The President of the Republic, Bajram Begaj, today expressed his condolences for the death of the Albanian well-known director Vladimir Prifti.

“Today, Albanian art lost one of the most talented directors and Albania an uncompromising intellectual, Vladimir Priftin”, says Begaj in his message.

“Only two works, icons of Albanian film, such as: “The road of letters” and “Butterfly in my cabin” would be enough to immortalize his name in the constellation of the best Albanian directors, but his work also contains many other film productions”, writes Begaj.

The Head of State underlined that, as a sculptor of the image, Prifti sculpted indelible characters from the public memory.

“Artist, intellectual and, above all, a man who loved his country, Vladimir Prifti is an inspiration for the new generations of Albanian cinematography”, emphasized Begaj.

“I express my deepest condolences to the family!”, the President of the Republic, Bajram Begaj, concluded his message.

Vladimir Prifti was born in Tirana on June 1, 1942. He graduated with a drama degree at “Aleksandër Moisiu”. He was then appointed an actor in the People’s Theatre, where he played some supporting roles . He appeared with Kogo in the drama “The second face” by Dritëro Agolli (1968).

After several experiences as an assistant director in this theater, in 1974 he started working as a director at the VATS. This is where his passion for film originates. It started in a promising way with the dramatization of Ismail Kadare’s novel, “The General of the Dead Army” (1976), transforming the theatrical performance into the special language of the television film. Then he continued with the film “When the foundations were laid” (1978), based on KoIë Jakov’s play, “Pomegranate Flowers”.

He was awarded the special prize at the III Albanian Artistic Film Festival, and the first class Republic Award with his feature film “The road of writing” (1978). This film remains to this day among his peaks, being an inspired, psychological film, with strong dramatic undertones and tones, powerful messages, realized characters, tension and suspense.

The impetus was taken from the story “Bread and Knife” by Dhimitër Shuteriqi. While the fable of a journey of Dhaskal Todri with Albanian letters on horses, his murder, as well as the little dialogue of the story, have undergone transformations and enrichments, thanks to the rich filmic image that was obtained during the realization.

In the film “Warm wind of the depths” (1982), despite the embellishment of life in the mine, he pays attention to human relationships and the need for trust, love, dignity. His first film produced in the cinema studio “New Albania” was “Die on feet” (1985). In this film, he continues to consolidate his style with a dramatic and tragic emphasis, for the social dimension of the fact, the severity of the action, focusing on the selfless figure of Petro Nini Luarasi, his relations with the church, the Turkish administration, the enemies of the language and the vice national, etc.

Another successful production is the film “Butterfly in my Cabin” (1988), winner of the second prize at the VIII Artistic Film Festival. The director presents with a deep realism the human ability, tending towards good, virtue and nobility, despite the unfair circumstances of life.

The film “Sako’s Wedding” (1998), winner of several awards, skillfully produced. Thanks to a subject rich in ideas, characters and events, the director has taken care to create the metaphor of the barrenness of the man, the ambitious and vengeful man and of the backward relations of ownership in the face of nobility, love and human beauty. In a reality seemingly drowned by luxury and wealth, but in fact spiritually empty and hostile, the director’s ability to perform truthful, tense and dramatic performances stands out, as well as his ability to create historical syntheses through significant images.

V. Prifti has also produced several documentaries in the years 2000-2004, among which we can mention: “The Blessed”, “The Legend of Mud”, “Egnatia Road”, “Butrinti”. The latter also has the elements of a feature film, as it is built on a fable and fictional characters. The film won a special award at the 10th International Archaeological Film Festival in Kiel, Germany.

Vladimir Prifti was awarded the title “Merited Artist”.

/k.s/