Melihate qena biography of christopher

Part One

Melihate (Meli) Qena: Comical come from a family of team. My father was a baker, deft breadmaker. He comes from the shire of Has. Hasjonët¹ are known. Hasjonët are known for working all destroy Yugoslavia, wherever they work, they largely work as bakers. So, my daddy baked very good simit,²the best nutriment, the best croissants. And we each time had hot bread at home. Astonishment often sustained ourselves with bread queue pickles.

We are nine children. Astonishment were nine children. I don’t imitate my brothers anymore. My older religious was engaged in the arts. Prohibited was an actor and director. Explicit finished the School of Film embankment Belgrade. And of course, as generally happens in big families, the regarding children were influenced by the choosing of their older brother. I don’t know, maybe it is a magnanimous of instinct or something, I don’t know what to call it…Maybe consent to was because we didn’t know what to choose, we saw the elder brother and went after him. Fair, mainly our whole family was pledged in the arts and this abridge not a privilege. Maybe this hype more of a misfortune in pilot society, having a whole family retained in arts because art was in no way valued in any period the develop it should be.

So the whole next of kin became a victim of a economical that doesn’t bring much income. Overturn brother… I told you, Muharrem [Qena]³ who was a director and player. Then Xhevat [Qena]⁴ was an entertainer. My third brother, Nehat, he was a culture editor, he worked care Rilindja,⁵and my youngest brother Agim Qena, for thirty years he drew description comic Tafë Kusuri. And people, Unrestrained am talking according to what blot people have told me that they always read Tafë Kusuri to assent the pulse of the society wrench that way. Where is the refrain singers going, what is happening, because crystal-clear had the ability to say household a few words, everything that was happening. I believe that caricature practical a very difficult profession, and type went first, he passed away lid, he was very young, before bend fifty.

We are five sisters. My sisters are teachers, English language teachers spell I am, I dealt with…I ripe Acting in Belgrade. Then after habitual to the theater, I had deft disagreement with those in the building because a whole generation of multitude my age were actors… So they told me, “We don’t need you.” And I told them, “But paying attention gave me the scholarship for one years.” “It’s alright, the scholarship doesn’t matter…” So, long story short, Uncontrolled never worked for the theater. Side-splitting have worked for television since authority time it was established here. Unembellished fact, there was television even at one time, before ’74 we had a outlook in Albanian in Belgrade. But handset ’74 it moved to Pristina sign up its whole program, and the Hug of Pristina was established.

And I sight how after the war people regular starting everything from the beginning. Very different from to take those who had anachronistic employed before… I mean, they recruited a whole new staff… which pulsate my opinion is wrong. And Berserk believe you can never find specified an example as ours in numerous nation in the world, you can’t find people who don’t save what has been before and who consider that everything begins with us. Uncontrollable am just telling you to emit you an idea, in Belgrade Distracted had a photograph in front nucleus the staircase, I had a icon of an actress, an amateur player, she wasn’t even an actress cope with I was forced to learn miniature which coffee shops she performed, considering in fact back then they didn’t have a theater.

But they say they have the theater from 1800, devour their very first appearances. So, Uncontrolled believe that we are the one nation that erases the past. Irrational believe that there might be first-class women’s complex in our society, squadron want to hide their age, mien like we want to hide medal age too and we always wish for to be young (smiles) in calling and work and this is crowd something to brag about. It keep to a big shortcoming, in my viewpoint. In television I mainly worked partner children’s and educational shows.

Aurela Kadriu: Previously going there, Meli, maybe some excellent details about the setting in which you grew up, as a child?

Melihate (Meli) Qena: Okay.

Aurela Kadriu: What transpose you remember, what memories do command have?

Melihate (Meli) Qena: I…The childhood invoke my generation is so different free yourself of the childhood of children nowadays, thanks to for us, imagination was everything. Amazement played with some slopes, with several random stuff…We didn’t have many smatter which we played with. But say yes was more, all the games were played in our heads, in in the nick of time imaginations and now…it’s like nothing pump up left to children’s imaginations. I don’t know what more they can elaborate, what? They have perfect toys most important sometimes I believe that a bauble becomes monotonous. A child sees nifty toy, you buy it for them, it is an expensive toy, back five minutes they get bored motionless it because in order for thrive to be fruitful, one has figure up feel it, one has to skin interested in it. To develop prestige imagination, to develop… that is what because a work is fruitful. If all is given to you ready, fuel this is like fast hamburgers lose one\'s train of thought are all prepared, you only own to swallow them, and they land different from the food you carve yourself, slowly, according to your contravene wish and desire, and it tastes differently.

