Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival / Santa Barbara International Film Festival 2020 – The Flying Circus
Four comedians trapped in a tragedy.
Interview with Writer/Director/Producer Vjosa Berisha
Congratulations! Why did you make your film?
It was a personal story, a story that I kept to myself for many years, almost 20. I thought (and still think) it’s a story worth telling, a story that tells a lot, perhaps not about me, but about the generation of young people during the oppression of the 90s, during very dangerous and difficult times in the Balkans.
Imagine I’m a member of the audience. Why should I watch this film?
Maybe because it tells a sad story in a funny way. Maybe because it is a film coming from a part of the world that is still unknown, despite the fact that it is located in Europe.
How do personal and universal themes work in your film?
The film is based on real events which I experienced during the 90s. So, in that sense it is personal, but I hope it is universal too because it tells a story about young dreamers, who against all odds and despite all obstacles try to fulfill their dream.
How have the script and film evolved over the course of their development?
I worked on the script for a long time. It took us almost nine years to get to the filming phase after we wrote the first draft. In the beginning, I had trouble distancing myself from the real events and characters. Then later, when I started working with script doctors from Europe, they provided a new perspective on the story, the perspective of an international audience. Then, I spent some time trying to adapt some scenes and parts of the dialogue.
What type of feedback have you received so far?
We have shown our film only at four international film events, and the feedback was mostly positive. We even got some awards :)
Has the feedback surprised or challenged your point of view?
It has surprised me, and our team I should say. Mostly because we didn't expect much positive feedback to be honest. Also because it is a comedy (although black or dark), which by my perception is somehow underrated in the film industry.
What are you looking to achieve by having your film more visible on www.wearemovingstories.com?
We would like to have our film be seen and heard more across the globe because the pandemic interrupted the national and international journey of the film.
Who do you need to come on board (producers, sales agents, buyers, distributors, film festival directors, journalists) to amplify this film’s message?
Yes, in my view, buyers, distributors, film festival directors and programmers, journalists, would amplify our film's message and enable us to restart the journey.
What type of impact and/or reception would you like this film to have?
First of all, I would love to have an emotional impact on the audience. And then, if possible, to also give some food for thought and debate.
What’s a key question that will help spark a debate or begin a conversation about this film?
Maybe 'Why do they (main characters) undertake this strange and dangerous journey?' It is a valid question that I ask myself even now from time to time. :)
What other projects are the key creatives developing or working on now?
We are working on a new project, a new film. We are in the developing phase and have a first draft of the script. It is totally different from our previous film. It is a drama about a teenage girl who is forced to marry an older man from the 'enemy' nation.
Interview: May 2020
We Are Moving Stories embraces new voices in drama, documentary, animation, TV, web series, music video, women's films, LGBTQIA+, POC, First Nations, scifi, supernatural, horror, world cinema. If you have just made a film - we'd love to hear from you. Or if you know a filmmaker - can you recommend us? More info: Carmela
The Flying Circus
Four comedians trapped in a tragedy.
Length: 1:55:00
Director: Fatos Berisha
Producer: Vjosa Berisha
Writer: Fatos Berisha
About the writer, director and producer:
FATOS BERISHA is a film, television and theatre director educated in the Faculty of Arts at the University of Prishtina, Kosovo, where he also received an MA on Directing. He’s also an attendee of various professional courses in London, including the Royal Court Theatre’s course for Directors held in 2000, and National School for Film and Television, UK 2002. Berisha has worked on many projects in theatre, television and film. His latest work is a feature film The Flying Circus which premiered in November 2019 in Tallinn Black Nights IFF. He worked in television directing 260 episodes of a very famous Kosovar TV series Familja Moderne broadcasted in public television of Kosovo (RTK). He directed a 60 min fiction film for television Blood pressure (for public service broadcaster RTK) and many music videos and television commercials. He directed 8 episodes of court drama TV series Inside Justice for Croatian production company Mainframe. Berisha has worked successfully in theatre, too, directing over 20 theatre plays in Kosovo, Albania etc. He is co-founder and Artistic Director of Prishtina International Film Festival and Urban Theatre Pristina. Berisha is a voting member of European Film Academy and member of the European Cultural Parliament. In 2019 he finished his feature film The Flying Circus.
VJOSA BERISHA is a film producer and a public relations expert. She has over 23 years of experience managing many projects in the field of advertising, campaigning, television and film. She co-founded and manages Prishtina International Film Festival since 2008. Her producer career includes television and commissioned projects, short films, documentaries, and recently two feature-length films: The Flying Circus (2019) as the main producer and The Happiness Effect (2019) as co-producer.
Key cast: Armend Smajli (Kushtrim), Afrim Mucaj (Donat), Shpetim Selmani (Fatmir), Tristan Halilaj (Leke)
Looking for: sales agents, distributors, film festival directors, buyers
Facebook: The Flying Circus
Twitter: @CirkuFluturues
Instagram: @theflyingcircusfilm
Hashtags used: #theflyingcircus, #cirkufluturues
Website: www.theflyingcircusfilm.com
Made in association with: Kosovo Film Fund (QKK), Albanian National Film Center, North Macedonia Film Agency