By Kastriot Dervishi
Memorie.al / The former Kinostudio “New Albania” in its great activity in the field of film, made quality artistic productions from the technical side, but not such from the events it reflected. The mythologies of the so-called; “National Liberation War”, as well as the role of the Labor Party, are reflected in many feature films, so much so that it has been said that; “Kinostudio made the war”. But during the dictatorship, the Kinostudio in question also produced films with subjects from the State Security. These films echoed the activity of Sigurimi, his “vigilance”, to create combinations and similar works.
With the exception of the films with subjects from the Pal Mëlysh case and one of the radio plays, the other films proposed by Sigurimi were simply imagination.
The technique of these films that came as Security proposals, in addition to the usual filter coming from the Labor Party, also provided for the professional filter, coming from the “experts” of the State Security.
An analysis was made of the script and then the making of the film. And while there were not many remarks about the script, as it had been seen before by Sigurimi, the realized part raised quite a few criticisms for the special scenes and all the light, with which life in the West was presented.
Surprisingly, the life and general atmosphere in the countries of the West was presented as it was, in luxury and well-being.
But this thing was immediately noticeable with the poor scenes without light, which came from different places in Albania. In this way, a completely accidental advertisement was made for life in the West, the quality of life there.
“Mysafiri” was one of the films with a script on the theme of State Security. For this at that time, the former Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs and director of the First Directorate of State Security, Feçor Shehu, also gave his opinion.
Confronting the capitalist world and the way it is presented has always been a moment of fear, which came from the fact that the film was not like the papers, its impact was much stronger compared to other propaganda cases.
The Albanian viewer, while seeing well-dressed people, abundant food, free movement, strange drinks, well-lit cities, various cars circulating endlessly, etc., could not help but be “confused” and think.
Despite the fact that the West was presented as black, the accidentalism of its presentation by films with the subject of Security, brought a completely opposite meaning of these films.
Imagine, the scenes of entertainment in Western countries, were given in a film produced in a small country like Albania, where entertainment was not known at all.
The Albanian viewer had to accept in silence that entertainment did not exist here and his hard work in cooperatives and factories were the true well-being. Despite the fact that the “friends of the Security” had this fear, they could not remove it from the films made by the filmmakers of Kinostudio “Alxpiria e Re”.
In an information report sent to the Central Committee of the Labor Party of Albania, the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Feçor Shehu, demanded that the discussion about the film not stop only at Sigurimi, but also go further in coordination with the Ministry of Education.
For Sigurimi, he should not have allowed explosions in trains and mines (example from the movie), further elaborating on this topic, why did this thing have to be done?! The films in question were a kind of transition from the war against “gangs” (as in the case of Pal Mëlysh), brought about through military confrontation, to the war against foreign services, presented as a cold war.
Report-information of the Deputy Minister of Internal Affairs, Feçor Shehu, sent to the Central Committees of the PPSH, for the film “Mysafiri”, of the “New Albania” Kinostudio.
Some thoughts on the movie “Guest”
It is a good and praiseworthy work for the authors, for the director, for all the friends who participated in this film, with the object of further increasing the revolutionary vigilance.
– From the point of view of artistic work and talent, you can say nothing but words of praise with great respect.
The subject also helps to further increase revolutionary vigilance, participates in the whole range of the Party’s great work of educating the masses with the revolutionary spirit, with the spirit of hatred for the enemies, with love for the Party and its weapon, State Security.
– But looking at this film with a critical eye, let me give some thoughts.
1 – Once again we have said that; when we present the capitalist world, in which foreign discoveries take the first steps to accomplish the tasks against us, it is becoming a habit to present scenes of amusements, debauched life in cafes, drinks, and various couples.
Why are these scenes presented, as if everything necessarily begins in cafes. In these types of scenes, which should probably be seen with a critical eye, we also make negative effects on unformed people. The conclusion is that perhaps we should look at this method with a critical eye. Correct what can be corrected.
2 – The engineer is a good man, the loss of a secret document in the form it is presented and the meeting with a fugitive, without knowing what he is, are materials with which foreign discoveries are introduced to recruit a cadre tone?
I think that this situation creates an impression outside of our morals, unintentionally, and lowers the State Security.
3 – The engineer, during the conversation with the foreign intelligence staff, takes a correct political stance, he does not accept, he even expresses this openly, not only abroad, but also in some meetings held by foreign intelligence agents in Albania, then the question is asked : isn’t it stupid, without any logic, that the cadres of the bourgeois intelligence, to this man who does not accept, but wavers, expose all the members of the group (residence), an unprecedented thing, greatly reduces the actions of the enemy, consequently also the State Security force, before the measure, as the false impression was created that the enemies could be detected very easily.
4 – In order to “compromise the enemy”, his candidates (Sigurimi’s game), Sigurimi must never allow mines to explode on trains, even outside our mines. Bad psychology.
Take a look at the memory of Pal Mëlyshi’s film, and the content of the State Security will come to light, what its people do to prevent terrorist and subversive acts, then when this is allowed, how can the Security, which to give such orientations?!
Our opinion is that these issues should be discussed with the fellow authors of the film, with Kinostudio, with the Ministry of Education and, together, we should make the appropriate corrections and additions.
For the consultants and comrade Rakip (Beqaj), I have a criticism that should be kept in mind for the future, from the comrades who will be charged to help in such films, that they should organize the debate more widely, get the opinion of the comrades and, not to be so indifferent, about getting the opinion. There are many ways to withdraw the material. Memorie.al
Feçor Shehu
Tirana on 6.4.1979
