“ALBGREKO”: Award-Winning Documentary by Ilir Tsouko at the Onassis Stegi – Small Stage

Denisa Bajraktari, Dimitris Kapouranis, Stefania Costa and Orestis Skiaou recount what it meant to grow up as children and grandchildren of Albanian migrants of the 1990s, born and raised in Greece.

The award-winning documentary “ALBGREKO ”, directed by Ilir Tsouko and produced by Onassis Culture, is screened at the Onassis Stegi – Small Stage, in the presence of the director and members of the film’s creative team. It is a series of human stories that are neither solely Albanian nor solely Greek. They are both.

With selections and awards at major documentary festivals-such as the Thessaloniki International Documentary Festival (2025), Tirana International Film Festival (2025), Chania Film Festival (2025), and DocFest – Chalkida Documentary Festival (2025)-“ALBGREKO ” screens at the Small Stage of the Stegi on Wednesday, January 21, at 21:00.

Denisa Bajraktari, Dimitris Kapouranis, Stefania Costa and Orestis Skiaou share how they experienced growing up as children and grandchildren of Albanian migrants of the 1990s, born and raised in Greece. Not migration as an abstract concept, but their own personal stories. Stories that are neither only Albanian nor only Greek. They are both. From this generation, something new, clear and hopeful emerges. At a time when identity wars rage across the world-and particularly in Europe and the Balkans, Ilir Tsouko’s camera illuminates multiple identities not as burdens of history, but as compasses pointing toward a better future.

Ilir Tsouko notes:
“This film began as an exploration of the lives of young people moving between two worlds. The children of Albanian migrants in Greece are more than their inherited past; they represent a new narrative of belonging and identity. Through the voices of Denisa, Dimitris, Stefania and Orestis, we sought to reveal stories that transcend the archetypal labels ‘Albanian’ or ‘Greek’. These young people have woven their lived experiences into something unique-both Albanian and Greek, yet also something entirely new and hopeful. At a time when identity wars shape the political and social landscape across Europe and the Balkans through division, this documentary challenges the idea that identities must be tied to competition or conflict. Instead, it celebrates the diversity that arises from embracing multiple identities. This film is our tribute to a generation that exists in-between, refusing to be confined by borders-whether geographic or cultural. It is a journey of resilience, hope, and the forging of a new, uncharted sense of belonging.”

Following the screening, a discussion on Greek-Albanian identity will take place with the participation of the director, the four main protagonists of the film, and the scientific advisor and one of the screenwriters, Dimitris Christopoulos. The discussion will be moderated by director and poet Brikena Gisto. The evening will conclude with a DJ set by Leart Rama [blissblissbliss/RKS], blending analog instruments, field recordings and electronic textures, exploring themes of identity, memory and migration.

PROGRAM

21:00 | Screening of “ALBGREKO ”
21:30 – 22:30 | Discussion on Greek-Albanian identity
Participants:
– Dimitris Christopoulos (Scientific Advisor, Screenwriter)
– Ilir Tsouko (Director)
– Denisa Bajraktari, Dimitris Kapouranis, Orestis Skiaou, Stefania Costa
Moderator: Brikena Gisto
Followed by DJ set by Leart Rama [blissblissbliss/RKS]

About Ilir Tsouko

Ilir Tsouko was born in Albania in 1990 and grew up in Athens. He is a visual storyteller specializing in documentary film and photography, living between Berlin and Tirana. He works on long-term projects focused on the perception and construction of identity, with particular emphasis on migration, social issues and political events.

He studied Visual Journalism and Documentary Photography at Hannover University of Applied Sciences and Arts (Hochschule Hannover), where he worked with Magnum photographers Enri Canaj and Chien-Chi Chang. Earlier, he completed a Master’s degree in Health Sciences at CNAM (Paris/Athens).

He is fluent in German, Greek, English and Albanian. His work has been published in leading international media, including The New York Times, Die Zeit Magazin, The Washington Post, The Guardian, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, ARTE, ZDF, Der Spiegel, Vogue and others. He collaborates with NGOs and institutions such as Amnesty International, Friedrich-Ebert-Stiftung, Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung and the ERSTE Foundation, and is a member of Focus Agentur (Hamburg), Futures 2024 (Amsterdam) and the International Press Institute (Vienna).

Credits

Featuring: Denisa-Lydia Bajraktari, Dimitris Kapouranis, Stefania Costa, Orestis Skiaou
Production: Onassis Culture
Director: Ilir Tsouko
Screenplay: Dimitris Christopoulos, Georgia Spyropoulou, Bjorni Leka
Scientific Advisor: Dimitris Christopoulos
Executive Producers: Dimitris Theodoropoulos, Pasqua Borgia
Director of Photography: Carlos Muñoz
Editing: Leart Rama
Color Grading: Maria Tzortzatou
Sound Recording: Manolis Makridakis, Filippos Manesis
Sound Mix: Kostas Dokos
Original Music: Leart Rama
Subtitles: Eleana Ziaku
Line Production: EYE FILM – Victoria Vellopoulou, Giannis Karahalios