Men who, after a work injury, look at us: How do they feel? What are their hopes? What does the future hold for them? Every line on their faces sculpted by life itself. In contrast, a system filled with danger and injustice looms overhead.
Milazim, Fatmir and Liridon are veteran manual labourers who experienced accidents in their workplaces in Kosovo, Europe’s youngest country. In this poetic experimental documentary tribute to a now almost extinct class of people, Ilir Hasanaj gives voice to gentle, sincere and dignified, but almost invisible individuals, who fell prey to harsh and primitive capitalistic machinery and policy in the Balkans. (Ivan Ramljak)
Festivals and awards:
IFFR (2024) – Tiger Short Award; Guanajuato IFF (2024) – Best International Short Film Documentary Award; Cinehill Motovun (2024) – Cinehill Propeller Award; Dokufest (2024) – Talent Doc Award
Ilir Hasanaj is a filmmaker with roots in both Kosovo and Switzerland, embodying a unique blend of cultural influences. He honed his craft with a degree in Film from the Zurich University of the Arts (ZHdK) and has since created documentaries that resonate globally. Recently, Ilir’s film “Workers’ Wings” earned him the prestigious Tiger Short Award at the International Film Festival Rotterdam in 2024.
