In Prishtina the Kino Armata once again belongs to everyone
by Elisabetta Brunella

“How will we live together?” is the theme of the 17^th edition of the Biennale di Architettura that has just closed in Venice. Impossible for us, at MEDIA Salles, not to see the resonance with the motto and statement of intent we chose right at the start of our work: “Europe gets together in the cinema”.

For us, the movie theatre was - and remains - one of the main meeting places where life is lived collectively, with special characteristics. The random element creates a sort of temporary community in the theatre that shares the experience of a certain type of product with a recreational, artistic, cultural or informative etc. intent. At the same time, the movie theatre plays a vital role in the city’s cultural, social and economic fabric.

It is therefore only natural to think that at the Biennale we might find reports, models and reflections regarding cinemas and their future, also in the light of the impact Covid has had and the consequent restrictive measures affecting the social consumption of audiovisual products.

“The current global pandemic,” we read in the contribution by the curator Hashim Sarkis, ”has no doubt made the question that this Biennale Architettura is asking all the more relevant and timely, even if somehow ironic, given the imposed isolation. It may indeed be a coincidence that the theme was proposed a few months before the pandemic”.

Nonetheless, despite the theme and the stimulus - or constraints - generated by the worldwide upheaval caused by Covid, the works exhibited at the Biennale 2021 seem to have privileged home environments rather than public spaces. As regards the cinema, the most striking intervention came from Bekim Ramku, of the Kosovo Architecture Foundation, in collaboration with Nol Binakaj, entitled “Prishtina Public Archipelago”.

(To read more, click here)

At the Kino Armata films from all over the world and a lot more
by Virginia Fanin

Not just films but a series of offers ranging through different art forms: this is the trademark of the Kino Armata in Prishtina. The programming is based on full-length feature films and short films from all over the world but also embraces music events, cultural meetings, debates and theme festivals. All this makes this now historical movie theatre into a venue that has a special place in the hearts of its public, as emerges from the comments shared online.

A glance at the various initiatives organised by the Kino Armata over the past few weeks will be sufficient to get an idea of its rich and diverse offer:

• “Art Without Limit”: the second edition of the international festival that presented 50 short films for and about people with disabilities. The jury was presided over by Cristiano Palozzi, director of the Genova Film Festival;

• Screenings of the short films by Luca Zuberbühler, followed by a Q&A session with the Swiss director present;

• Japanese Film Festival in Kosovo 2021;

• Concert by “I Solisti Romani”, dedicated to the works of Ennio Morricone and Astor Piazzolla (in collaboration with the Italian Embassy in Kosovo, the Istituto di Cultura Italiana in Tirana and the DAM festival);

• “Prishtina Music Conference”;

• Screening of the performance “LAMB” by Luka Cvetkovic, a journey seen from the perspective of a lamb;

• Concert for the multidisciplinary artist Shyqri Nimani;

• Grass Session, electronic music event;

• Debate on the future of the cinema;

• Promotion of the book “OH!” by Arif Muharremi.
  

For more information please consult the Instagram page armataprishtina.