Portrait of director Kristaq Mitro (1945-2023)!

Kristaq Mitro (1945-2023)
Director, screenwriter, “Merited Artist”.
From the movie “The Good Man” people can easily remember the jokes: “Good boy, get to work and leave the scientific nonsense” or “Vera with Mollas do not wait, the person did not show up”….

The outstanding director was born in Vlora on December 1, 1945, where he completed secondary school. Mitro finished his studies at the ILA-Higher Institute of Arts in the drama branch, immediately starting work as an assistant director at the Kinostudio “Shqiperia e Re” with the films: “When a day is dawned” – 1971, where he also played as an actor in the role of a partisan / “Stars of long nights” – 1972.

He started his independent work as a director with the documentary films “The Basketboll girl player with the number 10” – 1972 / “Why the childrens cry” – 1973, where he distinguished himself with his creative skills. After that, Mitro shot several other documentary films, where he stood out especially with the children’s theme “1000 questions why?” – 1975. Mitro also began the long journey of continuous collaboration with his school friend Ibrahim Muca, shooting their first film “The Last Winter” in 1976, a film that echoed inside and outside Albania, being honored with the Medallion for best direction at the First Albanian Film Festival – 1976.

With this film, the distinguishing features of these two directors are expressed, such as laconism, following the rhythm and tempo, sparing means, avoiding excessive explanatory elements, etc.

With their second film, “Bloody Earth” – 1976, the efforts to penetrate into the inner world of man also begin, and the creation of the general realistic atmosphere of the time when the events take place, giving them a truth, is emphasized. In the other film “Liberty or death” (two series) – 1979, there are several characteristic monumental episodes such as the “Mashkullore War” as well as warm lyrical episodes such as the meeting of Cerciz Topulli with his wife built with a pure language that felt more than the characters themselves.

“Good Man” – 1982 marks a further maturity and consolidation of their director, Mitro – Muca. Artistic details, mise-en-scenes are in full function with the actions of the characters. This film was announced as the best film at the 5th Albanian Film Festival – 1983 and with the same film it will participate in the Cairo International Festival where it will be awarded the Jury Prize.

The creative path of Mitra – Muca is always related to the efforts to master man; striking and figurative rendering full of details and artistic figures that set the viewer’s thinking in motion, creating works with dramatic tension within a simple line and without overloads.

In the last years, Mitro-Muca had a distinguishing feature of the trend towards contemporary topics, trying to bring to the screen the most important ideas, conflicts and problems of the time. A further step towards the creation of individuality were the films: “Love your name” – 1984 and “The Phone of a Morning” – 1987.

Kristaq Mitro has made 8 documentary films, 10 feature films as a co-author with I. Muca and has wrote several scripts for cartoons. To be mentioned are other films such as: “The Bride and Curfew” – 1978 / “On the Verge of Freedom” – 1981 / “Appassionata” – 1983 / “A Boy and a Girl” – 1990.

Documentary films: “September on the road” – 1973 / “Brigade born in the storm” – 1974 / “Cotton discipline – 1974 / “Partisans Go-on” – 1974 “The road to success” – 1974 / “Our Enver “- 1985 as well as the script of the cartoon” The boy from the snow ”- 1983.

For his creativity he was honored in 1987 with the title of Merited Artist.

He also contributed as a lecturer at the University of Arts in Tirana in the field of film and television directing.

Kristaq Mitro passed away on April 3, 2023.

Artistic career as a director in Filma

1990 — A Boy and a Girl (co/director)
1987 — One Morning Phone (co/director)
1985 — Our Enver (co/director)
1984 — Love Your Name (co/ director)
1983 — Appassionata (co/director)
1982 — The Good Man (co/director)
1981 — On the verge of freedom (co/director)
1979 — Freedom or Death (co/director)
1978 — The Bride and curfew (co/director)
1976 — The Last Winter (co/director)
1976 — Bloody Land (co/director)
1971 — When a Day is Dawned (co/director)

Screenwriter
1981 — On the Edge of Freedom (co /screenwriter)

Animation Films
The Snowman

Actor
1971 – When a day is dawned……Partizani

Awards and Titles

April 23, 1983 Festival Cup for “Direction” of the film ” The Good Man” at the 5th Albanian Film Festival held in Tirana from April 19 to 23, 1983.

1983 Jury Prize for the film “The Good Man” at the Cairo International Festival held in Cairo, Egypt in 1983.

April 23, 1977 Special Award for “Direction” of the film “The Last Winter” at the II Albanian Film Festival held in Tirana from April 16 to 23, 1977.

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