Everybody Calls Redjo

Everybody Calls Redjo is a deeply moving and visually striking film that captures the harsh realities of life in an abandoned Albanian village in Macedonia. The film follows Redjo, the only able-bodied man left in a place where almost everyone has emigrated, leaving behind only the elderly and a few who refuse to give up.

Redjo is the village's lifeline, fixing houses, tending fields, and doing whatever it takes to survive. But while he struggles to hold onto his home, his wife and child desperately want to leave, seeking a better future elsewhere. The tension between love, duty, and survival builds throughout the film, culminating in a gripping and tragic twist-Redjo, under pressure, unknowingly becomes involved in smuggling illegal goods disguised as cheese.

The final scene is one of the most powerful in recent cinema: Redjo and his family finally decide to leave, driving away with their belongings stacked atop their car. The camera lingers on them as they pass the village cemetery, symbolizing both the end of an era and the weight of what they're leaving behind. It's a haunting and poetic moment that stays with you long after the credits roll.

The film's cinematography beautifully captures the desolation of the village, and the performances-especially from the lead actor portraying Redjo-are raw and authentic. Everybody Calls Redjo is a must-watch, a poignant reflection on sacrifice, the struggle for a better life, and the ghosts of the past that linger in forgotten places.

It was such a good movie that I was surprised...maybe the best Albanian movie ever made(for me)! Great script, great acting, great soundtrack...great everything...so proud of this movie(especially being albanian). It captured in such an original way the everyday life in Albanian's country side and the story just keeps getting better and better and more complicated with everyday Redjo wakes up...and Redjo...he is just a rockstar! I loved the choise of the cast, spot on... especially Redjo's wife and son...so natyral. Loved this movie...it starts as a comedy and by the end I found myself at the edge of my seat...good job!!!

What an amazing movie!!! The acting is amazing, the storytelling is something that I have never seen in albanian movies. You can really feel every scene of the movie. I laughed so much and felt so many emotions because of how many things that were said in the movie remind me the daily struggles of the life in the Balkans. Every actor did great. What struck me the most was the cinematography!!! Every scene was shot beautifully and completed the storytelling, which shows that you don't have to find the 'most perfect most beautiful' place to create a wonderful story, a simple village is perfect to create a beautiful story. Do yourselves a favor and watch this movie as soon as possible, you will not regret this decision. I am sure that whenever someone will ask me to recommend an albanian movie this will be the 1st on my list. Well done to everyone who made this movie happen!!!!