Lazer Filipi (1921 – 2016) the legend of Albanian acting!

Lazer Filipi (1921 – 2016)
“Merited artist”, actor, director and screenwriter!

Lazer Filipi was born on February 7, 1921 in Shirq of Shkodra. The wide cultural life of the city of Shkodra will make him fall in love with the theater from an early age, since he was a student at the “28 Nëntori” Gymnasium School, playing in small theatrical parts staged by his teacher, the outstanding writer and patriot Milosh Gjergj Nikolla (Migjeni).

The most impressive performances for him at that time would be the pieces “Ruba e kuqe” and “Ali Pashe Tepelena and the suljotets” staged by the cultural societies “Rozafa” and “Vllaznia”.

In 1938 he left Shkodra for Tirana. The occupation of the country by the Italian fascists will cause him to connect with the anti-fascist movement to fight the enemy with arms in hand. But he doesn’t forget the theater either.

Thus, with the organization of the Antifascist Youth Theater in 1943, in More of Kruja, he will also perform his first role, which was also the main role in the play “Albanian Uprising” conceived and staged by Kolec Ilia.

With the continuation of the war, even the artistic life takes a back seat, but after the “Përmet Congress”, another theater group nicknamed ” Priska’s Group” in which Lazër Filipi would take an active part together with the “People’s Artist”, Naim Frashëri.

With this group, they will stage “Nena” by Fatmir Djata, “Prison” and “Partizani”. The drama “Partizani”, a drama with three acts, would be the play selected on the occasion of the Independence Day on November 28, 1944, performed for seven consecutive nights, being the first play in Tirana and then in liberated Albania.

After the end of the war, he enters the dramatic school, in addition to being involved in the theater group. In April 1945, he will participate in the first Festival of Amateur Groups with the role of “Majordomo” in the French part “Topazi”.

Filipi will perform this role in the inaugural performance of the “Teatri Popullor” (today the National Theater) on May 30, 1945, being one of the founders of this Theater.

In 1947, he will leave for Zagreb to study acting, but the break with the Yugoslavs will cause these studies to continue and end in 1950 in the Czech Republic.

Upon returning to his homeland after his studies, Lazër Filipi will give art lovers a whole gallery of roles that will endear him to the public.

Here we can single out the role of Lenin in the drama “Kremlin Clocks” by N. Pogodin, a role for which he was awarded in November 1957 with the 1st Prize of the Republic.

The role of Uncle Shazo in the play “The Fisherman’s Family” by Sulejman Pitarka (People’s Artist), the role of Clark in “Arturo Ui” by Bertold Brecht, the role of Ophelia’s father in the play “Hamlet” by Shakespeare, etc.

In 1977 he retired, but his engagement with the theater will continue. So in 1991 he will create the theater troupe “Tirana” with which he will perform the plays “The Fate of a Refugee”, “Napoleon Bonaparte” by Aleksandër Moisiu where he plays the role of Napoleon Bonaparte, “Ali Pasha Tepelena” where he plays the role of Ali Pasha.

Filipi will also perform this last role in the tour that this theater company held in Kosovo in 2005, where in the city of Gjilan he was awarded the Special Prize for his artistic merits.

He would return to the National Theater in Ruzhdi Pulaha’s “Shelter of the Forgotten” in May 2004.

Filipi`s roles in cinematography have also been numerous. So in 1958 he will be one of the actors who will perform in the first entirely Albanian film “Tana”. Other roles continued, such as the role of uncle Shazo in the film “Oshetime ne Bregdet” in 1966, the role of Ropi, the Party functionary, in the film “Captain” in 1972, the role of Shaqo Bregu in the film “At the beginning of summer” in 1976, for which he would be honored with a Special Award at the 1st Albanian Film Festival held from April 5 to 11, 1976 in Tirana, the role of Dash Cungeli in the film “The Fall of Idols” in 1977 etc.

His most recent role will be in 2009, the role of Lazar Korita in the film “We and Lenin”.

For his artistic merits, in the interpretation of more than 80 roles in theater and cinematography, Lazër Filipi has been awarded the high title of “Honored Artist”.

Lazer Filipi passed away at the age of 95 on December 16, 2016.

