A CUP OF COFFEE AND NEW SHOES ON

A CUP OF COFFEE AND NEW SHOES ON

written and

directed by Gentian Koçi

Genre

Existential Drama

A Cup of Coffee and New Shoes On is a production of Artalb Film Productions (Albania), in co-production with Maria & Mayer (Portugal), Graal Films (Greece), and Added Value Films (Kosovo). It has been supported by the Albanian National Center of Cinematography, Portuguese Cinema and Audiovisual Institute, Eurimages - Council of Europe, Media - Creative Europe, ERT - Hellenic Broadcasting Corporation, Kosovo Cinematography Center, Albanian Public Television, Greek Film Center, Municipality of Tirana.

written and directed by Gentian Koçi

Logline

A Cup of Coffee and New Shoes On

Synopsis

Two inseparable identical unhearing twin brothers in their thirties, after they discover that due to a genetic disease they will progressively, but irreversibly go blind, emotionally struggle to give to their intolerable existential conditions a different twist.

In today’s Tirana, AGIM and GËZIM, two inseparable unhearing identical twin brothers in their thirties, live under the same roof. ANA, GËZIM’s girlfriend, a young high-spirited woman visits them quite often. One evening, AGIM is driving back home with GËZIM, when his sight gets blurred and a fatal accident nearly occurs. At the ophthalmologist, a few days later, the two brothers discover that due to a rare and genetic disease, they will separately, but progressively and irreversibly go blind. Slowly immersing into an unbearable silenced darkness, not being able to see the world and each other anymore, only ANA by their side, the two brothers have to make a strong decision around a cup of coffee with new shoes on.

written and directed by Gentian Koçi

Statement

A CUP OF COFFEE AND NEW SHOES ON is an intimate existential drama that takes place mostly in an apartment, in Tirana’s urban context. The exploration of human relationships evolvement and their deep complexity in an utmost existential situation have always fascinated me. This story relies on two identical unhearing twin brothers and their very intense brotherhood love developing under the same roof. As they discover that due to a genetic disease, they will slowly and progressively go blind, they begin to realize that they will never see each other anymore and will lose communication with the world. I was fascinated by the idea to make a film that deals with fundamental questions such as: What happens to a human being when he/she is completely immersed into darkness, not being able to communicate with the other and the world? What happens to a human being when all his windows of perception are irreversibly walled in? One of the most important challenges for me as director was to keep a subtle balance between the individual drama and the unbearable separation of two inseparable twin brothers. The making of this film represents an aesthetical challenge for me. Which elements of style I should use, and at what extent, aiming to tell this story in a minimalistic, realistic, but dynamic and nonexploitative way. I personally believe that a subtle economy of untold truths between the two brothers and ANA allows the story to unfold in its own rhythm, leaving space to poetic and reflective time-spaces in the film, by keeping the audience emotionally involved throughout the development of the drama. The way in which characters deal with space is one of the most important visual components. They are set

mostly in indoor locations (small rooms, bathrooms, apartments, hospital premises). This allows the camera to get closer to the characters, to progressively penetrate into their psychological condition and the evolvement of their relationship. The equally important component of this film is sound. The main characters communicate in Albanian sign language, which requires an embodied dynamic and energy when the two characters communicate or interact with their environment. The fact that the two characters cannot perceive noise make them produce sounds and noises higher than usual, which gives the audience a strange sense of tension throughout the film. The harmony of noises and silence represent, what I personally consider, the “music” of the film.

In terms of tone and style, I aimed at balancing what we see and what we don't see, whilst purifying my cinema language, as much as possible, from what I personally call conventions of the cinema language. The daily repetitive movements of the characters, minimal, intense and bodily dialogues in tactile sign language condense strong cinematic emotions, while cold colors baths help to unfold the poetic and reflective gloominess of the story.

A CUP OF COFFEE AND NEW SHOES ON addresses with empathy and dignity the existential and ethical challenges that strongly impact the life choices of visually and hearing-impaired persons. This unique and existential story is a meticulous, sensible, penetrating and challenging drama on brotherhood, love and communication, which transforms into a cinematic allegory on the very limits of cinema itself. No image! No sound! No speech!

