Encounter in the Air is a 2019 Albanian-language drama film written, directed and produced by Ardit Sadiku. The narrative focuses on a broadcast technician and a young man who has mental illness. The young man, desperate to find asylum in a foreign country, hires the broadcast technician to film a video of him discussing his mental condition â in the hopes that the video will convince foreign officials to grant him asylum.
Blerim, an employee of a TV station, takes on a highly unusual side gig â one that immerses him in a world of mental illness, paranoia, and blurred reality. BlerimâÂÂs colleague introduces him to Drin, an unemployed young man who claims to be mentally ill â despite his neurologistâÂÂs belief that his symptoms are merely psychosomatic. Drin, convinced that he must leave his home country in order to become âÂÂwell,â commissions Blerim to film a video of him discussing his unusual neurological condition â in the hopes that the clip will convince a foreign nation to grant him asylum. Blerim, tasked with shooting the video and somehow convincing his boss to broadcast it on the TV station, finds himself obsessed with the project â to the detriment of his professional and personal relationships.
Auditions for Encounter in the Air started in February 2019, and lasted until April. Filming was done near Shkodër.
Encounter in the Air premiered in Tirana, on 12 December 2019, and was shown at the Tirana International Film Festival. It was one of the possible options for Albania's nominee for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film at the 93rd Academy Awards, but Open Door was selected instead.