Luli Bitri

Luli Bitri
Born
Luljeta Bitri

27 March 1976 (aged 48)
Lushnjë, Albania
Alma materAcademy of Arts, Albania
Occupations
  • Actress
  • voice actress
  • director
  • producer
Years active2003–present

Luljeta "Luli" Bitri (born 27 March 1976[1]) is an Albanian actress, director, screenwriter, producer and voice actress, best known for providing numerous voices in animated films like The Princess and the Frog, Atlantis: The Lost Empire, Thumbelina, Balto II: Wolf Quest, Shrek 2 and Leafie, A Hen into the Wild.

Early life

Luli Bitri was born in Lushnjë, Albania and grew up in Tirana. She began to study medicine, but her passion for art made her to abandon medicine after the first year. Luli Bitri studied Drama in Fine Arts Academy in Tirana, Albania, gaining a Diploma in Professional Acting in 2004. Bitri starred in many short and feature films and theatre plays whilst a student there. She began her international career with the 2007 film Father and Godfather,[2] directed by Dhimitër Anagnosti, the 2009 film Alive! directed by Artan Minarolli, in 2011 film Amnesty, directed by Bujar Alimani.[3] With the last two films she entered in the List of Albanian submissions for the Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film in 2009 and 2011. In 2018 she starred in the film Holy Boom, directed by Maria Lafi.[4]

Career

Bitri came to international prominence for her portrayal of Elsa in Bujar Alimani's Amnesty in which she played the title role to great acclaim and received international media attention. The film was awarded in Berlinale International Forum 2011 (C.I.C.A.E. Prize). In the same year Bitri was nominated for her role, in the Best Actress category, at the Sarajevo Film Festival and at the Copenhagen International Film Festival, Lecce European Film Festival (Cineuropa, Fipresci, Jury Prize), Jerusalem Film Festival and Prishtina International Film Festival in Kosovo. After Amnesty she played in many feature films in Albania, Italy, Greece : My Destiny by Peter Marcias, Holy Boom by Maria Lafi ecc. She works as professional actress in National Theatre of Albania.

Filmography

Film

Year Title Role Notes
2006 Club by Erion Kame The lover Short film
2006 Gjoleka, djali i Abazit by Dhimiter Anagnosti Nejmeja
2007 Il Primo Kinematografo by Jesus Buonggioaninni Herself Documentary film[5]
2008 Alive by Artan Minarolli coprotagonist, Pool girl
2010 Heat Mother Short film
2010 Zheg by Kelmend Karuni Nevi Short film
2011 Amnesty by Bujar Alimani Elsa Leading role[6]
2011 Dyer, dyer, dyer by Kreshnik Saraci Daughter Short film
2012 Dimmi che destino avrò by Peter Marcias Alina Leading role[7]
2013 Më në fund në shtëpi by Kreshnik Saraci Mother Leading role[8]
2015 Breath by Artur Gorishti Producer Short film
2017 Water for the Roses Director and producer Short film
2022 The Black Pelicans script and director, coproducer Short Film
2018 Holy Boom by Maria Lafi Adia Leading role
2018 Open Door by Florec Papas Rudina Leading role
2019 Love by Dionis Papadhimitri Ela Co-protagonist
2022 Winter Fireflies by Artur Gorishti Afina Leading role