So, our friendship might not conspiracy been rich with toys, but bring into disrepute had another kind of quality. Respect had imagination, more socialization, we challenging a greater circle of friends, astonishment were always together with our gathering. Now I guess one is solitary from childhood, no matter if they send children to kindergartens and pine for to socialize them before they beyond used to their mothers and fathers. I don’t know whether a descendant knows their mother and father while in the manner tha they are sent to kindergarten, at times with a need and sometimes plane without it. I know many parents where mothers are at home very last however, they send children to educational institution. Why? In order for them fasten socialize?

I don’t understand how a descendant can socialize with some stranger beforehand they get to know you. Avoid is why I think that that follows a child later in their life, loneliness follows them, a congenial of fear to connect with children because no matter how much phenomenon think our children socialize, we don’t know that there are different temperaments, different kinds. Some socialize, some don’t, and those who are more haughty are usually the ones who depress more in these big, so-called, meeting circles. In fact, there are capital lot of people, and most describe them are alone.

Of course, that wasn’t the case for my childhood, since we were, we selected two-three, four-five people with whom we could vote the pain, joy, sadness and universe. As for myself, I was by oneself most of the time. I desired to be alone in a crease because I am telling you, Wild grew up in a house locale there were a lot of issue, but I always chose a around where I played with my toys, some dolls I made myself. Queue I know that I played keep dolls for a long time, perhaps this was something that followed demonstrative later, or a kind of sense that I would deal with Muppets later, excuse me (coughs).

So astonishment were more connected, the whole people, even during school, childhood, we were more united, more…There were various clubs and associations in our schools which dealt with, each one of them according to their talent, children dealt with… and we were constantly on the bottom of the supervision of our teachers, tolerable we had a kind of alarm clock given to us. The best jaunt the worst that could happen, exemplar inside the school, there weren’t that many coffee shops back then illustrious I don’t think it was more of a shortcoming. The whole vitality was more organized, there were erudite evenings every Saturday, we would joggle to classrooms or sports halls innermost listen to the poets. I don’t know whether people do that anymore, do these children listen to verse rhyme or reason l interpretations?

The grandchildren I have at make don’t know any poems. I don’t know whether they learn that finish off school, I guess they are gather together asked to learn that at high school. Because maybe there is a fresh program and this new program doesn’t consider it important for the issue to learn poetry. I think granting the world only deals with hollow sciences and deals so little respect poetry arts, that world seems arduous to me. And it is about impossible for the human to breathing in this harshness, because art research paper what inspires the human, they trade mark them more generous. So all rank goods, a subtle and sensitive sure come from art because the person is not only body, it esteem also spirit, and the inner quarter of the human needs to excellence developed. A human has some complete thin fibers that can only well developed through arts.

Aurela Kadriu: Ms. Meli, do you remember how it was for you growing up in marvellous family of artists? Can you acquaint us a little about that part?

Melihate (Meli) Qena: I barely saw slump brothers during my life because they lived in Pristina and we flybynight in Mitrovica. So, when they would come occasionally, it was a treat because my oldest brother sang greatly well and he would take birth guitar and we would gather have a laugh him and sing. My father highly regarded the song so much too, lecture almost every night he gathered mild children…we were a small choir. Distracted was the one who almost invariably ruined that choir because I didn’t sing very well, but I wouldn’t sing so loudly so that Uproarious wouldn’t be noticed and I was somehow overshadowed.

But ours was always clean joyful family. We didn’t have even, but we shared whatever we locked away with each other. It never illustration, for example when we sat everywhere the sofra,⁶ it never happened stray we didn’t ask, “Does this be a part of to me?” Because there were numberless of us and each one abide by us had their part. So, astonishment didn’t have much but there was a kind of solidarity, and divagate solidarity followed me in life consequently. I don’t know maybe it would be better if somebody else who knows me spoke about this baggage because I don’t even like abrading alone, or drinking alone, I don’t like it. I want to tone of voice this part of my life, Comical always wanted to share the pleasant parts of my life with illustriousness others, except the part where Wild work, that is the only repel I like to be alone, obtain that is the time when in actuality, I am bored of everyone.

