Italian scholar Lucia Nadin, renowned for her pivotal work on Albanian history and culture, is celebrated as a "modern Edith Durham" for her profound contributions to understanding Albania’s past. Her groundbreaking discovery of the Statutes of Shkodra and her research on the Albanian community in Venice have placed her at the heart of a new documentary by Ilir Yzeiri, which premiered Tuesday evening at Tirana’s “Millenium” cinema.
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The documentary, Lucia Nadin and the Albanians in Venice (1479-1552), opens with a rare view of the First Siege of Shkodra, depicted in Venice’s Ducal Palace, underscoring Albania’s importance to the Venetian Republic. The film draws on Nadin’s scholarly works, including Albanians in Venice: Migration and Integration, Rediscovered Albania, The Statutes of Shkodra, and The Figure of Skanderbeg in Venetian Cultural and Artistic Life, along with other critical studies. Nadin’s research highlights medieval Albania as an integral part of Europe, deeply connected to the Mediterranean reality of the Adriatic and the broader European system.
Nadin notes that historical documents confirm Albania's place within the European sphere and Mediterranean context, making it distinctly European. "For the first time, this documentary allows those who haven't read the books to access this chapter of Albanian history—a truly European history," Nadin explains.
According to Ilir Yzeiri, the documentary’s creator, Nadin’s research offers immense value by examining Albania’s history from a European perspective, uncovering documents previously unknown to Albanians. Even well-known sources, such as Marin Barleti’s frontispiece, have been reanalyzed by Nadin, revealing new insights into how figures like Skanderbeg were pivotal in major European conflicts. For Yzeiri, Nadin’s rediscovery of the Statutes of Shkodra is one of the most significant cultural milestones for Albania in recent years, alongside the Albanian flag in Venice’s Church of San Sebastiano. He adds, “In those times, the Mediterranean—not America—was the center of the world, and Venice was among the most developed states. Albanians held an exceptional role due to their storied history, such as the First Siege of Shkodra and, above all, Skanderbeg.”
Nadin emphasizes that, while her discoveries are significant, they represent only a fraction of the wealth of historical data preserved in archives. "If I have more time to continue my work, I hope to uncover even more," she says. “In 30 years of research, I haven’t been able to view everything in these archives; there’s an endless amount of material, and one lifetime isn’t enough to study it all.”
The documentary also highlights the School of the Albanians, one of the most significant institutions that united Albanians in Venice within a religious order and community. Additionally, it explores the story of Pietro Mocenigo and his portrait featuring Shkodra, displayed in Venice’s Perfume Museum, as well as the first public showing of Madonna of the Bread. The Madonna, housed in the Church of Moniego, was believed to have been brought from Shkodra by Albanian priest De Gregolku after the city’s fall.
Through Nadin’s diligent work and Yzeiri’s documentary, Albanian audiences are offered a vivid glimpse into a largely hidden chapter of their history, illuminating Albania’s historical ties with Venice and its enduring place within Europe’s cultural and political tapestry.