“I have never been on an airplane”

Along with Lokomotiva, we continue the conversation on freedom of movement and the impact and consequences of restricting this freedom. Before the conversation begins, on May 5, we will show the short documentary film  “I have never been on an airplane,” by the director Redon Kika. He created this documentary as part of Kino Armata’s nonformal, one-month school, Neo_School. The main characters — young men and women from Kosovo — explain how they experience isolation as Kosovo citizens.

The COVID-19 pandemic, blocked and limited travel around the world, but for Kosovo, this is simply a new challenge. Kosovo is doubly isolated, once as a result of the continuous failures in the political sphere to uphold their promises of visa liberalization, and now as a result of the pandemic. 

Now is the moment to talk about this problem that did not come with the global crisis and it seems, will not go away with it. Mountains of documents; many payments before and during the visa application process; waiting in front of embassies; fear of refusal, and straight out refusals are just some of the troubles for the youth, who are already carrying a mountain of other burdens on their backs. 

We do not want to have this conversation about visa liberalization with politicians, who often don’t need to wait at the counters, and don’t worry about getting a visa or fear being refused. But, instead, with the young men and women, who have closely listened to the innumerable requests, that are financially expensive and tiring; they have felt the refusals; they have been deprived of different opportunities to develop culturally, academically, and grow professionally. We want to hear through their stories the old tale of discrimination and exclusion.

The projection of this documentary movie will serve as a conversation starter on the freedom of movement, with:

Roni Idrizaj, Executive Director at Sbunker

Redon Kika, Movie Director

This conversation will be moderated by K2.0 contributing editor and journalist Dafina Halili.

We invite you to join us on May 5, online on Kosovo 2.0’s Facebook page. The movie will be shown at 17:30, while the conversation will continue from 17:40. If you need translation in English or Serbian, write to us. The movie will have Albanian and English subtitles. 

The event is supported by the Prince Claus Fund. 

Cover Image: Arrita Katona / K2.0.