directed by Yllka Gjollesha, Suela Bako, documentary, 52 min, eng subtitles, 16+
written by Yllka Gjollesha
with Catalina Gubandru, Dora Veshi, Iris Sojli, Flori Bako, Rosella Pellicciotti, Robert Nuha John Loengard
Light is a documentary about the Albanian-American world master of photography Gjon Mili (1904-1984). Albanian video artist Yllka Gjollesha and actress Suela Bako explore the work and life of this exceptional artist by interviewing people who witnessed Mili’s life and his career and his way of working, such as LIFE photographers John Loengard and Eliott Erwitt, MoMa curator Susan Kismaric, MIT engineers and art critics - translating his photographic language into a documentary about his life and work. After emigrating to the US in 1923, Gjon Mili graduated from MIT (Massachusetts Institute of Technology) with a degree in engineering. Self-taught in photography, Mili was a pioneer in the use of stroboscopic instruments and electronic flash to capture a sequence of actions in one photograph. Many of his notable images revealed the beautiful intricacy and graceful flow of movement, too rapid or complex for the naked eye to discern. In 1944, he directed the short film Jammin' the Blues, featuring performances by Lester Young, Red Callender, Harry Edison and others. Nominated for an Academy Award, it became a landmark in the history of filming musicians. As a Master Photographer for LIFE Magazine for more than 40 years, Gjon Mili traveled the world, photographing artists, dancers, philosophers, celebrities, writers and musicians. His stroboscopic photography was often used to capture images in theatre and dance.
In the framework of the CinEast @ Mudam
Organised in collaboration with 