Court in Vranje holds hearing after ban of two Albanian artist films

Bujanovac is a municipality in Serbia, where a large number of citizens of Albanian nationalism live, as in Presevo and Medvedja, and all three municipalities are also known as Presevo Valley.

The premiere of the films “The case kills” and “unfaithful” was scheduled to be held on June 10th at the Cultural Centre in Bujanoc, but has been postponed until the next announcement.

The ban has come after police have admitted an anonymous report that movies incite hatred and discrimination - assumptions that the author rejects.

Ghani Veselini has told Radio Free Europe that the Serbian Cinematography Commission has given its opinion that the film “unfaithful” should not be transmitted, because it promotes interethnic and religious hatred, while the logo of the Republic of Kosovo is ordered to be removed from the film “The case kills”.

As for the first film, Vesley has said that he has asked the court to show more detailed about how he spreads film hatred.

Even the court today did not want to make a decision, without being well informed of this question about the film, and what exactly happened, although the court saw it, but it saw it without translation and was interested in translating the film into the Serbian language, or in offering more material”, Vessel said.

As for the film “The paper kills”, Wessel has said he has been asked to leave the logo of Kosovo, and for the film to be classified over the age of 16.

I've agreed to +16 categorying in court, it's not a problem. But I cannot remove Kosovo's logo, because Kosovo is direct movie sponsor”, he has said.

According to Wessel, no charges have been filed, and the next hearing is scheduled for August 4th.

The “is specifically suggested that the movies not appear, because I can face more consequences”, Gani Wessel said.

On June 9th, the day before the premiere was scheduled, the Prosecutor's Office in Vranje has conducted an informative interview with the director of the Cultural Centre in Bujanoc, Jetmir Ishmael, and Gani Veselin.

In a statement issued to Radio Free Europe on June 12th, Wessel has said authorities have insisted that the state commission and prosecutor watch the movies so they can understand what is happening.

What are movies talking about?

The theme of the first film is the time when some youths, in their robbery, kill their uncle and murder in 20 years. And the second film, according to Wessel, speaks of a passionate figure in arms and his best friend who denounced him to the police.

These films are simply realised in northern Macedonia. Theatres from Kosovo, Presevo Valley and North Macedonia --” are participating, Veselin said.

Films have been shot under a project worth about 40,000 euros, with support from the National Council of Albanians in Serbia, and financed by the Government of Kosovo.

According to the census results in 2022, more than 61,000 members of the Albanian national minority live in Serbia.

Of them, the largest number of Albanians live in the municipalities of Presevo and Bujanoc, more than 56,000. Next is the Medvedja municipality, where about 1,000 Albanians live. /Rel