ABSTRACT
The development of sound film was not uniform across the Balkans, but gradually developed throughout the 1930s. Due to technical shortcomings and undeveloped film industries, in an attempt to recoup quickly, feature-length fiction films with sound were made in co-production with countries who had more established cinema industries, preceding in some cases the production of local sound newsreels and documentaries. Among early films with music scores, some were musical comedies, or the narrative revolved around melodies sung by famous opera singers such as Maria Cebotari in Romania, Nadya Nozharova in Bulgaria and Kristaq Antoniu in Albania.
