
I am a filmmaker and photographer, with a background in architectural design, based in Montreal, Canada. Born in Albania and raised in Greece, I like to explore narratives related to origin, memory and human-technology relationships through the performative potential of the camera. My works blend reality and abstraction and have travelled to festivals in Canada, United States and Europe.
Early 2023, I finished the post-production of my first financed narrative short film “Ofranda”, which won an award by Metafilms at Prends ça court! Gala for its precise direction and sensitive storytelling. In 2021, I received the Writers Guild of Canada prize for the best English film script atCours Ecrire Ton Court organized by SODEC.
When I’m not working on my own projects, I do videography and photography to document and promote arts and culture in Montreal, especially dance, performance, and media arts installations. I have been involved as a videographer with Cinema Politica Montreal (Winter 2018) and as filmmaker/designer at the Milieux Institute for Arts, Culture & Technology (2017-2019). Since 2019, I have been working as a photographer / videographer at Ada-x (previously Studio XX) and have also collaborated on a casual basis withTAG,Pixelles, Sight&Sound Festival 2020 (Eastern Bloc), CQAM and MUTEK.
education
2018
Specialization in Film Production, BA , Concordia University
Mel Hoppenheim School of Cinema Award for Outstanding Achievement in Specialization in Film Production, 2017
Advisory Board Scholarship in Film Production – Fondation René Malo, 2015
2011
Architectural Design & Visual Art, High Distinction Honours BA, University of Toronto
Arts & Science Dean’s List Recognition for Academic Excellence
articles / screenings / exhibitions
- Antimatter Media Arts Festival, Victoria, BC – October 20-30, 2022
- Publication: Rencontres digital catalogue: XXVe Rencontres Internationales Traverse, Capacité (presque) illimitée: Installations: Hello Earth by Vjosana Shkurti (p. 273), 2022
- XXVe Rencontres Internationales Traverse, Capacité (presque) illimitée, Toulouse, France – Avril 2022
- Vie des Arts: Le festival HTMlles : laisser le temps faire son œuvre, 15 Avr. 2021
- LOJIQ: Vjosana Shkurti remporte le prix Writers Guild of Canada (WGC) / 31 mars 2021
- SODEC: Récipiendaires du concours Cours écrire ton court / 24 MARS 2021
- CTVM: La SODEC annonce les 3 récipiendaires du concours CETC / 24 mars 2021
- Festival REGARD: Concours Cours Écrire Ton Court, 2021
- BIJOUX, Centre Never Apart, Montreal [Dir. of Photo – Si j’etais un homme by Elle Barbara]. 2020
- HTMLLES FESTIVAL REVIEW – CQAM, 2020
- HTMlles Festival, Ecological Disturbances: Slowing Down, Reflecting and Re-imagining – Présenté par le Groupe Intervention Vidéo & Ada X, Montreal, 2020
- OFFTA, with Elle Barbara+Alexander Storm, Montreal, Canada (Director of photography), 2020
- Les Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma, Montreal, Canada (Sound design), 2020
- TIFF Next Wave Film Festival, Canada, 2019**
- Out Film Connecticut, US, 2019**
- Reelout Queer Film + Video Festival, Canada, 2019**
- Leeds Queer Film Festival, UK, 2019**
- BFI Flare: London LGBTQ+ Film Festival, UK, 2019**
- Final Girls Berlin Film Festival, Germany, 2019*
- BFI Future Film Festival, London, UK*
- Macabro Film Festival, Mexico City, 2019*
- Vancouver Horror Show Film Festival, Canada, 2019*
*Cinematographer for Dulce Hogar, Directed by Gio Olmos
**Cinematographer for Silvia dans Les Vagues, Directed by Gio Olmos
2018
- West Virginia Mountaineer Short Film Festival ★Winner of Best Border Theme