written and directed by Gentian Koçi A CUP OF COFFEE AND NEW SHOES ON

SHOES ON

Director, writer & Producer Biography

Gentian Koçi is a director, screenwriter and film producer from Tirana, Albania. His short films and documentaries have been selected and awarded in many festivals. He was internationally recognized for his documentary NOT A CARWASH, which world-premiered in official selection at Hot Docs International Documentary Film Festival, and was nominated for the Special Jury Award at Sheffield Doc/Fest, in 2012. In 2017, Gentian Koçi presented his first feature film DAYBREAK, which he wrote, directed and produced. DAYBREAK had the world premiere at Sarajevo International Film Festival in main competition, where the main actress was awarded Heart of Sarajevo – Best Actress. Since its world

premiere, DAYBREAK has been selected in more than 50 important film festivals all over the world, gathering many awards and receiving very positive reviews from the most important specialized film magazines. DAYBREAK was the official Albanian submission for the Academy Awards –Oscars 2018. The second feature film of Gentian Koçi, A CUP OF COFFEE AND NEW SHOES ON (2022), is a co-production between Albania, Portugal, Greece and Kosovo. It will have its world premiere in the main competition at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF), in November 2022. A CUP OF COFFEE AND NEW SHOES ON is the Albania’s official submission at the Oscars 2023.

written and directed by Gentian Koçi A CUP OF COFFEE AND NEW

Blerina Hankollari studied contemporary European philosophy. She is currently finalizing her Ph.D. in France. Blerina Hankollari is a researcher in the Department of Ethnology, part of the Institute of Cultural Anthropology and Art Studies in Tirana. Actually, her research work focuses on the metaphysical war declared by the Albanian totalitarian state (1945-1991) on primary and syncretic cosmological configurations in Northern Albania. Since 2011, she has also worked in the film industry as a film producer. She has produced two feature films, DAYBREAK (2017) and A CUP OF COFFEE AND NEW SHOES ON (2022), written

written and directed by Gentian Koçi

Edgar Morais’ Bio

Edgar Morais started his career as an actor on stage in many productions including the Portuguese Golden Globe winning adaptation of William Shakespeare's The Tragedy of Julius Caesar, directed by Luís Miguel Cintra, at the São Luiz Municipal Theater in Lisbon. He made his film acting debut in Catarina Ruivo’s Daqui P’ra Frente (winner of the Audience Award at Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival) and has since worked with directors such as Larry Clark (Kids, Bully, Marfa Girl 2), Victoria Mahoney (Yelling To the Sky, Chalk), Miguel Nunes (Anjo/You See the Moon), Robert Kirbyson (CTRL for NBC), Q'orianka Kilcher (Saudade), Erick Avari (Chasing Eagle Rock), Amy Rider (The Monogamy Experiment with Shailene Woodley) and Julian Wayser (Oh Gallow Lay). Morais has directed music videos for several bands including Mothxr and Grammy-nominated Shiny Toy Guns. Edgar's directorial debut, Heatstroke, screened at many festivals worldwide and was broadcast nationally on RTP. We Won’t Forget, the short film directed by Edgar Morais and Lucas Elliot Eberl had its world premiere in competition at 2021’s Palm Springs Interna tional ShortFest, and has screened in competition at many festivals worldwide including Hamptons International Film Festival, Tirana International Film Festival and Dresden. The film won the Grand Jury Prize and the award for Best Editing at the Castrovillari Film Festival and was nominated for a Sophia Award for Best Fiction Short Film by the Portuguese Academy of Cinema. He is currently in production on his feature film directorial debut, You Above All, which he also wrote and stars in, co-directing with Lucas Elliot Eberl. Edgar Morais can be next seen in Teresa Sutherland’s Lovely, Dark and Deep, Gentian Koçi’s A Cup of Coffee and New Shoes On, Rodrigo Areias' The (In)Famous Mr. Howell, Tiago Guedes’ Remains of the Wind (official selection Cannes 2022), Chalk directed by Victoria Mahoney and in the upcoming TV series Fernão Lopes for RTP.

written and directed by Gentian Koçi

CUP OF COFFEE AND NEW SHOES ON

Rafael Morais’

