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Half Year

Kol Caka is a 76-year-old man, who with his flock of sheep travels between the Alpine mountains in North of Albania to enjoy the bounty of nature for half a year, from spring to autumn.
He was born in the meadows of the high Alps, grew up there, became a man, worked every day, led the flock of sheep to the good pastures, planted trees that named after him, collects medicinal drugs, helps the family's economy and lives in harmony with nature.
The road to go to the valley where his ancestors' house is located is very difficult in the spring. The snow has not yet melted in the mountains and the weather is unpredictable, but the hidden paradise calls him for half the year, while the other half is the frozen winter.

  • Pandeli Ceco
    Director
  • Pandeli Ceco
    Writer
  • Pandeli Ceco
    Producer
  • Luljeta Progni
    Producer
  • Kol Caka
    Key Cast
  • Karel Matejcek
    Music
  • Michael Paul
    Narrator
  • Roma Makharadze
    Sound Design
    RREGULAR RECORDS
  • Diona Ceco
    Translator
  • Project Type:
    Documentary, Short
  • Runtime:
    29 minutes 33 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    September 28, 2022
  • Country of Origin:
    Albania
  • Country of Filming:
    Albania
  • Language:
    English
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Mountain - Nature - Adventure Film Festival - 33 MML
    Asturias
    Spain
    May 5, 2023
    Honorable Mention
  • Myrtle Beach International Film Festival
    South Carolina
    United States
    April 18, 2023
    Winner Best Documentary
  • FAUNA Tepoztlán Animal Festival
    Tepoztlán
    Mexico
    March 23, 2023
    Official Selection
  • MONTANHA Pico Festival
    Açores
    Portugal
    January 17, 2023
    Official Selection
  • AltFF Alternative Film Festival
    Toronto
    Canada
    December 21, 2022
    Winner Best Cinematography
  • FIORENZO SERRA FILM FESTIVAL
    Sassari
    Italy
    December 1, 2022
    Semi-Finalist
  • Rossland Mountain Film Festival
    Rossland
    Canada
    November 22, 2022
    Official Selection
Director Biography - Pandeli Ceco

Pandeli Ceco has had a long career in graphic design since 1998. He began his first job on a feature documentary project in 2018 as a production designer for the film 'Azizi - Confesses a True Story'. Following this, he filmed, directed, and edited a documentary series on persecution themes from the dictatorial past regime of Albania, from their inception to completion, including 'Imprisoned Guitar', 'The Stones of Religion', 'Bloody Frontiers', 'Longing to Sing', 'The Revolt of Qaf-Bari', 'High-minded', 'The Missing', and 'The Persecution of Kulaks under Dictatorship'.

“The white sheets” documentary (2020) was selected at 15 international film festivals and won three awards:
- Audience Choice Award at 18th Tirana International Film Festival, Albania
- Golden Price Award at Vishwarang International Film Festival 2020, India
- 3d Place Award at the 7th International Documentary Festival of Ierapetra 2020, Greece
- Semi-finalist at International Film and Video Festival Catharsis, Russia
- Finalist at Pápa International Historical Film Festival 2021, Hungary
- Official selection at International Documentary and Short Film Festival DOKUFEST Prizren 2021, Kosova etc.

Additionally, Pandeli Ceco is the founder and director of the international film festival, Travel Fest Albania (https://travelfestalbania.com/).

Add Director Biography
Director Statement

I had the privilege of meeting Kol Caka, the main character of my documentary film "Half Year" by chance while visiting the Rragami waterfall in the Valbone Valley as a tourist. I was immediately struck by the character of the 76-year-old man, who wandered through the stunning mountains with a flock of sheep and a dog, while many of his compatriots, including his own sons, had emigrated to the West.

Intrigued by his way of life and his deep connection to nature, I reached out to him and he graciously hosted me in his home. Over the course of several visits, he shared with me his extensive knowledge of the local flora and fauna, as well as his traditional way of life and his efforts to live in harmony with the environment.

Inspired by his story, I decided to document his journey between the Alps during spring and autumn. Through this film, I hope to showcase his simple yet profound wisdom, which stands in stark contrast to the superficiality of modern life dominated by social media and materialism.

By sharing his story with the world, I hope to inspire audiences to appreciate the simple pleasures of life and to encourage greater respect and stewardship for our natural world.