'A Journey to Freedom': Chicago filmmaker Anisa Selenica honors Albanian heritage with powerful documentary

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.”

Anisa Selenica is the director of ‘A Journey to Freedom.’

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.

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