Director Visar Morina has delivered a historic moment for Kosova’s cinema, as his latest film Shame and Money won the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize: Dramatic at the 2026 Sundance Film Festival, one of the most prestigious film festivals in the world.
The Sundance jury praised the film for its powerful and unique portrayal of human dignity in contemporary Kosova, highlighting Morina’s sensitive filmmaking and his ability to draw audiences deeply into the everyday struggles of a family facing economic and moral pressure. The jury emphasized the film’s universal resonance, emotional precision, and deep empathy for its characters at a moment when they are forced to begin again.
Shame and Money follows a family that loses its livelihood in rural areas and is pushed to relocate to the capital in search of survival within a hyper-capitalist society. At the center of the story is Shaban, a traditional family man determined to be the provider, even as the family’s stability increasingly depends on his mother’s savings. Accepting financial help from a wealthy brother-in-law introduces new tensions, challenging pride, dignity, and personal limits. As pressure mounts, Shaban approaches an invisible breaking point, raising questions about how much a person can endure in the name of honor.
Visar Morina, whose previous film Exile premiered at Sundance, approaches the story with confidence and restraint. The lead performances by Astrit Kabashi and Flonja Kodheli as Shaban and Hatixhe have been widely praised for their realism, psychological depth, and emotional authenticity. The supporting cast includes Kumrije Hoxha, Fiona Gllavica, Alban Ukaj, Aria Shala, Riga Morina, Melika Gashi, Selman Lokaj, Teuta Hajdini, Abdinaser Beka, Rebeka Qena, Tristan Halilaj, Basri Lushtaku, Rafet Abazi, Besnik Krapi, and Eshref Durmishi.
The film was written by Visar Morina and Doruntina Basha, with cinematography by Janis Mazuch, editing by Joëlle Alexis, music by Mario Batkovic, sound design by Julij Zornik, art direction by Burim Arifi, make-up by Talija Ivančič, and costume design by Desantila Lika.
Winning the World Cinema Grand Jury Prize is considered a major launchpad for international distribution and future festival recognition. With this achievement, Shame and Money positions itself as one of the most important films of 2026 and places Kosova firmly on the global cinema map.