Cinematography
2009 — Ne and Lenini (Llazar Korita)
2000 — Adultery (Waiter)
1991 — Enigma
1989 — The Ballad of Kurbin (Vuhan Pasha’s Counselor)
1988 — The Mission Across the Sea (Priest)
1987 — In the Name of Freedom (Elmazi)
1984 — Time does not wait (TV Movie) Mallzemi
1983 — A Name Among the People (Nazmiu)
1980 — The Bride (Sadik Alia)
1977 — The Counselors (Mitrua)
1977 — The Fall of Idols (Dash Cungeli)
1976 — The Forest of Freedom (Priest)
1975 — At the Beginning of Summer (Shaqo Bregu)
1974 – The Blast
1972 – Captain (Ropi, party functionary)
1972 – Consciousness (Director)
1969 — Why does this drum beat (Director)
1966 — Echo on the coast (Uncle Shazua)
1959 – Fortuna (Uncle Demiri)
1958 — Tana

Theater
— /–/ 2005 — “Napoleon Bonaparte” by Aleksandër Mojsi – Napoleon Bonaparte
— /05/2004 — “Shelter of the Forgotten” by Ruzhdi Pulaha
— /– /2003 — “Ali Pasha Tepelena ” – Ali Pashë Tepelena
24/03/1974 — “Fisherman’s Family” by S. Pitarka (AP) – Uncle Shazua
28/11/1973 — “Prefect” by Besim Lëvonja (Honored Artist) 24/01/1973 — “Red Signal” by Bashkim Kozeli
03/04/1971 — “Arturo Ui” by Bertold Brecht – Clark
13/02/1969 — “Friends” by Bashkim Kozeli
21/01/1968 — “The Heroes of Linas” ” by S. Pitarka (People’s Artist)
07/03/1967 — “Cuca e Maleve” by Loni Papa
12/11/1966 — “Perkolgjinajt” by Kola Jakova
12/07/1965 — “Lyubov Jarovaya” by Konstandin Tranjevit 27/03/1965 — “Guard under the neon lights” by Shen Shi-Men and Lu Shin Cen
16/02/1964 — “Three days of doom” by Luan Qafëzezi
16/03/1963 — “Inhabitants of degree no. 6” by Kin Dushi 09/01/1963 — “The Gardener’s Dog” by Lope de Vega
13/01/1962 — “Lady of the Inn” by Carlo Goldoni
22/06/1961 — “The Fox and the Grapes (Aesop) ” by Guilherme Figueiredoa
24/06/1960 — “Hamlet” by Shakespeare – Father of Ophelia 21/06/1958 — “Mashenka” by AN Afinogenov
03/11/1957 — “The Kremlin Clocks” by N. Pogodin – Lenin 26/11/1956 — “Family Matters” by Ezhi Ljutovsky
23/02/1946 — “Marriage” by Gogol
30/12/1945 — “The Road” by K. Nase – Vasili
24/09/1945 — Gogol’s “Lover-Gjido”
30/05/1945 — “Topaz” – Majordomo
— /– /1944 — “Prison”
— /05/1944 — “Mother”
28/11/1944 — ” Partizani”
— /– /1943 — “Albanian Uprising”

Director in the Theater
“19 days” by Fadil Paçram (as/director)
21/01/1968 — “Heroes of Linas” by Sulejman Pitarka (People’s Artist)

Screenwriter Cinematography
1974 — The Blast 

Theater
“Love that survived the flames”
“Mother Teresa”

Awards and Titles
“Meritorious Artist” 2008

Special Award for the interpretation of the role of Ali Pasha Tepelena in the drama “Ali Pasha Tepelena” in Gjilan. April 11, 1976

Special Award for the interpretation of the role of Shaqo Bregu in the film “In the beginin of the Summer” at the 1st Albanian Film Festival held in Tirana from April 5 to 11, 1976.

November 1957 First Prize of the Republic for the interpretation of the role of Lenin in the drama “Kremlin Clocks” by N. Pogodin.

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Albanian Cinematography in activity since 2013
Reference: Albanian Encyclopedia, Theater and Cinema – Toena 2009 / J. Papagjoni & a selection of news and information published online from various newspapers 2003-2007. Published for the first time on the page “Albanian Cinema” on Facebook in v. 2013. The text was revised several times during the following years.