Discover the unique musical culture of southern Albania at a screening of this astonishing documentary exploring the region’s ancient polyphonic choir tradition through the lives and stories of its legendary musicians.

Director Dan Shutt will be on hand after the screening for a Q&A about the film.

Washed by the Moon

Dir. Dan Shutt, 2018, 56 min.

Washed by the Moon (Albanian: Labëri Larë Në Hënë) is a celebration of Albanian polyphonic singing and the resilience of tradition in the face of inevitable change. Singers of Kënga Labe from across three generations explain their deep spiritual connection to and through their songs.

The documentary focuses on the lives of multiple singers: (1) Golik Jaupi, awarded the title of “Artist of the People” under Enver Hoxha’s communist dictatorship, and still nostalgic about Albania’s socialist pas; (2) Vullnet Silaj, now Police Commissioner in the capital city, Vullnet has spent decades singing alongside Golik and is playing a key role in Albania’s democratic present and future; (3) Endri Hodaj, a young barber from Vlora who feels as though his tradition may be lost to globalisation and modernisation.

About the director 

Dan Shutt is a German-British musician and filmmaker. He recorded and released music through his own record label before setting up Danchfilm and producing his first documentary, Washed by the Moon, fully self-funded by his work as a freelance editor for publishers like Cambridge University Press, Taylor & Francis, Routledge and many more. He loves it when art upholds the same standards as academia.

Booking terms: pay what you wish

For a limited number of our events, attendees can pay what they wish for admission via Eventbrite. The suggested admission fee is £5. Please follow the booking URL to finalise your order.