Elsa (Luli Bitri) is a woman with two children, recently unemployed, and living in post-communist Pogradec, Albania in grim circumstances. She is helped by her father-in-law Remzi (Todi Llupi). Her husband is in prison in Tirana for gambling and debt issues. The prison institutes a conjugal visit program, and during her visits she meets and falls in love with another conjugal visit participant Shpetim (Karafil Shena), whose wife is in prison for forging immigration certificates. Elsa becomes friends with Maya (Mirela Naska), whose recent husband is also in prison, and Maya helps Elsa to get a job at a hospital kitchen and a place to live in Tirana. Elsa's increasing independence and relationship with Shpetim creates problems with Remzi. Then a prisoner amnesty where the imprisoned spouses are released early threatens the bond between Elsa and Shpetim.
An international co-production between Albanian, French, and Greek companies[1] Fantasia, Arizona Films Productions, and 90 Productions, Amnesty was directed and written by Bujar Alimani. Elias Adamis was the cinematographer, Bonita Papastathi edited the film,[2] and the music was composed by Hekuran Pere.[1] Alimani was inspired to write the script after seeing a proposed law that would allow conjugal visits.[3]
The National Center of Cinematography declined to support Alimani's film. Alimani went to Eurimages and Amnesty became the first Albanian production to receive financial backing from the organization.[4] Filming was done in Greece[5][3] and the Albanian cities of Tirana and Pogradec,[4] in 2010, with a €700,000 budget. Additional financial support was provided by the Council of Europe's European Cinema Support Fund.[5][3]
Release
Amnesty premiered in Albania on 27 May 2011,[4] France on 6 June, and Germany on 29 September.[2] It was the first Albanian film shown at the Berlin International Film Festival.[5]
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