 A native of Tirana, Kujtim Çashku studied at the city's Higher Institute of Arts as well as at Institute of Theater and Film Art in Bucharest and started in the filmmaking profession in 1975, working as an assistant director.During the succeeding years, as his career took him to France, Poland and Germany, he became, in the process, Albania's internationally best-known cinema personality for directing the 1989 romantic drama "Ballad of Kurbin" as well as for writing and directing the 1996 political drama "Colonel Bunker", which became the official Albanian submission for the Academy Awards and won international prizes, including the 1998 prestigious CIFT ETC Enrico Fulghinoni in Venice.His most publicized international success came with the 2005 road movie, "Magic Eye", which won 9 international awards, including FIPRESCI 2005, "Silver Pyramid" for Best Screen Play and Best Actor at the 2005 Cairo International Film Festival, "Bronze Palm" for Best Cinematography and Best Music at 2006 Mostra Valencia, as well as CEI Award and Third Best Film Audience Award at 2007 Trieste International Film Festival.