Albania selects Roland Sejko documentary for 2027 Oscars

Albania has officially selected the documentary “Film i Shtetit” (State Film) by Roland Sejko as its entry for the 99th Academy Awards in the International Feature Film category.

The 78-minute documentary examines 40 years of the communist regime under Enver Hoxha using archival footage produced by the state itself to promote its own image. By relying solely on montage and imagery without external commentary, the film utilizes historical archives as a neutral witness to the past.

Roland Sejko, an Albanian documentary filmmaker who works between Italy and Albania, currently serves as the editorial director of the Luce Historical Archive at Cinecittà. His previous works have received significant recognition in Italy, including a David di Donatello award and a Nastro d’Argento. The film had its world premiere at the Venice International Film Festival.