Sundance Winner Gets US Release

Oscilloscope Laboratories has acquired the North American distribution rights for the feature film 'Shame and Money.' The company is scheduling a theatrical release for early 2027. The movie, directed by Visar Morina, follows a couple in their forties who live on a farm in rural Kosovo with their extended family. A family dispute causes them to lose their livelihood, forcing the group to relocate to Pristina. In the city, the parents struggle to find work and housing while supporting their household.

Morina co-wrote the screenplay with Doruntina Basha. The cast features Astrit Kabashi, Flonja Kodheli, Kumrije Hoxa, Fiona Gllavica, and Alban Ukaj. Morina cited the growing difficulty people face in making ends meet as his motivation for the story. He expressed a belief that greater class consciousness is needed and hoped the film would help foster that understanding.

The film earned the Grand Jury Prize in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition at the Sundance Film Festival. This award qualifies it to compete for the Academy Award for international feature film under current Academy rules. Since its debut, the movie has collected additional honors. It won the Cinemasters Jury Prize at FilmFest Munich. At Prifest in Kosovo, it received best film and best actor awards. The ODA Film Festival granted it four distinct awards for best movie, actress, actor, and script.

Dan Berger, president of Oscilloscope, described the film as a subtle and searingly real portrait of a family. He stated that the company feels a deep connection to the characters and their struggles. Berger characterized the movie as an indictment of an economic system designed to keep too many people down.

Fabian Altenried, Sophie Ahrens, and Kristof Gerega from Schuldenberg Films served as producers. They were joined by Pia Hellenthal and Morina. Schuldenberg Films has previously worked on 'Objet a,' 'Strange River,' and 'Life Is Not a Competition but I’m Winning.' Hellenthal is also known for her work on 'Searching Eva.'

The Yellow Affair handles international sales. Rights have been acquired for France, Indonesia, Spain, Switzerland, and Turkey. Arizona Distribution, Falcon, Mirror Audiovisual, Trigon, and Filmarti are the respective acquiring companies. Additional deals are expected to be finalized soon. In Germany, Eksystent Filmverleih gave the film a theatrical release in September.

This is the third feature-length film for Morina. His previous works include 'Exile' and 'Babai.' He is currently represented by Cinetic Media.