There are two types of people in Albania: those who watch Drilon Hoxha movies and say "thumbs up, super movie," in the comments section when the project is published on YouTube, and those who don't see Drilon Hoxha movies because they prefer to do anything else two precious hours of their lives. Thanks to the former, Hoxha enjoyed considerable success from both of his projects. The first film, titled "Towards the End" (2015) secured the purchase of a house for Hoxha and his family, while the second, "Love Is Not Enough" (2018) earned a lot of money. The director discusses these bargains and others in an episode of "Don't Talk to the Driver" with Rudina Dembacaj.
Throughout the interview, Hoxha simply outlines the creative process that, for him, consists of recording jokes or dialogues made in real life and then used as sticky pieces to form a script, ignoring the difficulties as a director and producer because he operates with the "fix it with music / post production" mentality and speaks, perhaps without realizing how much, of the financial benefits of making films seen in Albania.
?When I got into this profession, I was told at home that all the actors were without bread. They're dying. We have seen them at Pedonalja, they are extending money for coffee. ' When I brought home the cinema money, Dad told me 'where did you steal it?' ?Hoxha says and laughs.
There are so many things that do not go with this statement. First, the goal of a movie should not be to earn money, but to make an impact. A film that expresses an uncharted perspective, a film that sheds light on a forgotten issue, a film that sensitizes, makes you feel, find yourself, learn, a film that is so original that you can never forget . As long as people find themselves and see a fragment of life beautifully unfolded, they will see the movie, the series, or the play, and make sure they get the reward they deserve.
Unfortunately, in Hoxha's films there is no shade of art or shade of attempt to be artistic. When he puts together his projects and the way he talks about money in this interview, he realizes that Hoxha used a momentary window into local cinematography for personal gain, without giving anything back to the public. The fact that four years ago there were no films or serials produced and the fact that "Towards the End" was marketed as the first Albanian action film, lent a hand to the director. Everyone saw his movie because they were eager for something in Albanian. Hoxha certainly made a second film after seeing the success and benefits of the first. But as the books say, you have to justify the time it is taking to the public. There is some transaction, beyond the financial one. If I give you my time and attention, you have to give me an idea, a feeling back.
The actors who suffer for bread are richer than Hoxha. They have dedicated their lives to art, they may have been professionally educated, they may have given up everything for the sake of a dream, and they no doubt understand more than the value of a good film. This strange disdain from a director who barely holds this title is unnecessary and inappropriate.
Bad movies are made everywhere. As long as there are people who see them and sponsors (in this case, Hoxha's business friends) who throw money, why not. However, when the only motivation is profit, it is recommended to keep your head down and watch your work. All the more so when a fantastic work like "Spider of Ages" is forced to suspend production for a year due to lack of funds.
Film is a very lucrative business for those who know what the public wants. But film, like any other form of art, should not give the audience what it wants, but what it needs.
