TOLERANCE IS FREEDOM (2007)
RT: 10 Min
Human Rights Documentary
USA-KOSOVO
Tolerance is Freedom presents an inside view on Kosovo and the ethnic tensions that have plagued the region for decades.
It discusses the issues leading up to the countries' independence and It focuses on the way Kosovars are working together to build a brighter future.
In a country where 90% of the population is Albanian and 50% under 30 years old, there has been a long struggle and history of oppression and ethnic cleansing against them especially during the regime of Milosevic who has been named as the Hitler of the Balkans.
In this documentary I feature archival footage where a 10 year old boy tells his tragic story of how him and three friends were run to a river by a group of Serbs resulting in the death of the three children and mass violent riots.
I also juxtapose the events by interviewing some very influential personalities such as Veton Surroi former Head of the reformist party ORA and senior member of the negotiating team of Kosovo; Albin Kurti -Activist of Vetevendosje, "Self Determination Movement" who as a young student was sentenced to imprisonment for 15 years on charges of criminal acts against the so called territorial integrity of the former Yugoslavia; Jelena Bjelica-A Serbian journalist based in Prishtina, capital of Kosovo who runs a newspaper which targets Serbian minorities. Adus Rramadani-Director Urban FM a non traditional radio station which aims at creating a positive ground for multi-ethnicity, co-habitation and the right to free movement for all citizens of Kosovo; and Xhevat Ramosaj-Director of Kosovo Railways which runs a program called "Freedom of Movement Train" where citizens can travel for 50 cents throughout Kosovo and serves for the integration of minorities. At present the future status of Kosovo is being decided. At the time a big part of the negotiations were based on tolerance between the majority Albanian population and Serb minorities.