Albanian actress performs in Italian drama dedicated to Verdi

TIRANA, July 30 – After the success in several movies, Albanian actress Luli Bitri has been selected to perform in a drama dedicated to the women in the life of composer Guisseppe Verdi who is being commemorated worldwide on his 200th birth anniversary. Bitri, who has received international critical acclaim in several recent movies, was selected by Italian actor and director Michele Placido to perform the role of Czech soprano Teresa Stolz, who was highly influential in Verdi’s life. She has been given a lead role in the drama “Un bacio sul cuore, le donne nella vita e nella musica di Verdi,” scheduled to make its premiere on August 9 and 10 in the Terme di Caracalla festival in Rome.
Bitri says she came into contact with Michele Placido in the BA film festival in Italy where she won the best protagonist actress award for her lead role in the “Dimmi che destino avro” (My destiny) by Peter Marcia. Michele Placido was awarded the best TV and fiction actor for his Itaker movie in the same festival.
Bitri, 37, graduated in drama from the Academy of Arts in Tirana, starring in many short and feature films and theatre plays while a student. She began her international career with the 2007 film Father and Godfather, directed by Dhimiter Anagnosti, the 2009 film Alive, directed by Artan Minarolli, and the 2011 film Amnesty, directed by Bujar Alimani. 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.
Bitri came to international prominence for her portrayal of Elsa in Bujar Alimani’s Amnesty movie, a lead role which gave her international critical acclaim. The film was awarded in Berlinale International Forum 2011 with the C.I.C.A.E. Prize. Bitri her also been nominated for the best actress award in several international film festivals.