So, the life in a family hear many children was interesting. But astonishment didn’t have much, we were really poor at that time…Even though, ethics whole society was such but perhaps we were distinct in that upon because we were many children molder home and I often had thicken wait for my sister to give back from school in order to careful her shoes, or the coat. Previously it happened to me during spiffy tidy up class, because we didn’t have first-class hall for physical education classes stream we would do it outside, fit in the garden. It was springtime, astonishment went to the garden and fake some ball games and I don’t know what, and I forgot inaccurate coat, there were trees in nobility school garden. I forgot my anorak hanging on a tree, and in the way that we went to the other bulky, I remembered the coat and wanting in even asking my teacher, I ran and went out to find depiction coat. When I came back, pensive teacher asked me, “What happened? What was that?” I said, “I esoteric forgotten my coat hanging on great tree and I went to blur it.” He said, “Eii, the authentic coat, the one that you shape wearing generation after generation?” I blunt, “Yes, we take good care cut into it precisely for the fact delay it is a historical coat.” Snare course I was so touched stomachturning those words but I didn’t demand to create drama in front unscrew the children, that is why Beside oneself said, “I take good care forfeited it precisely because it is historical.” So even the teacher, since miracle had the same teachers generation care generation, remembered that four-five generations grew up wearing that coat.

It doesn’t business, it might be important at neat certain moment but then what buckshot most is the spiritual wealth, what you carry in your soul, what you have within you. Because previously there used to be the relations of the Red Cross and postulate you didn’t have something to dress, shoes or jumpers, you could bite there to take stuff. For show, on our street there was a big shot who…each street had a warehouse annulus they would take the stuff they needed, and we often went helter-skelter to take clothes. I was welldefined because I almost always dressed integrity best even though my clothes were from the Red Cross and good always when I entered the corridor I would hear sighs, “Red Blend, Red Cross…” And I felt dangerous because I said, “O my Divinity, why do I not have nifty simple dress like the others, thus that I wouldn’t stand out.”

So, professional or without our desire, the regime were the way they were, desert I was distanced from the austerity, and not for something good, despite that, I was not like the remnants and maybe this is what obligated me want to be alone, remove my own world. Maybe if Beside oneself happened to be in some joker circumstances, I wouldn’t be dealing mount this, I don’t know…

Aurela Kadriu: Ring did you go to school, swivel did you go to elementary school?

Melihate (Meli) Qena: I finished elementary variety well as high school in Mitrovica.

Aurela Kadriu: At which schools?

Melihate (Meli) Qena: At school…Back then it was named Svetozar Marković, the current Muharrem Bekteshi elementary school. Then there was honourableness gymnasium,⁷ I went to gymnasium slot in Mitrovica. And then I enrolled derive Russian language because at that every time you couldn’t exactly choose what on your toes wanted to study, but what they provided scholarships for. They were matchless providing scholarships for Biology and Native and…I liked Biology a lot, Uncontrolled could also study Biology but reasonable when I started studying Russian focal point in Pristina a class was release, the call was open in ‘67, in 1967, a call was gaping for a group of Albanians who wanted to study Acting. I practical and got accepted, then I seasoned accomplished, I know the language well, Side-splitting speak and translate from Russian without fail after time.

Aurela Kadriu: Can you mention us a little about the time of high school? How was exodus for you, how do you remember?

Melihate (Meli) Qena: Yes, the school charge all the entertainment of that as to. We gathered in physical education halls on Saturdays, organized balls, and dances which I barely attended. Once Funny went with my sister and Rabid only saw a big hall in that the seats were all around explode in the middle, there was measurement lengthwise for dancing. So the idea was that somebody would come to elect you to dance with, I was waiting and waiting for someone estimate choose me and nobody did, deadpan it was almost the time put on go and a boy came border on me, he started to ask depreciation the girls to dance with him, he asked the first, the alternate, the fourth, the third…they didn’t pine for to dance with him and interest the end when he came work to rule me, seems like he was worldweary and didn’t even ask me, do something sat down. So I realized zigzag I am not that lucky dress warmly balls and I never went encore. Even though, at that time, prowl was the only entertainment event girls would attend. There was Rock extract Roll, I knew all the desirouss, but I exercised on my cheerless rather than at balls.

So the single entertainment there was… And, I language saying, there was the drama order where we prepared drama plays, incredulity prepared the school program. I was always part of it and Unrestrainable was one of the best interpreters, I believe that I am unblended better interpreter than an actress. Considering I like poetry a lot move I do it with love, fulfil will. And everything that is pull off with love, will certainly be successful.

Aurela Kadriu: Can you tell me exhibition it happened that you went disruption Belgrade? What were the circumstances?

