Shpëtim Shëmili (1941-1994)
Successful actor of the dramatic theater “Skampa”, Elbasan, as well as of the Albanian Cinematography. “Merited Artist” .
Incomparable in creating characters, especially that of Robert Camcakizi, the guy of Seaport with a broken note in behavior! Shemili will have his greatest success as an actor in the theater, especially in the professional troupe “Skampa” in the city of Elbasan, together with Demir Hyskja, without forgetting the other actresses of this troupe, they will become icons of “Skampa” .
In Cinematografi, we will probably mention the character “Robert Camcakizi” in “Open Horizons” as the most special.
He was born in Tirana on May 15, 1941, but grew up in Elbasan, where he completed
his 7-year education and then graduated from the Pedagogical High School “Luigj Gurakuqi” in Elbasan during the time period (1953 – 1957).
For almost three years Shpetimi will work as a teacher in Shtërmen and Cërrik in Elbasan. In 1960, he competes and wins the right to continue his higher studies as an actor in “Aleksander Moisiu”. He did not lack the talent and ability to become famous, this was obvious. The year 1964 will mark a return to his artistic life. He will finish his studies in the same year and will be appointed as an actor of the professional theater of “Skampa” a theater with established traditions where big names have taken part and where he will perform together with them (in honor of the distinguished Lec Shllaku, Demir Hyskja).
In the same year, he got his first role in Xhemal Broja’s drama, “Linda”, where Shpëtimi plays the role of engineer Pirro. So the year 1964 is the year of the start of his career that will later gain more and more success. Then for three and a half decades, Shpëtimi will devote himself entirely to the theater and the stage, and until the last moments of his life he created dozens of artistic figures, dozens of characters, which have remained in the minds of our spectators.
There are over 60 roles in “Skampa” theater in comedy and drama, which belong to the best parts of our dramaturgy. In the theater he gave life to many main characters, being from time to time the central figure of many dramas and comedies.
In 1987, he tried to write a play, which he managed to put on the stage of this theater where he plays one of the main roles himself. It was the drama “Anxious Heart”. The very title of the drama also explains his farewell.
After 1992 until the last moments, he was also the director of the “Skampa” theater, where, thanks to his artistic maturity and experience, he managed this theater with great competence, where, even in a time of crisis, the theater managed to stage several successful premieres.
Shpëtimi has also made a special contribution to the feature film. In 1968, he created a special character, that of Robert Çimçakizi, in “Open Horizons”, who is remembered for his special character, a character different from the others from the schematic heroes of the realization of a person “who has a broken note in behavior and demonstrates foreign performances”, (he harasses women, dresses in fashion, speaks in a foreign language) these qualities of the time when the Albanian society, especially the youth, were forced to be severely beaten and not allowed to be “like a crooked tree” to ruin our country.
Unforgettable jokes of Robert Camcakizi in the film like “Hey my bird, how many nylon brases did you discharge today?” or the other one “aaa Interklubi yes it’s there but Dama niks”…… in the dialogue with Dhimiter Orgocken “Bla, bla? What blah, blah? (“Laff nish-prodhimi or nish-gome)?
In this film he plays alongside the great figures of cinema such as Sander Prosi, Dhimiter Orgocka, etc. But even though he started quickly, the director Viktor Gjika did not continue like this , to remember Shpëtimi and bring him back to the screen 10 years later in 1978 in the role of God Valeta in the successful film “General Gramaphone”.
Then from this time until 1988, Shpëtimi managed to realize 11 more other roles , where among the most successful we single out the German officer from the movie “Counselors”, the archaeologist Shmiker in the movie “Martyrs of the monuments”, Vurkon from “After death”, Filip in “Blue field, red field”, the merchant “One life more” etc.
No one has forgotten the artist, friend and close friend, Shpëtim Shemili. He has always remained a model man in the life of a city. He was an artist who left behind him the name of a good man and the image of a respected and talented artist. 
Theater roles: 1965 “The man who saw death with his eyes” (Vagabond); 1967: “Way of Zavaline” (Shpendi); 1967: “Shadows flee from the mountains” (Azizi); 1968: “Small firms” (Mihal Zuha); 1970: “Signals of the night”, (Martini); 1971: “The end of an intrigue” (Llazi); 197l: “The fisherman’s family” (Selimi); 1972: “Year ’61” (Petriti); 1976: “Pomegranate Flowers” (Beqir Aga); 1977: “Rushing in the mountains” (Don Angel); 1977: “Parallel telephone” (Beyt Shahinaj); 1979: “Payback” (Suati); 1981: “The lit Earth” (Serbian Lieutenant); 1982: “Beyond love” (Ndreu); 1982: “We need a tape recorder” (waiter); 1983: “Two shoots in Paris” (Esat Pasha); 1984: “Trouble of a match” (Bushi); 1984: “The Golden Key” (Abedin Naçe); 1986: “Busy Path” (Ramadan); 1987: “Anxious Heart” (DAR); 1988: “Angels of the skeeter”; 1989: “The Viper” (Horace); 1992: “The theif” (Haduti), etc.
Roles in cinematography 1968: “Open Horizons” (Robert Çamçakizi); 1978: “General Gramophone” (Mr. Valeta); 1979: “A November night” (the felon Suat); 1979: “Radiostation” (Gaqo); 1979: “Counselors” (German officer); 1980: “Martyrs of monuments” (archaeologist); 1980: “After death” (Vurko); 1984: “Dream of a chair” (Ganiu); 1984: “Green field, red field” (Filipi); 1985: “Uninterrupted Melody” (rep.sector); 1986: “Chronicle of those years”; 1986: “One more life” (trader); 1988: “Three people crossed the mountain” (Kasemi). 
Awards
A long artistic life filled with various awards, orders, medals.
After 17 years of work on the stage of the “Skampa” theater, in 1982 he was honored with the “Naim Frashëri” medal, in 1990 with the “Naim Frashëri” order, as well as with several prizes in the activities of the national theater competition.
He was also honored with the medal of the 45th anniversary of Liberation and in 1992 with the title “Merited Artist”, with the motivation “For the creation of high artistic level of roles and figures in theater and cinematography”.
In commemoration of his 5th anniversary, the City Council gave him the title “Honorary Citizen of Elbasan”, on September 14, 1994.
On September 17, 1994, the troupe was working on staging the piece “The Lady from Barcelona”. Shpëtim Shemili was the director of the theater at that time, but he also performed a role in this part, which was his last. During the rehearsals, even though he was not feeling well, he did not interrupt them. When he got home, his heart stopped beating forever. now he rests in the public cemetery of Elbasan, among the hundreds and thousands of graves of this city, there is also his red marble tomb under a centuries-old olive tree, on the side of the road where many passers-by and who remember and honor his figure and his unforgettable work. .
There rests one of the honored names of the professional theater “Skampa” of the city of Elbasan, the pride of this theater, Shpëtim Shmili, an outstanding actor who was an example of a good man, a talented artist and a manager dedicated to the work of art. . ____________________________
First published on Facebook in September 2013, and revised in subsequent years. Some photos were used from the official website of the “Skampa” Theater – Elbasan.
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