- Quebec Cinema: RVQC 2018 : PALMARÈS PRENDS-ÇA COURT! / 28 février 2018
- Official Selection Prends ça court! ★ Winner of Prix AIR CANADA Enroute
- Fantasia International Film Festival, Montreal, Canada*
- TOHorror Film Fest, Torino, Italy*
- Frostbiter: Icelandic Horror Film Festival, Akranes, Iceland*
- Nitehawk Short Film Festival, New York, US*
- SPASM Film Festival, Montreal, Canada*
- Bloody Mary Film Festival, Toronto, Canada*
- Zinema Zombie Fest, Bogota, Colombia*
- Paris International Fantastic Film Festival, France*
- Rendez-vous Québec Cinéma, Canada**
- Festival Massimadi des arts et film LGBTQ + afro de Montréal, Canada**
- Outfest Fusion LGBT People of Color Film Festival, Los Angeles, US**
- Translations: Seattle Transgender Film Festival, US**
- CineYouth Film Fest presented by the Chicago Int’l Film Festival , US ★ Out-look Award winner**
- Fem Tour Truck International Feminist Video Art Festival, Multi-city (Spain, Portugal, UK, Ecuador & Colombia) ★ Best short film**
- Ivy Film Festival, Brown University ★ Best international film**
- Emerge Film Festival of Maine, US**
- CineArte: A Latinx Queer Festival, Los Angeles, US**
- Inside Out Toronto LGBT Film Festival, Canada**
- Outview LGBT Film Festival, Athens, Greece**
- Outfest Los Angeles LGBTQ Film festival, US**
- CineYouth 2018 ‘Best of the Fest’ at 54th Chicago International Film Festival, US**
- Indie Memphis Film Festival, US**
- Citizen Jane Film Festival, Missouri, US**
- Sheffield’s Trans Film Festival, UK**
- Urbanworld Film Festival, NYC **
- NFFTY, Seattle, 2018 ★ Best Fiction**
*Cinematographer for Dulce Hogar, Directed by Gio Olmos
**Cinematographer for Silvia dans Les Vagues, Directed by Gio Olmos
- CINERAMABC 7th International Film Festival in Balneário Camboriú, Santa Catarina, Brazil, 2017
- Festival International du Film Indépendant de Bordeaux, France, 2017**
- Festival des Films LGBTQ+ Chéries-Chéris Paris, France, 2017**
- Pentedattilo Film Festival, Italy, 2017**
**Cinematographer for Silvia dans Les Vagues, Directed by Gio Olmos
- Independent Days International Filmfest (IDIF), Karlsruhe, Germany, April 3, 2016
- Festival du Film Étudiant de Québec (FFEQ), Quebec City, April 2-3, 2016
- CinéWomen (Interview), Online, February 2016
- North America Teaser Future Film Festival 2016
- Festival des Films du Monde, Montreal (August 27 – September 7th, 2015)
- International Festival of Patmos, Hora, Patmos, Greece (July 23-29, 2015)
- The Dark Room 3.0 (Scotiabank Contact Photography Festival), at Gallery 918, Toronto, ON (April 24, 2014)
- Occam’s Razor: Art, Science & Aesthetics, at !dea Gallery (Ontario Science Centre), Toronto, ON (May 3-June 1), 2014
- Occam’s Razor: Art, Science & Aesthetics, at Propeller Centre for the Visual Arts, Toronto, ON (April 2-20), 2014
- Eco Art Exhibition, at Gallery 1313, Toronto (Jan 8-19), 2014
- 100 Urban Trends, at Guggenheim Museum BMW Lab, New York City, via Aziza Chaouni Projects (ACP) (Oct. 2013 – Jan. 2014)
- Green Line Ideas Competition, at GreenLineToronto.ca, via Aziza Chaouni Projects (ACP), 2013
- Aesthetics/Anesthetics, Storefront for Art & Architecture, NYC, via Aziza Chaouni Projects (ACP), 2012
- Entropy, at Hart House Arbor Room, University of Toronto
- Future Cities Exhibition, Chicago Museum of Art, via Aziza Chaouni Projects
- re:encounter, at Artscape Triangle Gallery, 2011
- Glitter Skirts & Shorts : Trans Film Night Pride Edition, at University of Toronto , 2011
- Coterie 21: Visual Studies Thesis Show, at University of Toronto, 2011
- Cabaret Voltaire, at Arbor Room, Hart House, University of Toronto, 2011