Albanian Cinematography & Scene Art: ILIA TERPINI (1938 - 2018)

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ILIA TERPINI

25 December 1938 - 13 July 2018

Operator of Kinostudio "Shqiperia e Re". "Merited Artist". A whole of his life with the eye in the camera.

Ilia graduated from the Faculty of Natural Sciences, and was appointed a teacher at the elementary school in Aranitas, Mallakastra. He later became its director. At an early age, during the Italo-Greek war, he came across a small camera, from an Italian soldier who gave it to Ilias's older brother, in exchange for a quail. In high school in Korça he connected with photographers, who taught him how to use the camera. Ilia Terpini used that camera for five years, then he got a better one and also he meet with the first Albanian cameraman Mandi Koçi, who had shot the movie "Tana".

This meeting with Mandi Koçi, the veteran operator of Kinostudios, would change the course of his life. Ilia has stated that he was this master of Albanian film, since when he got acquainted with his photo albums, he suggested Ilias cinema studios. And who did not exchange Aranitas of Mallakastra with Tirana ? True, the school principal was Ilia, but Kinostudio was everyone's dream. And so the career begins ... M. Koci takes him to Kinostudio and he starts working with him as an assistant in the films "Debatik" and "Komisari i Dritës". Later he took the title of cameraman and then worked with Viktor Gjika and Dhimitër Anagnosti, who were two great directors and then continued with all the directors that Kinostudio had. He shoots the films "Balle per balle", "Mesonjetoria". "Dimri i fundit", "Kush vdese ne kambe", "I teti ne bronx", "Guna permbi tela", "Kapedani" etc. He worked hard with the directors Dhimitër Anagnosti and Viktor Gjika, but he did not spoil anyone, who wanted to have him in the team. Ilia or Llui, as old friends of Kinostudios call him, has also revealed some actresses, some of whom would even become protagonists.

Such is the case of "Mimoza llastica" Zhaklina Dhimojani, or Yllka Mujo as “Alma” from "I teti ne bronx”. Then later he "finds" for the role of "Emma" Rajmond Bulku in the courtyard of the polytechnic school, to shoot the movie "Kercenimi".

Ilia Terpini is special in its kind. On television he did not bother to give the valuable experience. He continued to be deeply in love with the camera even though the years he carried on his shoulder do not seem to allow him to be as passionate as he once was. He resisted time, creating indisputable values in Albanian cinematography. For his tireless work he has been titled "Merited Artist". Holds the "Medal of Labor", the "Award of the Republic", "Medals in 6 film festivals", "National Award for artistic photography" but also the Order "Grand Master". He passed away on July 13, 2018 in Paris