Director/Producer/Lecturer/Author
Faik Konica Street 5 Apt 39, Tirana, Albania, 1010 | +355 (0)69-849-7213 | nilavarfi@yahoo.com
EDUCATION
University of Fine Arts | Tirana, Albania1990 – 1994
Bachelor of Arts in Acting
Languages: English, Albanian, Italian
PROFESSIONAL EXPERIENCE
Radio “Tirana” | Tirana, Albania1993 – 2003
Journalist for the Social Cultural Programme
• Realized hundreds of live radio reports discussing contemporary social issues of Albanian society.
• Screenwriter of “Rruga me Pisha” a radio ‘soap opera’ in collaboration with BBC
Radio Televisioni Shqiptar | Tirana, Albania2007 – 2010
Director of TV Programming
• Planned programs from start to completion including deadlines and milestones.
• Developed and approved budgets for new TV programs.
• Directed the television channels’ daily schedule.
Radio Televisioni Shqipetar | Tirana, Albania2008 — 2014
Moderator of “Takim me Kinemane”
• Created the TV show “Takim me Kinemane” (Meeting with the Cinema). Also wrote the screenplay for the show.
University of Fine Arts | Tirana, Albania2008 — ongoing
Professor of TV Directing and Film Editing
• Part time professor from 2008 to 2017.
• Currently a full time professor, since 2017 administrating Bachelor and Masters degrees.
Durres International Film Summerfest | Durres, Albania2008 — 2014
Founder and Artistic Director
• Directed Durres IFS through 7 editions. Each edition with more than 40 films in competition for the coveted “Golden Gladiator”.
• Notable guests include Francis Ford Coppola, Jan Harlan, Claudia Cardinale, Miki Manolovic, Rade Serbedzija, Lech Majewski, and Fanny Ardant to name a few.
Radio Televisioni Shqiptar | Tirana, Albania2010 — 2015
Producer at Department of Shows and Movies
• Directed and produced a docu-series “Rruge Pa Rruge” (2010)
• Directed and produced the historical documentary “Tedeschini Dynasty” for “RTSH Satelit”. (2012)
• Directed and produced the documentary “Fisniku i Muzikes” dedicated to the composer Agim Prodani. (2014)
Author2018 — 2020
• Wrote and published two poetry books, “Hyj nder Yj” and “Bisede ne Absurd”, “Kode nën Lëkurë”
Filmmaking2004 - 2015
• Realized first TV documentary “Jete Pezull” and was nominated for “Best Low-budget Documentary” at “Prix Europa” in Berlin (2004). “Jete Pezull” also competes at TIFF Tirana.
• Actress in “I Dashur Armik” a movie by Gjergj Xhuvani (2004).
• KULT Academy Awards nominated “Jete Pezull” for “Best Documentary of the Year” (2005)
• Competed at “International Film Festival” in Iowa,USA and “River Run Film Festival” in North Caroline,USA with “Jete Pezull” (2005)
• Directed a documentary TV series of six parts “Rruge pa Rruge” for Albania’s National TV. (2006)
• Directed the documentary “Maria Callas- Pergjithmone me ne” (2008)
• Directed in collaboration with the TV station “Vizion Plus” the documentary “Albania dhe ujerat” (2009)
• The first Albanian woman accepted as a member of the European Film Academy (EFA) in Berlin. (2015)
• Acted in the upcoming movie “Unë dhe Millosheviçi” alongside Gerard Depardieu (2020)