Amnesty (Amnistia) Bujar Alimani, Albania, 2011, 83 minutes
A new Albanian law allowing conjugal visits for inmates brings together a man and woman visiting the same prison to meet their incarcerated spouses. Elsa’s dutiful contact with her husband is part of a routine consumed with job searching, raising her two sons and getting along with her father-inlaw. When she meets Spetim, a quiet man visiting his imprisoned wife in equally passionless encounters, they slowly find the sympathy and companionship missing from their lives. A prisoner amnesty, however, soon threatens their fragile bond in this closely observed, sensual and contemplative drama highlighting a period of subtle but profound social transformation. Albanian, with English subtitles.
Global Lens 2012 is an annual, curated program of narrative feature films from Africa, Asia, Central and Eastern Europe, Latin America, and the Middle East. Each film in the series is selected for its authentic voice, strong cinematics and unique cultural perspective, opening a window to the diverse world in which we live. More information can be found at www.globalfilm.org.