After a long hiatus of 14 years, the Albanian National Film Festival has reappeared in all its splendor in Tirana, becoming the capital of art and culture in the country.

This historic event brought together hundreds of artists, from the luminaries of Albanian cinema to young and talented filmmakers, celebrating the legacy and future of the big screen.

The opening night brought many emotions and moments of nostalgia, where the main attention was focused on the appreciation of the figures who have written the history of our filmography. Big names such as Reshat Arbana, Roza Anagnosti, Ibrahim Muçaj, Kristaq Mitro and others, were honored with Career Awards for their extraordinary contribution to Albanian art.

However, like any important event, it could not pass without debate. After a mistake at the opening ceremony by the organizers, where instead of the photo of the famous director Xhanfize Keko, the photo of the poet Natasha Lako was placed on the screen for a few seconds, for which the artistic director of the festival, Ilir Butka, publicly apologized.

Renowned director Mevlan Shanaj and his wife Natasha Lako were outraged and expressed their dissatisfaction through a status where they called the festival "obobo, this is a joke," and also said that they are unhappy with the distribution of 16 career awards.

Despite the inherent artistic controversies, public enthusiasm and cinematic community participation remain at record levels.

The celebration of cinema continues throughout these days with film screenings, debates and meetings between generations. The curtain of this jubilee edition will fall on September 12, on the final night where the main competition prizes will be awarded.