Rafael Morais is an acclaimed international actor. Rafael graduated from the Cascais Theater School in Portugal followed by a scholarship by the Actors Guild to study at the renowned Stella Adler Academy in Los Angeles. Since then, Rafael Morais has starred in several theater and film productions, working with globally celebrated filmmakers such as: Nick Hamm, Luis Prieto, Marco Martins, João Canijo, Gentian Koçi, Matthew Mishory, Tiago Guedes, among others. Rafael Morais had his breakout role in Marco Martins’ controversial feature film HOW TO DRAW A PERFECT CIRCLE (Portugal’s official submission to the 82nd Academy Awards and winner of the Best Ensemble Acting Award at the Rio de Janeiro International Film Festival). Some of Rafael’s other notable work includes the critically acclaimed film BLOOD OF MY BLOOD (official selection and winner of several awards at some of the most important film festivals in the world and Portugal’s official submission to the 85th Academy Awards); DOOMED LOVE (Locarno’s International Film Festival Official Competition); JOSHUA TREE, 1951 (Palm Springs International Film Festival; Santa Barbara International Film Festival; OH GALLOW LAY (Venice International Film Festival) and the two hit NETFLIX series: GLORIA and WHITE LINES, created by Álex Pina (MONEY HEIST). In 2013, Rafael Morais wrote, directed and starred in YOU ARE THE BLOOD (NewFilmMakers International Film Festival and IndieLisboa International Film Festival’s Official Competition). Still this year, Rafael will be seen portraying the iconic painter Amadeo de Souza-Cardoso in Vicente Alves do O’s highly anticipated biopic AMADEO and also starring in Gentian Koçi’s A CUP OF COFFEE AND NEW SHOES ON as well as João Canijo’s new film MAL VIVER. In 2023, Rafael Morais will be seen starring in Sebastião Salgado’s FATEFUL DAWN; Bruno Gascon’s dystopian drama HOMELAND, and the upcoming NETFLIX series FISHTAIL; among others. Rafael Morais has been nominated twice as Best Actor at the Portuguese Golden Globes and was awarded the L’Oreal Rising Star Award at the LEFFEST International Film Festival.

written and directed by Gentian Koçi A CUP OF COFFEE AND NEW SHOES ON

Drita Kabashi’s Bio

Drita Kabashi is an actor, singer, and writer. She was born and raised in Chicago, studying classical voice from an early age, having sung at the Lyric Opera. Drita later went on to study Drama at New York University’s Tisch School of the Arts, earning the Outstanding Achievement in Studio Award. She worked in NYC’s downtown theatres during post-grad with companies such as Shakespeare Downtown, New York Theatre Workshop, Rattlestick Theater, Clubbed Thumb, as well as the La Jolla Playhouse in San Diego. Drita starred as Rasputin in the musical “Red Emma & The Mad Monk”, performed at The Tank Theatre, which was selected as a New York Times Critic’s Pick in 2018. Drita completed a European tour of musical “When We Went Electronic” last fall. The film “Fish Hook & Eye”, in which she starred, won Best in Show at the Fusion Film festival in 2015. She eagerly awaits to premiere at The Silos at Sawyer Yards in an immersive installation of Nick Flynn’s film “The Nine Dreams”. Notably, "A Cup of Coffee and New Shoes On", is Drita's feature film debut in the role of the supporting actress. Drita is currently receiving her Masters from the University of Illinois at Chicago in Art History.

written and directed by Gentian Koçi

ARTALB FILM PRODUCTIONS’ short profile

ARTALB FILM PRODUCTIONS is a production film company based in Tirana, Albania. It was founded in 2011 by the Albanian emerging producer and director Gentian Koçi. The company’s focus are author movies with an authentic visual style and narrative. From 2007 to 2009, Koçi, in collaboration with the Academy of Film and Multimedia “Marubi”, produced, wrote and directed three short films – THE MIRROR, ANTENNA and JINX IN A JIFFY – which screened in numerous international film festivals, garnering a total of seven prizes. In 2011, ARTALB FILM produced the short documentary REVENGE, and in 2012 the documentary NOT A CARWASH, which was produced, shot, edited and directed by Gentian Koçi. NOT A CARWASH, premiered in official selection at Hot Docs Film Festival and was nominated for the Special Jury Award at Sheffield Doc/Fest 2012. NOT A CARWASH was critically acclaimed by the reviews in Sight&Sound In 2014, ARTALB FILM and ERRAPHIS in France, co- produced the documentary AJASO, A PHILOPERFORMANCE, which premiered at the University Paris-Sorbonne.

In 2017, ARTALB FILM produced, in co-production with Graal Films, his first feature film project entitled DAYBREAK which had its world premiere at Sarajevo International Film Festival in August 2017, in main competition, where the main actress of the film was awarded Heart of Sarajevo –Best Actress. Since its world premiere, DAYBREAK has been selected in more than 50 important film festivals all over the world, gathering many awards such as Best Film, Best Director, Best Script, Best Actress, Audience Award and a Special Jury Prize. DAYBREAK was the official Albanian submission for the Academy Awards – Oscars 2018.

Actually, ARTALB FILM PRODUCTIONS has most recently produced Gentian Koçi’s second feature film “A Cup of Coffee and New Shoes On”, which received national and international support for production from the Albanian, Greek, Portugal and Kosovo Film Centers, the Albanian and Greek Public Televisions, EURIMAGES - Council of Europe, Media – Creative Europe, The Municipality of Tirana, etc. “A Cup Of Coffee And New Shoes On" will have its world premiere in the main competition at Tallinn Black Nights Film Festival (PÖFF) in November 2022, and was selected to be Albania’s official submission at the Oscars 2023.