Field of Blackbirds, 2017

In this video the story it is told by a man whose name is Naser. He seems calm and reflective. Right away, he starts to speak about concrete and imaginary walls. Walls that divide and delineate political and private territories and influence the current generation. Naser interprets the walls to be the result of fear: a fear that the enemy might move in, a fear which yearns for tradition. He longs for the arrival of a generation that does not see history as a mistake, as a wall, as an obstacle—a generation that can overcome these barriers. However, the video also suggests that this will not come to pass overnight. Visionary thoughts take time to develop in a postwar period, in which survival is the primary concern. Naser’s perspective on history, as both a trace and a form of ambiguous thought, seems more open and fragile. The camera turns to a different town. In the same calm tone, Naser talks about the place where he grew up and cannot recall there having been any tension between Albanians of Kosovo and the Serbs. Even so, from the perspective of the narrator, they are the Other.

17 min 05 sec

Video HD, color, sound

Interview with: Naser Shatrolli

Translation: Elona Gusho, Vangjush Vellahu

Subtitles: Felisha Bahadur

Language: Albanian

Locations: Pristina, Ferizaj, Mitrovica, Peja, Gjakova, Prizren