Fest Trailer for ‘Europa’ Film About a Mysterious Corporation in Albania
by Alex Billington
August 28, 2023
Source: YouTube
“Albanian tradition. She should show respect.” Memento Films has revealed a festival promo trailer for a film titled Europa, the latest from an Austrian-Iranian filmmaker named Sudabeh Mortezai. This recently premiered at the 2023 Sarajevo Film Festival, with extra stops at more European fests in the fall. Not to be confused with the harrowing refugees in Europe thriller also titled Europa from just last year. This Austrian production is about a woman named Beate, played by Lilith Stangenberg, an ambitious executive working at “Europa”, a mysterious multi-national corporation looking to expand into the Balkans region. Seemingly promoting philanthropy, Europa actually needs to buy off lands from locals in a remote valley in Albania. She encounters pushback from a local farmer who refuses to leave the land of his ancestors and refuses any deal. The cast includes Jetnor Gorezi, Steljona Kadillari, Mirando Sylari, and Tobias Winter. This reminds me of Toni Erdmann, but with a much more serious story. I’m glad we’re making more films about how soulless and moralless most corporate executives are – an uncomfortable truth we must shine a light on.
Here’s the official promo trailer (+ poster) for Sudabeh Mortezai’s Europa, direct from YouTube:
Beate is an ambitious executive working at Europa, a mysterious corporation looking to expand into the Balkans region. Seemingly promoting philanthropy and investment in underdeveloped areas, Europa actually needs to buy off lands from locals in a remote valley in Southern Albania using Beate as the main negotiator for this ambiguous mission. But things don’t go as planned when she is challenged by Jetnor, a stubborn and spiritual farmer who refuses to leave the land of his ancestors. Europa is written & directed by Austrian-Iranian filmmaker Sudabeh Mortezai, director of the films Macondo and Joy, and the docs Children of the Prophet and In the Bazaar of Sexes previously. Produced by Mehrdad Mortezai and Sudabeh Mortezai. The film premiered at the 2023 Sarajevo Film Festival, and also plays at the Venice Film Festival this fall, with a release in Austria set for November. No other international release dates are set – stay tuned.
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