“People love God but not each other,” observes Besnik, the protagonist of the Albanian drama A Shelter Among the Clouds. It’s a simple sentiment from a simple man, but that doesn’t mean it isn’t profound.
Besnik tends a herd of goats in a mountainous village that is remote even by Albanian standards. A devout Muslim, Besnik is more spiritual than most people. He discovers an ancient Christian mural in the ancient local mosque. That makes him a hero to the village Catholics, but the new development is very unwelcome to his imam. All of the villagers – Catholic and Muslim – are suspicious of the team of experts sent by the national government to study and restore his discovery.
Besnik has been caring for his dying father, and when his Greek Orthodox brother and Muslim sister return to visit and to position themselves over the upcoming inheritance, things get tense. In contrast to the remarkable landscape beauty of the harsh mountains, small mindedness and selfishness abound with most of the locals and within Besnik’s family. The guileless Besnik is baffled when people react less generously than the Koran prescribes.
This is a visually beautiful exploration of human behavior. Arben Bajraktaraj delivers a pure performance as Besnik. Writer-director Robert Budina, with his second feature, has delivered a moving and beautiful film. Note: This is an especially unhurried film, so settle in and let it wash over you.
Cinequest is hosting the North American premiere of A Shelter Among the Clouds, one of the World Cinema highlights of this year’s festival.