was formed. Their first performance, in September
1945, was a presentation of _The Lover_, which was adapted from a play
written by Yugoslav playwrights.

In 1949 a professional theater was created in Shkoder, and in 1950
another theater was founded in Korce. Since then numerous professional
and amateur groups have sprung up throughout the country. They perform
serious drama, comedies, variety shows, and puppet shows, the themes of
which must conform to the principles of socialist realism. In 1964 it
was reported that there were twenty-two professional drama and variety
theaters.

There is evidence that the lack of experience in the theatrical field
created problems for the political leaders' efforts to foster its
development. Periodically, articles appear in the press that criticize
various shortcomings in the production of drama and variety shows. The
targets of criticism range from content to the skills of the performers
to the management of the stage and theater.

Cinematography is another field that was not developed until after World
War II. There had been a joint Italian-Albanian company established in
Tirana during the Italian occupation that produced mostly documentary
films, but the film industry did not actually begin to develop until
1949 and 1950. The Soviet Union was instrumental in the foundation of
this industry, and it initially provided the Albanians with the
necessary equipment. Since that time great efforts have been made to
increase the number of films produced and to expand facilities for
showing them to the public.

A few full-length, artistic films are produced each year, and a greater
number of short films and documentaries are completed annually. Often
literary works are made into art films. Figures are not available as to
the exact number of each type of film produced. Films are also imported,
under the direction of the Ministry of Education and Culture, mostly
from Communist countries, although a few Western films are shown after
careful editing. The foreign films are usually dubbed into Albanian.
Few, if any, Albanian productions have been seen in the West.

The film industry has been nationalized since its inception. The
Ministry of Education and Culture controls the exhibition and
distribution of motion pictures. In 1967 there were 50,000 performances,
which were attended by about 8.25 million people.

Music

Albania has a rich tradition in folk music. Heroic and lyric songs,
us