Tucked away, just off one of the stone streets of Prizren, sits the DokuFest office. The energy brewing in the office seeps through its white walls, as the staff is bustling about, preparing for Saturday, when the film festival begins eight days of screening documentary movies.
Getting its start as a grassroots event in 2002, DokuFest has become a major cultural event in Kosovo, and the principal documentary festival in the region.
The ambiance of Prizren offers a setting unique to Kosovo. As opening day draws near, the Prizren community is also preparing for the influx of thousands of international guests.
Ymer Gushlla, an employee of the hotel Luxury Palace, sees the flood of visitors from around the world as a clear sign of Prizren’s growth and a sign of things to come.
“All the hotels are fully booked months ahead. I can say now that 90 percent of the hotels are booked. The hotel hires more staff during this time of the year, and even in four years time, Prizren has had to build new hotels.”
Based on the recent trend of 15 – 20 percent growth annually — about 50,000 visitors will fill Prizren during the eight days of the festival.
Eroll Bilibani, the Executive Director of DokuFest, has found creative ways to accommodate the large number of guests.
“Because all of the hotels are booked so far in advance, we have started a campsite up in the valley that holds 200 people. This caters to backpackers, concert goers, people who do not want to spend lots of money on a hotel and still want to attend the festival”
In 2011, DokuFest hired the GAP Institute for Advanced Studies to complete a survey documenting the economic impact of DokuFest on the city of Prizren. Based on their analysis, DokuFest brought in € 3.1 million to Kosovo’s economy, boosting the income of Prizren’s stores, hotels and restaurants. GAP Institute for Advanced Studies predicted that if the trend of growth continued, DokuFest would contribute € 4.4 million to € 5 million to Kosovo’s economy in five years.
This year DokuFest is conducting the survey for the second time to see how accurate this analysis was. The results of this survey will be able to show the economic effect the festival is having on Prizren and on the country.
Talip Haskula, co-owner of a filigree and souvenir store in Prizren sees the summer visitors as a benefit to the success of his store.
“Most of the things we sell during the festival are things specific to Prizren. People want to have a momento from the places they visit, and lucky for use they usually pick something up from Prizren.”
In 2008 DokuFest started annual projects, and from that stemmed the need for permanent jobs. Currently, DokuFest employs 18 fulltime workers, and has a volunteer base of 150 people who help with a wide range of tasks throughout the year.
“When hiring, we of course give priority to former volunteers of DokuFest. In a way we return something back to what they have contributed to DokuFest,” said Bilibani, “We like to not call this an employment, but joining the family.”
Gushlla sees DokuFest as a benefit to not only the hotel he works for, but a benefit for his whole community.
“We like guests and we want them to be comfortable when they are here. DokuFest is showing Kosovo, and giving the public knowledge. In a way DokuFest is a ticket to show other countries around Kosovo- what we have and what we can offer.”
Bilibani also sees the clear ties between DokuFest and the Prizren community.
“Prizren people identify themselves with DokuFest, and they are amazingly open to foreign visitors that come to DokuFest. In a way DokuFest opened a small gate between the people of Prizren and the international community. Allowing the people of Prizren to show their hospitality at their best.”
Veton Nurkollari, founder of DokuFest and current Artistic Director, had no idea what his initial vision would create. Wanting to give back to the municipality of Prizren, Nurkollari and his friends came up with the idea of DokuFest to save the local cinema.
“We are still fighting to bring back the second cinema, and the original venue where everything started. This is an example of what one can do when you have a goal.”
Nurkollari, took a slight inhale and continued.
“After 14 years we are seeing a new generation of filmmakers, mostly because of the festival and what our organization is doing. The workshops encourage those who want to pick up filmmaking.”
Lis Doranbari the assistant manager of the cinema Dokuina, credits DokuFest, as the reason the cinema exists in the municipality of Prizren.
“The cinema started to work two years ago, before then we didn’t have a functional cinema in Prizren. Having this cinema allows people to watch the newest movies.”
The DokuFest team hopes to establish an Institute for Documentary film in Prizren in 2019. As the festival continues to grow, Bilibani sees no reason to move the event from Prizren; instead he sees the growth as an amazing opportunity for the municipality.
“The setting of Prizren allows us to do this festival. Instead of moving to another city we hope that business will come and see the potential of DokuFest and invest in hotels, restaurants, and other touristic attractions.”
Bilibani continued raising his hands to emphasize his point.
“DokuFest has shown that Prizren has amazing potential. The tourism season shouldn’t start only during DokuFest, but Prizren authorities should think of Prizren’s potential. Invest in Prizren.
(Jainie Winter is a reporting intern at KosovaLive this summer in collaboration with Miami University in the United States.)
