Albanian oilmen, communist bureaucracy, and a 74-minute ticking clock to disaster.
Engineer Ilir wants to drill for oil in an area in which there exists no data from previous researchers. Faced with disagreement from his colleague, as well as the lack of experience, he is determined to finish the job.
Cinematography
Stark black-and-white that makes Albanian oil fields look like alien terrain.
Acting
Rikard Ljarja's stubborn engineer burns with quiet desperation.
Director
Muharrem Fejzo
Trivia, insights & behind the scenes
Shot during Albania's Cultural Revolution period when Enver Hoxha broke with the USSR—this was nationalist cinema meant to prove Albanian self-sufficiency.
Director Muharrem Fejzo was one of only a handful of filmmakers operating under Hoxha's regime; this survived because it technically celebrates worker heroism while subtly questioning blind obedience.
AL
