Rrethimi i vogël

"Rrethimi i Vogel" (The Small Siege) was one of many typical Albanian movies that treated the theme of fighting favoritism.

In the center of the movie was a veterinarian in a village in the Pogradec district. He was delivering a baby cow in a stall when he received the news of being appointed the political head-leader of the Pogradec district (a higher rank than a city-mayor). (The reader should be reminded that Socialist Albania chose its leaders from the midst of the working people, who were to lead when called upon). So, the hard-working veterinarian (Timo Flloko) reluctantly accepted the calling (for he loved his job and loathed the office life away from the working people, blah-blah-blah).

Once in power as the district head-leader, he was approached at once by a host of his friends and relatives who demanded favors from him. At first he gave in, though against his wish and what was "right". Some of the favors were: request to transfer to Tirana, to move from the village to the city, for an apartment, and so on. In other words, the people of his family and his friends were keeping him under siege, the small siege. The intervention of an honest peasant (Kadri Roshi), an elder who meant a lot to the now-leader, brings him to his senses.

The movie was beautifully done with scenes from the city of Pogradec and of lake-shore of Ohrid Lake.

Altin ---