Merland Hoxha

Merland Hoxha was born in Durres, Albania and raised in Venice, Italy. From a young age, Hoxha was drawn to the power of storytelling, and he eventually pursued his passion by moving to Los Angeles to study filmmaking. Hoxha's latest film, The Departure (2020), marks his feature-length debut. Shot in just nine days across multiple locations in Los Angeles, the film showcases Hoxha's ability to create compelling stories with limited resources. Film critic Bradley Gibson has praised Hoxha's work, stating that "writer/director Merland Hoxha shows a steady hand at filmmaking, hitting every mark in excellent fashion."