Gjama(2021)

Gjama Synopsis

“Gjama” is a rarely practiced mourning ritual that was performed by Albanian men throughout the centuries. By shouting specific phrases and acting out a strict choreography, it is a way of paying respect to the deceased but also overcoming grief and pain over the loss of a loved one. Through the documentation of the re-enactment of the ritual, Zgjim Elshani seeks to recover fragments of the practice in the communities where this form of collective grieving is still a way of overcoming loss. By doing so, the project intends to rethink collective grieving and what it means to publicly display emotions in a male-headed society.

Gjama (2021) is a documentary film directed by Zgjim Elshani, released on October 8, 2021 with a runtime of 9m. It stars Geg Zefi, Gjon Kosteri, Kol Martini and Ndue Fusha. Viewers rate it 4.0 out of 10 across 1 ratings.