Lulekuqet mbi mure

"Lulekuqet mbi mure" (literally "Red poppies on the walls") a movie about life in a Tirana orphanage during the Italian fascist occupation of Albania (early 1940s), was indeed produced at the height of the communist era in Albania (1976). Therefore, the movie's plot and storyline could not escape the veil of politicization and communist propaganda that was the strong, common undertone of any Albanian movie during that era.

However, this movie, thanks to a unique, powerful plot, and especially superb acting from some of the finest Albanian actors of the time, was so masterfully delivered that in retrospect the main storyline (the drama unfolding inside the orphanage) manages to eclipse the propagandistic facade the ending of the movie is ultimately forced to convey (the communists are the good guys and the fascists are the bad ones).

While the movie owes much of its success to performances of one of the finest Albanian actors - Timo Flloko - starring as a history teacher, and the always charismatic, the late Agim Qiriaqi, superbly starring as the fascist school principal, one man's performance towers above all: the movie's main villain, the orphanage's manipulative, sadistic caretaker. Such pure evilness was delivered by the immortal Kadri Roshi, a legend of Albanian cinema, in perhaps the greatest role of his life. Such extraordinary is Roshi's performance that not only the villain is the most distinguished character in this movie (something highly unusual for Albanian movies of that time) but the Caretaker is also one of the best known, most quoted characters in the history of the Albanian cinema.

This movies is about the life of orphan children in an orphanage during the occupation of Albania form the Italian fascist during the WW2. The cast of the actors is very good selected. This movie is on of the best movies made by the "Kinostudia Shqiptare" (The Albanian Cinema Studio) during the communist era. Timo Flloko is outstanding in the role of the teacher. Kadri Roshi plays the perfect villain and Agim Qiriaqi the Ultra fascist. The part of the children are very well selected and played by the young children. The best and the most touching part about this movie is the music. For me is without doubt the best made music ever for an Albanian movie. I have seen this movie 100 times in the last 10 years and I would see it again without hesitation. So finally I think this movie deserves 10 out of 10.

Actually, writing a reviews far back in time after the premiere, should be done without giving actual stars. Stars make sense if given right after the premiere, and not based on nostalgia, as this review is about. I put 10* because of that, if there had been a voting system back then, and if I'd been alive then, I'd put it 8 out of 10 stars.

Back to the movie.

I've watched it several times, and it is a masterpiece in the sense of storytelling. It has laughs, tears, bad man, lovely kids, war, orphanage... all in one.

Also directing is strong, regarding directing actors, but also creating a "mood" of the epoch. The director, is one of the best Albanian directors ever, and he shows his mastery of the art right here, in this movie. It is a "kid's movie", yet it is not.

Acting is also superb, with some of the heaviest names of the Albanian Cinema of that era building solid characters. (Agim Qirjaqi, I'm looking at you!)

Said that, the movie is filled with propaganda and historical inaccuracies - for example, the life inside am orphanage of the period - which sorts of devalues it's content. There are numerous testimonies after the 1990, that put the credibility whole storyline in quest.