Pioneer operator Mandi Koçi (1912-1982)

Mandi Koçi (1912 – 1982) Photographer and the first documentary and documentary film operator in Albania!

He was born in Voskopoje, Korce, on January 17, 1912. He gained the profession of photographer in Greece by practicing at a photography studio for three years. In 1936, he opened the first electrical photography studio in Korce, called "Photo-Studio | MAK", which became quite popular. In its archive there were hundreds of thousands of negatives and photographs that represented important events with historical value, but also many of them were of artistic value. In the 1930s, he took part in the revolutionary movements and after his imprisonment in Ponca, Italy, he joined the Anti-Fascist National Liberation War in 1944. His great merits were the documentation of this war through the many photographs he took in the ranks of the freedom fighters and for a time also near the Partisan General Headquarters. After the war, he started working for a while near the photocinematography sector in the Ministry of Propaganda Press and Popular Culture and later in 1947 in the Albanian Film Agency, which became a state enterprise. Mandi became a pioneer of chronic and documentary cinematography, initially shooting in collaboration with foreign cinematographers such as Czech, Yugoslav, Russian, and from the end of 1946 and at the beginning of 1947, he shot several videos independently. He started working as an operator after completing a course in Moscow. Later, Hamdi Ferhati, A. Foturzi, S. Musha, J. Nano, etc. joined him. In 1947, "The Commander visits central and southern Albania" bears his signature as the first chronicle. Other chronic films of those years, which mark the beginnings of Albanian cinematography, have the contribution of Mandi Koci as a co-operator, among them we can mention "Folk Festival" (1949), "Unification Congress of Youth" (1949), "Festa" of liberation" (1950), "Shatervani i Bahcisarai" (1951), "10th glorious anniversary" (1954), "Congratulations fellow students" (1955), "Happy holidays" (1955), "The big party" ( 1957), "White Gold" (1958) etc. Mandi Koci was the cameraman who shot the first Albanian feature film with short length, the movie "To cry and to laugh" that in 1956 directed by V. Stratoberdhe, as well as the first feature film "Tana" (1958), together with S. Mushen. Later, even though he was sick, he did not stop his activity by shooting chronicles and at the same time he directed the department of operators which he created himself. For absurd reasons, he is persecuted by the time system. He was fired from his job in 1964 and sentenced to 20 years in prison, for not agreeing with the line followed by the Albanian state. His wife was Russian.

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In 1982, Mandi Koci leads a lonely and unrehabilitated life. He never had the opportunity to join his son and wife who were in Moscow. ___________________ Source and accuracy of information: "Encyclopedia of Albanian Cinematography" – Toena 2002, AT Hoxha (p. 196-197) / "Encyclopedia, Theater and Albanian Cinematography" – Toena 2009, J. Papagjoni (p. 225-226)

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