Saim Kokona
26 February 1934 – 30 March 2012
Cinematographer of documentary, documentary and feature films
Born on February 26, 1934, in Gjirokaster. Kokona spent his childhood in Lushnje, Kavaje and Prizren as his father was a judge. Attended primary school in Prizren and in June 1944, at the age of 10, his family moved to Tirana, where he received his first education.
During the years 1951-1955, graduated from the artistic high school “Jordan Misja”, in the branch of painting. It must be said at that time Kokona was passionate about the camera that his uncle, the well-known photographer Mehmet Kallfa, had bequeathed to him.
Kokona studied for several years as a cameraman at the Academy of Arts – Faculty of Cinematography (FAMI) and did his internship at film studios in Bratislava, Prague, Czechoslovakia, which finished in 1960.
From 1960, until 1991, when retired, he worked at Kinostudio “Shqipëria e Re” as a cameraman, where made 30 feature films and as many documentary films.
Initially, Saimi shot various clips for newsreels, chronicling films and documentaries, of which 12 documentaries independently, where stood out for his professional craftsmanship and figurative side.
We can mention: “Qemal Stafa” – 1964; “In the flow of life” – 1965; “Meeting with Arberesh” – 1965; “They Don’t Die” – 1966; “School, sounds, colors” – 1972; “They were called Arber” – 1973, etc.
From 1978, he moved almost completely to the shooting of feature films, making 27 of them, which stand out for their figurative side.
Director of Photography among 30 films produced by the former Albanian film house, Kinostudio “Shqiperia e Re”. “Njeriu i Mire” was the film that gave him the fifth Festival Cup in 1983.
Kokona has worked with prominent directors such as: Dhimitër Anagnosti, Vitor Gjika, Gëzim Erebara, Xhanfise Keko, Rikard Ljarja, Kristaq Dhamo, Hysen Hakani and many others.
For the high professional level of the camera, the purity of the figure and the composition, in 1984 he was awarded the title “Merited Artist”.
Here are his most successful films and documentaries from 1964 to 1990:
Qemal Stafa – (1964);
Meeting with the Arbreshe – (1965);
In The Course Of Life – (1965);
Death Note – (1967);
In the partisan tracks – (1967);
Ambush – (1968);
Guerrilla Unit – (1969);
The Brave – (1970);
Encounter with Chinese Revolutionary Art – (1971);
School and life paths – (1971);
Looking Through the Millennia – (1972);
Color, sounds, school – (1972);
Conscience – (1972);
Furrows – (1973);
They were called Arbër – (1973);
The Explosion – (1974);
Friends at Our Party – (1974);
Saving, Saving, Saving – (1975);
Ben Walks by himself – (1975);
Freedom Forest – (1976);
The collapse of Idols – (1977);
With Military Students – (1977);
Circus in the Village – (1977);
Concert in year 36 – (1978);
Radio Station – (1979);
Balloons – (1979);
Sketerre 43 – (1980);
On the verge of freedom – (1981);
First Day of nomination (1981);
The Good Man – (1982);
City Lights – (1983);
Apassionata – (1983);
Taulanti is looking for a sister – (1984);
Don’t be silent – (1985);
Mondi and Diana – (1985);
Words Without End – (1986);
Come on! – (1987);
Love Signal – (1988);
Shpresa – (1988);
The Student’s Father – (1988);
Pirate’s Cave – (1990);
Saim Kokona is no longer alive, but the name of the “Merited Artist” is like a compass that shows the way to the passion of the cinema, the young generation.
He passed away on March 30, 2012.
Published for the first time on the “Albanian Cinematography” Facebook page in 2016.
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