Waterdrop
Robert Budina
Albania, Italy, Romania, Kosovo. 2024. 91 min

In a picturesque Albanian town on the shores of Lake Ohrid, Aida reigns as a tough, successful businesswoman. As city planner, she manages the allocation of lucrative EU subsidies, navigating a corrupt system where her boss pockets large portions of the funds. To maintain her position in this ultra-masculine, patriarchal world, Aida isn’t above accepting the occasional bribe herself.

Her carefully constructed life crumbles when her teenage son Mark is accused of sexual assault by a classmate. Convinced of his innocence, Aida launches her own investigation, defying both her husband’s wishes and police authority.

ROBERT BUDINA

Robert Budina, is an Albanian independent filmmaker and producer. His first short LULEBORË participated in 40 festivals worldwide, winning awards in Tiff (Al), Algarve (Pt), Tanger (Ma). Budina’s debut feature AGON screened at over 30 festivals and was Albania’s Oscar nomination in 2014. A SHELTER AMONG THE CLOUDS his second feature, premiered at Tallinn Black Nights Festival, winning awards in Cinequest (Us), PriFilmFest (Ko), Valetta (Mt), distributed in Germany & Austria. Budina created the mini tv series THE SQUARE OF POWER with 40% audience share on Albanian national TV, completed his third feature WATERDROP and is developing a new tv mini-series THE INVISIBLE SUCCESSOR.

Filmography

2004 LULBORË/ SNOWDROP short film, writer director
2012 AGON / DAWN feature film, writer director
2018 STREHA MES REVE / A SHELTER AMONG THE CLOUDS feature film, writer director
2022 KATRORI I PUSHTEIT / THE SQUARE OF POWER mini tv series, writer director
2024 PIKË UJI / WATERDROP feature film, creator writer director
2024 PASUESI I PADUKSHËM / THE INVISIBLE SUCCESSOR mini tv series, creator writer director (development)

PRESS KIT

REVIEWS

CINEUROPA 1

CINEUROPA 2

VARIETY

POSTER

CONTACT

robertbudina@gmail.com

Directed by Robert Budina Writing Credits Doruntina Basha Robert Budina Ajola Daja Cast Gresa Pallaska Arben Bajraktaraj Adem Karaga Iancu Paulo Gerhard Koloneci Klodjana Keco Henri Topi Produced by Daniele de Cicco … producer Sabina Kodra … producer Luan Kryeziu … co-producer Music by Marius Leftãrache Cinematography by Marius Panduru Editing by Enrico Giovannone Casting By Suela Bako