TIRANA - In Your Pocket

8 CULTURE
Event information is notoriously difficult to get - visit the
websites of the venues listed here, keep an eye on posters
around town, and read the English-language papers for
upcoming events.
Cinemas
Academy of Film & Multimedia Marubi Rr.
Aleksandër Moisiu 76, tel./fax +355 4 236 51 88,
info@afmm.edu.al, www.afmm.edu.al. The Academy
of Film & Multimedia, named after Shkodra’s famous
Marubi photographer family, has a cinema with screenings
of foreign movies every Thursday at 19:00 (and often
other days too) during university term. Find the academy
to the northeast of the centre, near the terminus of the
Kinostudio bus line. See the English-language website
for what’s on. QOpen 08:00 - 16:00. Closed Sat, Sun.
Admission free.
Imperial Cinemas J-5, Rr. Frang Bardhi, Kristal Center
mall, tel. +355 44 80 45 95, info@imperialcinemas.al,
www.imperialcinemas.al. Big Hollywood and 3D films in
two large screening rooms, and two smaller ones at their
slightly cheaper Sheraton Mall location. In summer, there’s
an additional summer cinema in the Art Academy. Q Tickets
400-700 lek.
Millennium 2 Cinema F-5, Rr. Murat Toptani, Pallati
i Pionierit, tel. +355 4 225 36 54/+355 69 204
42 37, fax +355 4 225 36 56, www.ida-millennium.
com. Inside the former Pioneer Palace, Millennium shows
recent American films in their original language with Albanian
subtitles. Book in advance for evening and weekend
screenings. Screenings at 10:00, 12:30, 15:00, 18:00,
20:30 and 23:00. One fine day, Millenium 1 will reopen in
a new building in the city centre. QOpen 09:00 - 23:00.
Tickets 200-500 lek.
The new Galeria Nasional mall on Rruga Barrikadave
Cultural centres
Not only do these foreign-run centres allow locals and
foreigners alike access to many materials, they are
important promotors of international culture, and support
many events.
Alliance Française D-4/5, Rr. Barrikadave 122, tel.
+355 4 222 56 97/+355 4 227 48 41, info@aftirana.
org, www.aleancafranceze.com. Borrow French books
or language-learning materials. QOpen 10:30 - 20:00.
Closed Sat, Sun.
British Council E-2, Rr. Skenderbej 12, tel. +355 4
224 08 56, info@britishcouncil.org.al, http://www.britishcouncil.org/albania.
The UK cultural and educational
centre. QOpen 09:00 - 17:00. Closed Sat, Sun.
Goethe Institut H-5/6, Rr. George W. Bush, tel. +355
4 222 20 17, www.goethe.de. The German cultural centre
has a reading room with textbooks and literature inside the
National Library.
Istituto Italiano di Cultura (Italian Institute of
Culture) H-6, Rr. Pjetër Budi 74, tel. +355 4 237 95
79, www.iictirana.esteri.it. Promotes Italian culture and
language with cultural events and language courses. QOpen
09:00 - 14:00, 15:00-17:00. Closed Sat, Sun.
US Information Service (USIS) H/I-6, Rr. Elbasanit,
tel. +355 4 224 72 85. Browse American literature, history
books, periodicals and more at this centre beside the US
Embassy. Also at the USAID center. QOpen 08:30 - 16:00.
Closed Sat, Sun.
Theatre, Opera & Dance
Black Box Theatre I-4/5, Sheshi Nënë Tereza, tel.
+355 4 224 75 98. Mostly avant-garde and student shows
inside the Art Academy. Once in a long while there’s a performance
in a foreign language.
Metropolitan Center (Cultural Center of Tirana)
E-4, Rr. Ded Gjo Luli, tel. +355 4 225 75 28,
q.metropolitane@gmail.com. A cultural centre that hosts
regular performances by the Tirana City Band, the Spekter
childrens’ folklore group, the Metropolitan Theatre group
(Teatri i Metropolit) and the Tirana Circus.
National Theatre (Teatri Kombëtar) F-4, Rr. Sermedin
Said Toptani, tel. +355 4 222 30 22, info@teatrikombetar.gov.al,
www.teatrikombetar.gov.al. This is
Tirana’s oldest theatre, built in 1940 to honour Mussolini
on his visit to Albania. Performances take place between
October and May, and range from Shakespeare to contemporary
Albanian and foreign playwrights, though everything is
in Albanian. Q Box office open 09:00-13:00, 18:00-20:00.
National Theatre of Children (Teatri Kombëtar
i Fëmijëve) E/F-4, Sheshi Austria, tel. +355 4 222
24 46/+355 4 225 91 04, klaudjahila@gmail.com.
Occasional puppet shows for children in a grand old building.
Opera, Ballet & Popular Ensemble Theatre (Teatri
i Operas dhe Baletit dhe Ansamblit Popullor)
E-4, Sheshi Skenderbej, Palace of Culture, tel. +355
4 222 47 53/+355 4 222 74 71, toap@albaniaonline.
net. Occasional shows by Tirana’s underfunded but enthusiastic
opera company. Q Ticket office open 09:00-12:00,
15:00-19:00.
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