Skip to main content

Deep Dive: Here Be Dragons (2013)

Play Trailer

Film Lens

Here Be Dragons
In 'Here Be Dragons', filmmaker Mark Cousins examines the impact of Enver Hoxha's authoritarian regime on Albania's cultural identity. Over five days, he documents the deteriorating film archives, raising questions about collective memory and the significance of fading cinematic heritage. The film is influenced by Chris Marker’s style and includes reflections on the architecture of dictators and the works of painter Onufri. Cousins invites viewers to consider Albania's obscurity through the lens of early cartographers' warnings of 'Here be Dragons'. This framing encourages a deeper understanding of the country's complex history and stories, emphasizing the importance of preserving its cinematic heritage.

Why Watch

  • •Find out about Albania's fading film archives.
  • •See the impact of Enver Hoxha's regime.
  • •Meet painter Onufri and his works.

Did You Know

•Mark Cousins directed and starred in the film.
•The film has a duration of 79 minutes.
•It was produced in two countries: Great Britain and Albania.

Perfect For

Albanian historyFilm preservationDictatorship studies