Gjama
“Gjama” is a rarely practiced mourning ritual that was performed by Albanian men throughout the centuries. By shouting specific phrases and acting out a strict choreography, it is a way of paying respect to the deceased but also overcoming grief and pain over the loss of a loved one. Through the documentation of the re-enactment of the ritual, Zgjim Elshani seeks to recover fragments of the practice in the communities where this form of collective grieving is still a way of overcoming loss. By doing so, the project intends to rethink collective grieving and what it means to publicly display emotions in a male-headed society.
Cast
Geg Zefi
as Themself
Gjon Kosteri
as Themself
Kol Martini
as Themself
Ndue Fusha
as Themself
Gjon Fiku
as Themself
Sokol Kodra
as Themself
Ndue Deda
as Themself
Kol Zefi
as Themself
Gjelosh Fusha
as Themself
Pale Zefi
as Themself
