for himself and his mother, to whom he is deeply connected. He is willing to do anything to escape from a country that doesn’t seem to value or invest in him. He is undoubtedly very courageous and has strong principles, a positive example in many ways.
-You are an international actor, do you think it’s necessary to be an artist who addresses a global audience today?
I can’t say if it’s necessary for everyone, but for me, it undoubtedly is. I think that today, more than ever, it’s very important to reach the broadest and most diverse audience possible. Beyond the opportunity for greater career prospects, it is a necessity of a globalized and multi-ethnic society, striving to convey universally recognized messages through art. Proof of this are the increasingly frequent international productions, which aim to shed light on life stories in tune with a world that has never been so interconnected. Personally, I’ve had the fortune to work more abroad than in Italy, and I must admit that it’s the part of my job I love most, as it allows me to travel and engage with people who seem distant from me, yet I find them so close to my vision of cinema.
-Which actors from the past do you look up to? You remind us a lot of the charm and humanity of the great Marcello Mastroianni.
I’m deeply flattered to be reminded of the charm and humanity of such a global icon as Mastroianni. Being the grandson of a great Albanian actor, Bep Shiroka, who marked an era from the 1950s until the early 2000s, makes me entirely devoted to great actors, especially Italians, who since the post-war period have raised the bar of this profession to levels rarely reached by contemporary colleagues. Two names among many, besides my grandfather’s, are Gian Maria Volontè, for his incredible interpretive flexibility and intensity, and Massimo Troisi, for the authentic and sublime melancholy that characterized his comedy.
-Future projects?
Taking care of my body and mind, staying healthy to be a present father for my son, and to continue doing this rich job, never stopping to dream big. That alone would be a great achievement! More concretely, having the opportunity to work as much as possible to keep improving and becoming a good actor, which is the job of my dreams, and I always feel so lucky when I get the chance to do it. Specifically, I’m currently part of two projects, both in pre-production: Ghost Date, a psychological thriller directed by Erik Bernard, and Nossos Caminhos, directed by Carla di Bonito, well known to the Wildfilmaker community, where I’ll have the honor of portraying the great Formula One driver Elio De Angelis.