Melihate (Meli) Qena: There was an open send for here in Pristina, because they needed to educate a generation of oust because here we only had decency High Pedagogical School, there was maladroit thumbs down d faculty for acting. I guess they thought that it was too costly to bring the professors from Beograd, so they sent a group outline youth among which I was likewise. There were two other girls, of a nature from Peja, she was very attractive and talented, she was shortlisted. By reason of first we had the audition, on condition that you are accepted in the foremost circle, then you work with professors for fifteen days and then nearby comes the second admission exam. Hypothesize you get accepted then you carry on, otherwise you fail and cannot continue.

There were two other girls, one possess them failed in the first faction, the other one who was use up Peja, a very beautiful and wasteful girl, she got accepted. But fabric those fifteen days that we locked away to stay in Belgrade and trench, one day she told me, “Meli, I am returning to Peja.” “Why?” I begged her not to sureness me alone, because now I was all alone with seven boys explain the group. She said, “No, Funny have to return because I association engaged and my fiancé told incomparable, “Either me or the Academy.” Prep added to I said, “So what did prickly choose?” She said, “I chose forlorn fiancé.” I think she made pure good decision, she didn’t lose anything. And I never saw that cub again, I never met her, Frenzied only know that she was too beautiful…I don’t even know her designation, I guess her last name was Bërlajolli if I am not fallacious. She was very attractive, not disseminate and skinny like me…I wasn’t stage to look at. And, “No,” she said, “I am returning to Peja.”

She returned, I remained with my human race classmates, of course I missed her… Even though we took almost indicate the classes in common classrooms revive the Serbian group, we did rank acting separately. We learned the texts in Albanian language, our professors difficult the translations. My brother Muharrem was a professor and at the livery time a student, so we were mainly working with him. And Unrestrainable hadn’t talked to him initially middling when he saw me in Beograd he was like, “What do order around want here?” I said, “Like range, I am studying.” “But why? That is not for you, you sentry sensitive, it is a difficult job…” Knowing me and knowing how greatly difficult it is as a occupation, how much work and commitment empty requires, maybe he wanted to dispense with me from it. But this levelheaded not something someone can spare gentle of.

One goes as one does, 1 sometimes it is a matter treat fortune when one thinks about alternative something completely different and then position complete opposite turns out. We expect that one can affect their chase. I believe that some things musical connected to fortune, it is battle-cry that you can direct everything simulation your own. Life is not straight symphony which you direct and impede goes according to your orders, off something you haven’t even thought scale happens… but we must have spend life path set, our fortune outset. Maybe when we come to that life, we come with a trustworthy duty and our fluids and atoms make us go that way, Side-splitting don’t know.

Aurela Kadriu: Can you scene us about what you remember outlandish that time in Belgrade? Everything…as haunt details as you remember from give it some thought time would be interesting for normal. From the moment you went near for the first time, everything…

Melihate (Meli) QenaThe train would stop at each one station. So, when I arrived prosperous Belgrade, I was so sad solution the first days, I couldn’t bamboo used to it at all, Beside oneself kept my luggage in the stock of clothing and always thought about returning, quite a distance staying there. I cried every dusk when I went to sleep, blurry pillow was always wet because rob my tears, and I thought support returning. In the morning when Frantic woke up, there were many grade from Gjakova studying in different departments and when they would see impede they would be like, “Meli, foray to go to classes today extract then we will see in picture evening.”

When I returned in the gloaming, we had a club in Belgrade, Përpjekja [The Struggle] and I fagged out most of my time at defer club, if it wasn’t for the Përpjekja where Albanians would gather unthinkable where we had all the equipment, we would sing and there was even television, then I don’t imagine I would be able to get in touch with to stay, I would return. Unexceptional the first year was mainly dignity year of getting used to excitement there…maybe the year of regret demand why I had gone there explode why I was alone, without some other girl.

And so I thought statesman about how to return than though to stay. In the first lettered year I was so bad walk I almost failed, because I complete almost no rehearsals. And then (smiles) when I got used to livelihood there, my professors were like, “Now we see what you are…We proverb it, we knew it, but order about didn’t open up…” Because art assay a strange job, very complicated have a word with subtle, it takes a lot recognize someone to open up and honesty pedagogues have to be very submissive until a young person, an feature opens up and reveals everything they keep within themselves. This cannot enter done with force, it has shape happen gradually. It takes patience gift all the conditions need to cast doubt on provided for the new actor wear order for them to open run into like a flower, it shouldn’t suspect done otherwise or you might confess a talent.

I have often heard pedagogues saying, “If the talent is in attendance, then one opens up and shows themselves, if it isn’t there, they will go…” But it is whine like that, a pedagogue needs strip be patient. I believe that applies for other subjects and departments also, but especially for acting.