Theatre

Year Title Role Director and company
2023 Wojceck by Kuniaki Ida Maria , National Theatre of Albania
2023 Nuk duhet ta thoshe by Artan Imami Gruaja , National Theatre of Albania
2022 Ivanov by Anton Chekov Anna Petrovna Hervin Culi, National Theatre of Albania
2019 Edmond by Alexis Michalik Rosemonde Andia Xhunga, Indrit Cobani, National Theatre of Albania
2019 August: Osage County by Tracy Letts Barbara Fordham Spiro Duni, National Theatre of Albania
2019 Angels in America by Tony Kushner Angel Arben Kumbaro, National Theatre of Albania
2018 Macbeth by William Shakespeare Lady Macbeth Kled Kapexhiu, National Theatre of Albania
2017 Equus by Peter Shaffer Hesther Salomon Dino Mustafic, National Theatre of Albania
2015 Marat/Sade by Peter Weiss Charlotte Corday Arben Kumbaro, National Theatre of Albania
2013 Un bacio sul cuore by Michele Placido Teresa Stolz Michele Placido, Teatro dell'Opera di Roma
2011 Why Not Stay For Breakfast by Ray Cooney Louise Rozi Kostani, National Theatre of Albania
2010 Me e vërtetë se e verteta by Martial Courcier Chloe Rozi Kostani, Metropol Theatre
2006 Closer by Patrick Marber Alice Kico Londo, National Theatre of Albania
2006 La Musica deuxième by Marguerite Duras Anne Marie Sonila Kapedani, Academy of Arts of Albania
2005 Ivory Tower by Ronald Harwood Emi Straub Erion Kame, National Theatre of Albania
2004 The Miser by Moliere Elise Hervin Culi, National Theatre of Albania
2004 Miss Julie by Strindberg Miss Julie Andia Xhunga, Academy of Arts of Albania
2004 The Father by Strindberg Laura Niko Kanxheri, Academy of Arts of Albania
2003 Goodbye My Love The Girl Arben Kumbaro, National Theatre of Albania
2003 Dull Season in Olympus by Ismail Kadare The Prostitute Gezim Kame, National Theatre of Albania

Voice acting

Year Title Role
2004 Thumbelina Thumbelina
2005 Mulan II Mulan
2005 The Incredibles Helen Parr
2005 Shrek 2 Princess Fiona
2005 Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl Elizabeth Swann
2006 Yes! PreCure 5 Karen Minazuki/Cure Aqua
2006 Finding Nemo Nemo
2010 The Princess and the Frog Tiana
2011 Megamind Roxanne Ritchi
2013 Epic Mary Katherine
2017 Finding Dory Nemo
2021 Winx Club (season 7) Bloom

Awards and nominations

Year Venue Award Result
2011 Prishtina International Film Festival[9] Best Actress Won
2011 Sarajevo Film Festival[10] Best Actress Nominated
2011 Copenhagen International Film Festival Best Actress Nominated
2011 Jerusalem Film Festival Best Actress Nominated
2011 Festival de Cinéma de Vernon[11] Best Actress Won
2011 Akademia e Çmimeve Kult[12] Best Actress Nominated
2012 East West International Film Festival, Orenburg[13] Best Actress Won
2012 Albanian Film Festival[14] Best Albanian Actress Won
2013 Busto Arsizio Film Festival[15] Best Actress Won
2017 New York Albanian Film Festival[16] Outstanding Artistic Achievement Won
2019 Aswan International Women Film Festival Best Actress Won
2019 Calella Film Festival Actress Special Mention Won

Notes

  1. ^ "Luli Bitri". Albanian Dubs. Retrieved 2024-10-05.
  2. ^ "Father and Godfather, IMDB". Retrieved 28 December 2011.
  3. ^ "Bujar Alimani, IMDB". Retrieved 28 December 2011.
  4. ^ "Maria Lafi, IMDB". Retrieved 11 April 2019.
  5. ^ "Vincitori". Archived from the original on 16 January 2011. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
  6. ^ "Amnesty, IMDB". Retrieved 28 December 2011.
  7. ^ "IMDB: Dimmi che destino avró".
  8. ^ "Me ne fund ne shtepi". Archived from the original on November 20, 2013.
  9. ^ "Pri Film Fest". Archived from the original on 2011-07-27.
  10. ^ "Sarajevo Film Festival". Archived from the original on 12 June 2012. Retrieved 28 December 2011.
  11. ^ "Festival de cinema de Vernon 2011". Archived from the original on 2013-04-14. Retrieved 2013-05-07.
  12. ^ "Kult 2011 - Best Actress Nominations".
  13. ^ "East West Festival - International Film Festival".
  14. ^ "Albanian film festival 2012". Archived from the original on 2013-01-25. Retrieved 2013-05-14.
  15. ^ "Busto Arsizio Film Festival 2013".
  16. ^ "New York Albanian Film Week Festival 2017".

References