Kinostudio “Shqipëria e Re” (Tirana, Albania)
Kinostudio “Shqipëria e Re” (Tirana, Albania)
Built between 1950 and 1952, Kinostudio “Shqipëria e Re” in Tirana is the birthplace of Albanian cinema tradition. It has continuously served as the institutional heart of Albania’s moving-image culture, from a state-run film studio to the Albanian National Center of Cinematography.
At the peak of its production in the late 70s to the 80s, over 700 film professionals were employed and worked out of “Kinostudio” and the surrounding buildings, producing annually 14+ features and numerous shorts, documentaries and animation films.
The Kinostudio main building is recognised as a protected cultural monument of Albania. Designed by a group of Soviet architects and built by Albanian craftsmen, it represents a rare and well-preserved instance of neoclassical architecture interpreted through socialist-realist principles.
For four decades, Kinostudio “Shqipëria e Re” functioned as Albania’s only film production centre, shaping the country’s entire cinematic output. At its peak, it housed hundreds of artists, technicians, editors, architects, and craftspeople working across all genres of film.
Between 1957 and 1990, the studio produced over 320 features, 1,200 documentaries, 220 animations, and countless short films.