Lamerica

 

 

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After Communism is overthrown in the 1990s Albania falls into a state of destitution and many of her citizens are in a state of despair. The majority are poor and many attempt to flee across the sea to Italy. Television programs reveal a wealthy economy there. The hope for a better life spurs many to risk their own when crossing the borders and challenging the odds of gettiing caught. The black and white film footage in the beginning shows a historical background of how Albania survived World War II by replacing fascism with communism which held great promise for a better life that never materialized. The surreal circumstances of the past haunts this mountainous country as it mirrors the problems which face the population in the 1990s.

The demise of communism holds no better future for the majority of Albanians. One small Albanian restaurant owner harkens back to the communist past when things were better, food was plentiful, there were not shortages. It is under these circumstances that Fiore, an Italian businessman, and Gino his partner arrive in Albania to exploit the people and set up a phony factory allegedly to help the Albanian economy. They meet a few corrupt Albanian officials whom they bribe to expedite the complex paperwork. They also visit a concentration camp to find an unlikely Albanian candidate to become the "chairman" of their business - who will likely become the fall guy when the business fails ...

Gino played by Enrico Lo Verso is a young ambitious Italian business partner to Fiore. Gino takes care of Spiro, the Albanian man selected as chairman. Spiro signs a few legal papers top start things rolling but is needed later for more paperwork when the transactions are finalized. He is dressed in a fine suit and accompanied by Gino on a road-trip to an orphanage run by Catholic nuns from the order of Mother Theresa. He is placed there for safe-keeping until needed again to sign legal forms. Spiro is a sorrowful character. He had been a twenty year old Italian who was conscripted to fight for Albania during World War II, yet all his internal paperwork reveals him to be an Albanian citizen. However, his mind is lost in the past even though he functions with great survival instincts and has a good heart. He wants to return to his village in Sicily to see Rose his wife and their three or four year old son. Spiro had escaped his confinement in the orphanage and had returned to a vagabond life, dressing in his old clothes, trying to find his way back home. The adventure of finding Spiro becomes a nightmare for Gino. In poverty-stricken Albania, Gino parked his SUV in order to relieve his bladder only to discover the vehicle is stripped of its tires and every workable part is removed. Both he and Spiro are forced to take local bus transportation back to Tirana. Along the way, they stop at a run-down hotel where Gino gets a phone call that devastates him. All the delays have created difficulties and Fiore has fired both the chairman and Gino.

Next, the Albanian authorities are investigating these Italian business profiteers and their motives. Gino is arrested and his passport confiscated. The remainder of the film deals with how Gino reclaims his life after such a fall from a rather charmed life. He narrowly escapes from jail and joins the throngs of Albanians who manage to escape their homeland seeking freedom abroad. Gino's views about life and humanity change forever ... This is a very engaging film which opens the eyes of the viewer to new perspectives. Erika Borsos (pepper flower)

L'america is a great movie that gives a lot of emotions, especially to the albanian people for the changes that happened during that period.You had to be there to really understand what was going on.
Albania is a small country in the Balkan Peninsula with a bitter history through centuries.It has been invaded many times starting with the romans,turks,italians and germans.But all that didn't stop albanians to save their culture,traditions and the language which is the oldest of the Indo-Europian languages. Albanians are very good people,very generous and brave.
I am talking a little to much away from the movie, but as an albanian I feel the responsability to let whoever reads this review know: Albania is a small country with a great heart and time has steped on Her with no mercy.
FALEMINDERIT-in albanian means (THANK YOU) in english

In some ways this resembles a more sophisticated, complex, political
re-telling of Amelio's great modern neo-realist classic 'Stolen Children'.

In this case two Italians go to just post communist Albania to try and
make a killing setting up an exploitative factory, taking advantage of
the desperately poor local workers. They hire a half- crazed old man to
be the necessary local figurehead. (The local is amazingly played by a
non- actor.)

Then, of course, everything in their plan goes wrong.

Tremendously moving, with only brief whiffs of manipulation or easy
emotion. A portrait of colonialism and capitalism crashing into
communist bureaucracy, and leaving behind shattered souls.

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