“Unpacking Silence” – A Short Film Featuring Leonarda Demolli

In this intimate short film titled “Unpacking Silence”, produced by SHARE, Trime co-founder Leonarda Demolli shares her story, not only as a refugee of war, but as a woman navigating identity, shame, and strength within and beyond the Albanian community.

At just five years old, Leonarda arrived in the UK with her family as refugees fleeing the genocide in Kosovo. What followed was a childhood shaped by both visible and invisible struggles, adapting to a new life, carrying the weight of trauma her parents rarely spoke about, and learning how to make sense of herself in a culture that didn’t always feel like home.

In this documentary series, Leonarda reflects on:

• The silence that settled over her family after fleeing war

• The internal battle of growing up with two identities, neither fully Kosovar, nor fully British

• The shame projected onto Albanian girls, and how deeply it shapes their ability to speak

• Her journey from silence to activism, and why choosing to speak is an act of survival

  
  

“I never saw women like me talk.So I became the woman I needed.”— Leonarda Demolli

What makes this film so powerful is its gentleness. It invites the viewer into Leonarda’s world without spectacle or drama, just honest storytelling.It’s a quiet act of resistance.

Through simple moments, walking through London, revisiting childhood memories, and speaking directly to the camera, Leonarda gives voice to what so many Albanian women are forced to carry alone: grief, silence, inherited pain, and the pressure to “just get on with it.”

This film is not just about her past. It’s a declaration of who she is becoming, and why breaking silence is no longer a choice, but a necessity.

We thank SHARE for capturing this story with care, and for creating space for voices that are so often overlooked.And to Leonarda, thank you for unpacking silence on your own terms, and for showing other women they can do the same.