After the debut film that managed to include the first film produced in Kosovo in Berlinale, director Samir Karahoda’s second film becomes the first film fom Kosovo, selected among ten other short films, to compete for the Golden Palm prize, the highest prize awarded at the Cannes Film Festival.
“Displaced” that began filming in September last year, shows the story of the most successful ping pong club from Prizren called “Lidhja e Prizrenit”, recreating the story of the protagonists from the post-war period, on the today’s situations context.
The docu-fiction genre film follows the Jeton’s and Emergan’s continuous efforts, let by their coach Rifat, to keep the table tennis sport alive, by creating table tennis new generations.
“I personally congratulate “Lidhja e Prizrenit” ping pong club members leaded by Rifat Rifati for their achivements, regardless of the non-conventional and normal conditions. It is a unique story, a story that interprets unconditional love for sport and a silent fight against discrimination. This prize coming from a prestigious festival, as Cannes is, makes us proud as a team and I really want to thank each of them for their individual contribution”, highlighted the director Karahoda.
Our approach to this story gives us space to express our concern as a community for a common sense of hopelessness that conquers our lives and we deal with it even nowadays. This story begins in 2005, taking us back to those days when practicing this sport with intention of devloping it, was possible only because of real patriot’s willingness and enthusiasm, such as Jeton, Emergan and Rifat, but many others as well. In a very special cinematographic journey, this film brings us to the present civic solidarity and resiliance, by putting on the surface the public institution’s stagnation and ignorance toward minor sports.
“We manged to create a very special relation with all of the ping pong members who were in the production part. Both, old and young generations, now referred as young talents. A common thing that identified us, was the purpose of doing our best on it”, brought out Eroll Bilibani, the producer. He quotes: “On July, our filming team and ping pong club members that literally never gave up, will be greeted and walking the red carpet at the Cannes Film Festival, through the same one Bekim Fehmiu and Arta Dobroshi walked. But this time it comes with a film produced in Kosovo, which is creating space for a new film wave in a very small country, but with big dreams though”.
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Film synopsis:
Pushed by the desire of surviving thier favourite sport, two local players, helped by their coach, circle around from one place to another, by carrying with them the only resources they had, the ping pong tables.
Film team members:
Director and cinematography: Samir Karahoda
Producer: Eroll Bilibani
Editor: Enis Saraci
Audio designer: Memli Kelmendi
Audio recording: Gezim Rama
Main characters: Jeton Mazreku, Ermegan Kazazi and Rifat Rifati
The film is a production of SK PICTURES film house, and it is supported by: Kosovo Cinematography Center, Municipality of Pristina, Municipality of Prizren, Mabetex Group, TV Arte, TV Yle, Dokufest, and it is distributed by Radioradar IP Sales.
