THE STARS OF ALBANIAN SCENE | LUAN QERIMI

 

LUAN QERIMI (1929 - 2018)

"Merited Artist" of Albania

Dramatic actor of the “Teatri Popullor” , as well as actor of the Albanian cinema.

The characteristic voice, the highly arched eyebrow makes his portrait unmistakable. It has been a long time since his last role, however, who has seen theater before the '90s, or continues to have old Albanian films at heart, can not but remember the actor Luan Qerimi. It was at this time that the great actor of the Theater received endless applause from the audience. He has not lacked offers for various roles, even after retiring, but the actor wanted the public to preserve for him the former image, when he was at the peak of his career. Luan Qerimi belongs to the constellation of actors who set up the Albanian theater. It was mostly cut for character roles and it is precisely these characters that are most ingrained in the viewer’s mind. He has played the roles of heroes, like that of Sulejman Vokshi, fathers, officers, quaestors, bayraktars, ... sometimes dressed in military uniform, sometimes as a mountaineer, sometimes as a gangster with a square jacket, sometimes with a long mustache ... and always has attracted attention with his natural play, away from pathos, from which the Albanian theater has suffered. And although it is a lively school, he did not want to make comparisons, to make comparisons between "his time" and today, although the attraction shows that the new ways of organizing work in theater and cinema did not suit him very well. . He belongs to a generation that entered the role thoroughly and finds it impossible to follow other "rules of the game".  

He was born on October 15, 1929, in the city of Lushnja. Like many of his colleagues, he began activating at an early age with amateur troupes. It would be time for military service, when he would stand out for his talent, during performances organized with the Army Theater. “People`s Theater” (First Albanian National Theater), which was in its first steps at that time, was eager for new talents, for powerful voices, like that of Qerim, so even without hesitation, the  directors called him to become part of the Professional Troup, in 1954. On the stage of this theater he will perform about 70 premieres, performing the roles of protagonists, and supporting until 1990. 

 His career as an actor started with a role in the drama "Haxhi Qamili" in 1954, to continue with another episode, that of Skënder in the comedy "The Prefect" by Besim Lëvonja. But this would be just the beginning, because the directors would entrust him with one role after another, and today, when he is no more around , there are 80 of them on the theater stage. His roles in the drama "Dead River" are ingrained in the viewer's mind; "Note me too"; "The era before the trial" by Ekrem Kryeziu, in the drama "The General of the Dead Army" directed by Piro Mani, in the comedy "Carnivals of Korça" by Spiro Çomorra, etc. But he has also acted in pearls of world drama such as Bertold Brecht's drama "Arturo Ui", where he plays the role of Ernesto Roma, his interpretations of Shakespearean tragedies "Hamlet" and "Otello", the interpretation of the drama "Kremlin Hours" by N .Pogodinit etj.

 In cinematography his first role would be in 1964, in the film "Our Land", to continue with other prominent roles, such as that of Kalosh Cami in the film "The Collapse of Idols" in 1977, he the elder of Përkolaj in the movie "Red Faith", that of Francesk Luk in the TV movie "Time does not wait" in 1984, the role of Meri's father in the movie "Death of the Horse" in 1992. 

His latest role is in the TV movie "Qëndresa 2" produced by "KosovaFilm" in 1998. For his artistic merits Luan Qerimi was awarded the high title "Merited Artist" in 1989. In the same year he retired. She has been one of the most engaged actors in the TV shows "Theater on Screen", or even in the radio dramatizations "Heroism of our people for centuries", "Artistic word in the microphone" with about 200 roles. It would continue to be active for a while, eventually retiring from the stage and screen in 1990. He passed away at the age of 89 on December 2, 2018.

Movies Played

1964 - Our Land ........ Cubi

1965 - The first years… ..Deputy Minister

1976 - Poppies on the walls ...... Sandro, Fascist Questor

1977 - The collapse of idols ....... Kalosh Cami

1982 - Second November ......... Sali Drenica

1982 – The Red pledge  .... Ndoc Marku

1983 - White Lilies (Film TV) ...... Luljeta's father

1983 – The Trap .... Majku

1983 - Come ....... Moses

1984 - Decision ..... Antonio, Questor of Tirana

1984 - Time does not wait (Film TV) ...... Francesc Luku

1985 - The Uninvited …….

1987 - A Morning Phone ……

1990 - Cave of pirates ......... Gjon Baba

1990 - Death of a men……

1991 - Death of the horse ........ Father of Merit

1992 – Behind the facade ……

1998 – The Stand (Film TV) ..........

 Theater Played

1954 - Haxhi Qamili

1954 - "The Prefect"

21/03/1954 - Shakespeare's "Othello"

16/04/1954 - "Our Land" by Kole Jakova

22/05/1955 - "The clash" of Xhemal Broja

03/11/1957 - "Kremlin Hours" by N. Pogodin

24/06/1960 - Shakespeare's "Hamlet"

27/11/1960 - "Dragon of Dragobia" by Xhemal Broja 

23/01/1964 - "Carnivals of Korce" by Spiro Çomorra 

20/02/1965 - "Red Sky" by Tafik Çaushi

04/03/1966 - "The Great Insurmountable Wall" Jan-Juan 

29/06/1966 - "Three rifle shots" by Ibrahim Uruçi

22/11/1966 - "Përkolgjinajt" by Kole Jakova

07/03/1967 - "Maiden of Mountains" by Loni Papa

21/01/1968 - "Heroes of Linas" by Sulejman Pitarka (People's Artist)

13/02/1969 - "Friends" of Bashkim Kozeli

06/04/1969 - "The Prefect" of Besim Levonja (Merited Artist) ....... Skënderi

04/03/1971 - "Arturo Ui" by Bertold Brecht ........ Ernesto Rroma 30/10/1971 - "Year 61" by Fadil Paçrami

10/05/1972 - "The General of the Dead Army" by Piro Mani (People's Artist)

24/01/1973 - "Red Signal" by Bashkim Kozeli

09/11/1974 - "Smokes that are cleaned" by Zisa Cikuli 

14/12/1980 - "The era before the trial" by Ekrem Kryeziu 

16/10/1981 - "Communists" of Ruzhdi Pulaha ........ Xhiovani, Questor of Tirana

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 Albanian Cinematography - October 2013, References: various Albanian online portals