CHICAGO (WLS) — A Chicago filmmaker, who is part of our ABC7 family, is going behind the lens to honor her Albanian ancestors.

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Anisa Selenica is the director of “A Journey to Freedom.”

The documentary traces her family’s history under Communist rule in Albania and their courageous journey to freedom.

Originally a 25-minute high school documentary in 2016, the project has evolved into a more ambitious endeavor: a living chronicle of resistance, resilience, and reinvention.

Selenica, who is a first-generation Albanian-American, now lives in Chicago with her family.

Through the film, Selenica hopes audiences don’t just learn about history-they feel it.

“As a filmmaker at the beginning of my career, this project-my inaugural feature-length documentary-is both profoundly personal and socially significant,” Selenica expressed. “The film not only celebrates my family’s legacy, but also serves a greater purpose. It uses intimate storytelling to highlight a chapter of world history often neglected: the experiences of ordinary people living under an oppressive regime.”

Selenica is currently fundraising to raise the money to complete her documentary. You can support “A Journey to Freedom” here.