Film Industry: Sundance Winner Gets U.S. Theatrical Run

The Grand Jury Prize in the World Cinema Dramatic Competition at the Sundance Film Festival has secured a North American theatrical release for the Kosovo drama 'Shame and Money.' Oscilloscope Laboratories announced it has acquired the distribution rights for the feature, which is directed by Visar Morina. The specific award from Sundance allows the film to compete for the Academy Award for international feature film under current Academy rules.

Oscilloscope plans to put the movie in theaters in early 2027. The story follows a couple in their forties who live in rural Kosovo with their extended family. They make a modest living on their farm until a family dispute causes them to lose their livelihood. The group then moves to the capital, Pristina, where the parents struggle to find work and housing while supporting their household.

Morina co-wrote the screenplay with Doruntina Basha. The cast includes Astrit Kabashi, Flonja Kodheli, Kumrije Hoxa, Fiona Gllavica, and Alban Ukaj. Morina said the story stems from the increasing difficulty many people face in making ends meet. He expressed a belief in the need for greater class consciousness and hoped the film would contribute to that understanding.

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

The production team includes Fabian Altenried, Sophie Ahrens, and Kristof Gerega from Schuldenberg Films, along with 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 for the film. Rights have already been sold to France, Indonesia, Spain, Switzerland, and Turkey. The acquiring companies are Arizona Distribution, Falcon, Mirror Audiovisual, Trigon, and Filmarti. The film received a theatrical release in Germany in September through Eksystent Filmverleih.

Since its Sundance debut, the film has won several awards. These include the Cinemasters Jury Prize at FilmFest Munich. It also won best film and best actor at Prifest in Kosovo. At the ODA Film Festival, the movie took four awards for best movie, actress, actor, and script. This is Morina's third feature, following 'Exile' and 'Babai.' He is represented by Cinetic Media.