# Luli Bitri

Luljeta "Luli" Bitri (born 27 March 1976) 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, directed by Dhimitër Anagnosti, the 2009 film Alive! directed by Artan Minarolli, in 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. In 2018 she starred in the film Holy Boom, directed by Maria Lafi.

## 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 |
| 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 |
| 2011 | Dyer, dyer, dyer by Kreshnik Saraci | Daughter | Short film |
| 2012 | Dimmi che destino avrò by Peter Marcias | Alina | Leading role |
| 2013 | Më në fund në shtëpi by Kreshnik Saraci | Mother | Leading role |
| 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 | Best Actress | Won |
| 2011 | Sarajevo Film Festival | Best Actress | Nominated |
| 2011 | Copenhagen International Film Festival | Best Actress | Nominated |
| 2011 | Jerusalem Film Festival | Best Actress | Nominated |
| 2011 | Festival de Cinéma de Vernon | Best Actress | Won |
| 2011 | Akademia e Çmimeve Kult | Best Actress | Nominated |
| 2012 | East West International Film Festival, Orenburg | Best Actress | Won |
| 2012 | Albanian Film Festival | Best Albanian Actress | Won |
| 2013 | Busto Arsizio Film Festival | Best Actress | Won |
| 2017 | New York Albanian Film Festival | Outstanding Artistic Achievement | Won |
| 2019 | Aswan International Women Film Festival | Best Actress | Won |
| 2019 | Calella Film Festival | Actress Special Mention | Won |