On this day in 2016, Shok (Friend) made history as the first Kosovar film to receive an Oscar nomination. The 21-minute-long film was one of five short movies nominated for Best Live Action Short Film at the 88th annual edition of the Academy Awards. This film is a co-production between Kosova and the United Kingdom. It is written and directed by British filmmaker Jamie Donoughue, produced by Eshref Durmishi and Harvey Ascott, and supported by the Kosova Cinematography Center.

Set in Kosova in 1998, this film explores the themes of friendship and loyalty through the perspective of two 12-year-old boys during the Serbian occupation, culminating in conflict. Based on true events, accounts and stories gathered by the filmmaker who spent many years in Kosovo doing research, this film was the first of its kind to be evaluated at this level on the international stage.

This was significant as it is considered as one of the biggest achievements in Kosova’s new cinematography and opened the doors to new Kosovar films on the international stage. As the first film to be nominated for such a prestigious event, it helped to change the typical narrative that represented Kosova. Shok presented a fresh perspective through children, and helped to document untold stories in Kosova, showing how a nation can heal from the wounds of war in order to positively rebuild and move forward. Although, Shok did not ultimately win the Oscar – the conflict drama made history for being the first movie shot in Kosova ever to be nominated, which allowed the world to recognize and appreciate Kosova.