The animated film "Books of Light", directed by filmmaker Andamion Murataj, premiered on 9 July 2026 at the Europe House in Tirana.
The film is one of the winning grants under the "Heritage is Our Brand" project, funded by the European Union and implemented by DMO Albania and EU Policy Hub. It is inspired by the story of the Codex Beratinus, one of Albania's most valuable treasures of world cultural heritage.
The short animated film brings to life the legendary story of the rescue of the Berat Codices through the character of Skuripeku, an ordinary citizen who risks everything to protect these precious manuscripts from invading forces.
"More than the extraordinary value of the Codices themselves, what impressed me most was the centuries-long sacrifice of the citizens of Berat to save them. This story was created to offer young people a tale of tradition told through the visual language and technologies they use every day online. More than a short film, this is a narrative created with the tools of artificial intelligence, which I hope will become the starting point for a more complete film in the future. It has a very clear target audience: young people," said director Andamion Murataj.
Symbolically inspired by a fusion of David Selenica's Sower with the figure of Skuripeku, one of the documented rescuers of the Berat Codices, the film focuses on the heroism of citizens who risked their lives to protect these rare manuscripts during periods of invasion. Created in collaboration with Hollywood visual artist Ryan Johnson and technology expert Tomi Kallanxhi, the story combines modern animation techniques and is designed specifically for younger audiences.
"Artificial intelligence can become a new way of bringing young people closer to history and culture. By using AI, they not only develop technical skills, but also research, explore and gain a deeper understanding of the past. This offers an opportunity to tell stories like this in a modern, interactive way that resonates with younger generations—and perhaps even enables young people themselves to tell these stories," said technology expert Tomi Kallanxhi.
Historian Andi Pinari, one of the authors of the "Heritage is Our Brand" study, described the film as an innovative way to promote Albanian history. He stressed that cultural heritage is a fundamental element of the country's identity and should be passed on to younger generations through contemporary forms of storytelling.
"Modernity often pushes us to set aside many elements of our traditions as outdated, only for us to rediscover and appreciate them later. In this sense, I believe this project brings back some of the traditions that make Albania unique. Through films like this, these stories can continue to live on among younger generations," Pinari said.
