The goodness of music is all that we have. In the southern Albanian city of Gjirokaster, there is a particularly special harmony between tradition and the present: iso-polyphonic songs are an important component of Albanian folklore and reside here alongside everyday worries and Disney films, treasured and preserved as an integral part of social cohesion. Roland (Landi) Çenko’s mission and passion is to pass down this cultural wealth to the younger generations. With a gentle touch, the film draws an individual portrait of a village community where singing not only represents a link to the past but also a way of mastering the present. Helga-Mari Steininger

At home on the Moon. 8 year-old Nurie lives with her parents in a remote village in the Albanian mountains. Gradually the locals have been leaving the area in search of work and now there is hardly anybody left. Nonetheless Nurie’s world is full of adventure. Instead of wearing skirts and playing with other girls, she swordfights and climbs old castle ruins. There is only one thing that her parents cannot abide: for her to one day become like the adults who work in the factory. With childlike ease the films tells of a land in upheaval, of migration and the hope of a better future. Anne Thomé

A free passage for free citizens. In 2010 the visa requirements for Albanians are lifted by the EU. At long last the freedom to travel no longer depends on the size of one’s wallet. On the streets of Tirana, the inhabitants celebrate the symbolic opening of the borders until late in the night. Prime minister Berisha predicts a European future for his fellow Albanians. Yet the new beginning does not live up to expectations. In various interviews the three filmmakers get close to Albania and its people. For many of the returnees, their longing for a future in their own country is met with frustration. A film about the wanderlust and homesickness of a nation. Anne Thomé

“We are the have-nots.” After an age-long history of migration and displacement this small Roma community set up home in the Albanian hinterland. Man and beast, young and old live here together at close quarters. Adversity has made the people resourceful. From cooking pots to children’s toys, everything is improvised. Maria Pavlidou’s film plunges us right into the middle of the Roma’s everyday life, as they struggle for their daily survival. From sparse, closely observed images a whole world emerges. Anne Thomé