Milton and Janaq Manaqi, the first pioneers of film in the Balkans!
By: Abaz T. Hoxha, film researcher and historian!
They have been called the “Lumières of the Balkans”, Petrit Ruka, in the documentary dedicated to them, calls them the “Homers of Balkan film”, as they were the first to bring, but also later to contribute to, the genre of documentary film in the Balkans.
Their nationalization continues to this day between three countries, Greece, Macedonia, and Albania. The most recent studies on their origin and identity weigh heavily on the Albanian side, which they themselves have repeatedly affirmed, since they spoke Albanian.
Petrit Ruka’s documentary “Homers of Balkan Film” filmed in 2011, with a duration of 32 minutes, is the first full-length documentary work produced by Albania dedicated to the Manaqi brothers, pioneer cinematographers of the Balkans and Albanian cinema. “Kamera 300”, whose brand is one of the earliest productions in the Balkans, is owned by two Albanians.
The Manaqi brothers’ first film, called “Tjerrëset”, was produced in 1906. It focuses on the women of their native village, especially their grandmother and mother, who are dressed in Albanian folk costumes. Dozens of documentaries made in Macedonia, which highlight the costumes filmed by “Kamera 300”, are not Macedonian, but Albanian, something that has not been confirmed to this day.
The brothers Janaqi and Milton (Miltiadh) Manaqi were born: the first in 1878 and the second on September 9, 1882, in the small village of Avdela, located between the triangle formed by the towns of Konica, Grebene, and Meçova, about 15 km south of Samarina.
Their history towards cinema initially begins with a passion for photography. Miltiadh (Milto) Manaqi entered the gymnasium of Ioannina and later worked in the photographic laboratory that his brother Janaq had opened in Ioannina, in 1897.
His poetic spirit would make him one of the most famous photographers of the time. In 1903, he met representatives of the English cinematographic society “Charles Urban Company”, who had come to film the events taking place in the Balkan regions, mainly in Albania and Macedonia.
They learned how to use and bought a camera from them (Bioscpp Camera 300). In 1904 they moved to Manastir. There they developed a wide range of activities in the field of cinematography and culture in general. Later, the brothers Milto and Janaq Manaqi took up pedagogical activities and studies, thus becoming one of the most well-known intellectuals of the time.
Janaq Manaqi, even after his exile for patriotic activities in Bulgaria (1916-1917), continued his photography profession in Plovdiv, Bulgaria.
In 1906, Milto Manaqi participated in the international artistic photography competition, which took place in Bucharest, Romania, and was awarded the Gold Medal for the photograph “Woman from Klisura with Baby”. Later, together with his brother, for their high mastery in the field of photography, they were announced as photographers of several Balkan royal courts.
With the 300 camera, many events that took place in these lands at the beginning of the 20th century were recorded, as well as those related to the history of our people, such as the Congress of Manastir (1908), the Congress of Dibra (1909), Albanian folk dances and costumes, etc.
The Manaqi brothers’ collection also includes hundreds of photographs of prominent Albanian personalities such as: Gjergj Fishta, Mihal Grameno, Qiriazët, Bajo Topulli, etc. They also filmed the events that took place in Manastir in 1908 for the proclamation of the Edict of the Holy See, the journey from Thessaloniki to Manastir of Sultan Mehmet Reshat (1911), and the occupation of Manastir by Serbian forces.
With his camera Milto Manaqi recorded the Military Academy of Manastir, the burning of Albanian villages by Greek soldiers, including his village, Avdela. The archives contain footage from Korça, Erseka, Leskovik, Këlcyra, Negovani, Konica, Mecova, Pogradec, etc. In the Manaqi brothers’ fund, scattered and collected in various museums in Macedonia, there are over 10,000 identified, but also still unidentified.
They had friendships with prominent Albanian figures such as the writers Haki Stërmilli and Migjeni, as well as close friendships with Albanians Kosta Çomo, Mihal and Athanas Pema, Mihal Zega, etc.
In addition to their cinema opened in Mnastir under the name Kino “Manaqi”, they also opened other cinemas in Mnastir, Ohrid, Veleshtë, Prilep, etc.
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Albanian Cinematography in activity since 2013
By: A. T. Hoxha, film researcher and historian!
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