"Pioneer" of the Albanian stage Ilia Shyti (1929-2003)

Ilia Shyti
(July 19, 1929 – November 26, 2003)
One of the pioneers of Albanian acting, an outstanding actor of the pioneering generation of theater and cinematography.
“Merited Artist”

Ilia Shyti was born on July 19, 1929 in Lushnje. He is another actor of the golden generation, the pioneer of the stage, one of the founders of the Albanian theater. His beginnings are long ago in the partisan theater, but officially his activity started as an actor and director in his hometown, after the war, where together with his brothers he organized theater activities in the neighborhood where he lived. Shyti creates figures on paper and cuts them by putting them in motion behind a bed sheet where he has placed it instead of the stage curtain.

This is where his creative talent stands out. Passionate about painting, he begins his artistic activity as a painter and actor in the House of Culture of his hometown.

His involvement with the “Teatri Popullor” (today the National Theater) began in 1951. In 1954, he moved to the Kinostudio “Shqiperia e Re”, today the Albanian Cinematographic Center.

His first role will be the role of uncle Veliu in the drama “Girl from the Village” in 1952, then many roles in dramas and comedies such as : “Cuca e maleve”, “Fisherman’s family” by Sulejman Pitarka (People’s Artist), “Carnivals of Korça” by Spiro Čomora, “Karavidhet “, “Dead River” by Kol Jakova, “House with two gates”, “Kremlin clocks” etc.

He retired in 1985 but did not leave the theater. His last role will be in the drama “Fando and Lis” in 1994.

In cinema in 1958, he would act in the feature film “Tana” alongside with the great actors Kadri Roshi, Tinka Kurti, Pjeter Gjoka, etc. Although during his career he performed only episodic and small roles, Ilia Shyti managed to create characters that have already remained in the spectator’s memory.

In cinema, actors with such a profile are few, turning the episodic play into a skill in itself. Of the 45 roles that he has played, among the most successful we can mention Mborja, the engineer in the film “The first years”, office manager, in “Brazdat”, the grandfather, in the children’s film “The Youngest City in the World” “, the teacher in “Concert in 1936”, Etleva’s father in “The train leaves at seven past five”, the former general in the film “The Return of the Dead Army”, etc.

And we don`t forget his unforgettable role of Mihallaq in the “Carnivals of Korce”.  He was also known by the generation of children at that time as the “grandfather of fairy tales on the radio”, where for some time he told fairy tales on Radio Tirana.

Ilia Shyti passed away, on November 26, 2003. For his artistic merits, Ilia Shyti has been honored with the high title of “Honored Artist”.

Cinematography

1958 – Tana……
1959 – Fortuna…….
1965 – The first years……Engineer Mborja
1972 – The stars of the long nights…Zeka
1973 – Brazdat ……Office manager
1974 – The youngest city in the world…..Grandfather
1974 – White streets…..Rizai
1978 – Spring in Gjirokastër….Shyqo
1978 – My wedding toast…..Gani’s father
1978 – Concert in 1936…..The teacher
1978 – From the middle of the darkness…..Mr. Myrdar
1979 – Freedom or death….Kili
1979 – We came from the war….Abdyli
1980 – Brothers and friends……Halil
1980 – The old shell….Servet’s father
1981 – Autumn’s reproaches…… Professor Luku
1982 – The Warm Wind of the Deep (TV Movie)…Jorji, Vali’s father
1982 – Second November……Mullai of Berat
1982 – A Little Delay…..The Teacher pensioner
1983 – White Lilies….Professor Luani
1984 – Autumn rains……Illyrian`s father
1985 – Nothing is forgotten…..Ziveri, war veteran
1986 – One more life …..uncle Hyseni
1986 – Chronicle of those nights (TV Movie)…..
1986 – The Mistake…..Grandfather
1987 – Violin Strings….Skenderi
1987 – The Circle of memory….Mihal, Margarita’s brother
1987 — A long year…..Secretary
1987 – Waxed shirts….Vaso
1988 – Three people cross the mountain….Xhevati
1988 – The train leaves at five to seven….Etleva’s father
1989 – The resilient boy….Grandfather
1989 – The return of the dead army….The former general
1991 – I love Era (TV movie). ..The Doctor
1993 – The Last Sunday….
1994 – The Last Love…
1996 – The Sounds of Oblivion

Theater

16/ 02/1964 — “Three days of doom” by Luan Qafëzezi
17/09/1967 — “Fiery Earth” by Drita Agolli
“Lady from the City” by Ruzhdi Pulaha
“Votra e huej”
“Year ’61” by Fadil Paçrami
“Comrade from the village”…..xha Veliu
“Clearing smoke” by Zisa Cikuli
“The Prefect” by Besim Lëvonja (Honored Artist)
“Kremlin clocks” by N. Pogodin
“The house with two gates”
“A bride for Stasi by Teodor Laço
“A short winter” by Sheri Mita
“The man who saw death with his eyes” by Viktor Eftimiu
“The man with a rifle”
“The dead river” by Kol Jakov
“Karavidhe”
“Carnivals of Korça” by Spiro Čomora”
“The General of Dead Army ” by Piro Mani
“The Fisherman’s Family” by Sulejman Pitarka (People’s Artist)
“Cuca e maleve” by Loni Papa

Published for the first time in “Albanian Cinematography” – Facebook, July 2013 and revised in the following years.
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Albanian cinematography in activity since 2013 Reference: Selection of information from various Albanian “online” newspapers.

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