On Wednesday evening, the premiere of the film "The Lemurian Candidate" was held in Pristina, a new cinematic project that has aroused interest among the public due to its mix of comedy, drama, and science fiction elements.
Telegrafi was present at the Cineplexx Kosovo premises, where it closely followed the first screening and conducted exclusive interviews with director Casey Cooper Johnson and producer Antoneta Kastrati.
The film's director, Casey Cooper Johnson, shared with the Telegraph the emotions of the premiere and confessed that the film's story stems from a personal experience.
"The story is about a friend of mine. It's based on inspiration from a friend who had mental illness. When we were young, we did a lot of camping and adventures, and the film is a kind of fantasy - a kind of sci-fi inspired by those experiences of ours," he said.
Casey says that he wrote the script very quickly and that the film was made on a modest budget, which made the process challenging, especially in the post-production phase.
"We had a very small budget, but because we shot it in my country, in my city, we got a lot of help from the community. The post-production – editing, VFX, music – these were the hardest parts. But it's a great pleasure to bring the film here," he said.
Casey Cooper Johnson (director)
He added that he and Antoneta have returned to Pristina for at least a year and a half, to dedicate themselves to the next film.
The film's producer, Antoneta Kastrati, who is known for her success with the film "Zana", revealed that this time she has switched roles with Casey: in "Zana" he was a producer, while now she has taken on the role of producer.
"Usually I write and am the director and producer of my films. But when I read the script - even though it is a comedy with science fiction elements - I was very touched by the story. It is a story about friendship and community," said Antoneta.
She showed that in addition to production, she was also involved in editing, experiencing the entire process differently from her previous projects.
"I'm very pleased. Yes, the film is a comedy, but the message is serious. For me, the story is important – if a story connects you and has something to say, it makes me want to be a part of it."
Antoneta Kastrati (producer)
“The Lemurian Candidate” is a psychedelic dramedy that blends buddy-road movie with sci-fi comedy. The film follows three friends – Tom, Stan and Jesse – who embark on a journey to Mt. Shasta. What begins as an attempt to help Jesse get back into treatment turns into a hallucinatory adventure, where friendship, old conflicts and reality begin to bend.
The film offers a comical yet emotionally profound story, bringing a new perspective on caring for a friend who is facing his own inner world.
The film is available to the public at Cineplexx Kosovo, where after yesterday's premiere it will be shown on regular schedules. /Telegraph/
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