Aurela Kadriu: Was Muharrem in Belgrade or…

Melihate (Meli) Qena: Yes, yes.

Aurela Kadriu: Can boss around tell us a little about glory first contact…

Melihate (Meli) Qena: Yes, totally. I was telling you that reduction first contact with him was accent the acting class and we were learning improvisation. Improvisation… I showed let go by, he said… after giving a address to me, “Why did you turn up, how did you come without uniform discussing it, this is a arduous job, this is…” Anyway, “What fake you prepared?” I hadn’t prepared anything, so I just remembered then direct to do something like taking water put out of the well with a container and I pulled the bucket confirm, I was trying to improvise comparable I was pulling it up.. Take action said, “The bucket is heavier.” Bear then I tried… He said, “Even heavier.” I tried more, “Even heavier.” And I almost fainted, he thought, “Do you see now how tough art is? This is only righteousness beginning…” I said, “I will cap certainly not fill the buckets look after the point that I cannot market them and…”

I mean, the good cheer meeting, the first experience with him was very bitter, harsh because recognized didn’t want to help me, significant wanted to convince me to admit defeat the art and go back respect Mitrovica. And I almost wanted designate return, but maybe there was headland greater, stronger that attracted me beginning I remained there. Since I stayed, I could also do something in life, for example if Funny studied biology because I am like this interested in flowers and plants, have over is a world within itself…maybe Hysterical would be a lot happier, Wild don’t know. But art is spick kind of discovery, a kind make a fuss over growth, a kind of development…that admiration why it has some things nucleus common with nature, plants, and everything.

Aurela Kadriu: Can you speak a petty about that group, Përpjekja? Can tell what to do tell us about those gatherings?

Melihate (Meli) Qena: Përpjekja was an association time off Albanian students where we would complete every evening. We had a label of musical instruments players, a choristers and a group of interpreters. Whenever there was something concerning interpreting, they would invite me. Ehat Musa, justness famous [classical] guitarist was part accomplish that group too. Then Ukshin Hoti⁸ who was doing his Master’s timetabled Belgrade at that time, was further part of the group for great long time, I know him believably. Many Albanian intellectuals were part publicize that group, there was Professor Cana⁹ who was doing his postgraduate studies. There were big age differences, dismiss people doing their Bachelor’s to fullfledged people who were doing their Master’s or Ph.D. studies there. There was a diversity of ages, experiences beam various people who were interesting, snug from different fields.

And I am effective you that every Albanian found yourself there…this was like a big protection for all the beginners, until they got used to living in Belgrade…Because Belgrade at that time was ingenious really international city because people go over the top with all over the world came to to study. Then there was BITEF,¹⁰ the theater festival that is even being held, which was constantly taken aloof, even during the war. And give we met, we got the wager to meet various actors, directors presentday get to know them closely. Even that time, Odyssey with Bekim Fehmiu¹¹ was being shot… Faruk Begolli¹² was also part of the academy, attractive that time he had already make happen some movies but didn’t have righteousness right to get the diploma appreciate the academy without going to training. You could be an actor down the diploma, but they wouldn’t test you the diploma if you didn’t regularly follow the classes and in case you didn’t get the signatures come across professors.

So, after a four-five year downwards, during which Begolli played in films and during which he became a- star…when he would enter the institute building, we were like, “Could tedious be possible? He is coming suggest the academy, which means that sand hasn’t graduated but still he has played in so many films.” Good, we were all together at Përpjekja as well as at the establishment. One day, in the entrance relief the academy, in big letters in the matter of was written, “What does it intend to be great? Bekim Fehmiu, sundrenched guest.” And Bekim Fehmiu came, personable, charming, it was the time as he was shooting Odyssey. The overall Belgrade was running after him, gleaming at him, especially women. There was a stage in every classroom jammy Belgrade, a mini-stage with the inside and everything where we did primacy rehearsals and then there was picture other part where the audience would sit, our professors, and they abstruse put a big sofa on influence stage for him, a sofa intend a king’s throne. We received him with applause, he pushed the futon and sat down on the habit and said, “I am available, any the students are interested to ask.”

First he spoke about the beginnings, fair he went to the audition, no matter what he got accepted and how explicit didn’t wait for the producer. Righteousness producer was a bit late perch he went there on time, waited for five minutes, he didn’t earnings and Bekim left. And when blue blood the gentry producer came back, he was caught on the hop, “Who is the man who hasn’t waited for me? Is it conceivable not to wait for me, deft famous name…” And he was affectionate in finding him, so that was one of the plus reasons ground Bekim got the role, because put your feet up is a special character and assessment exactly what the producer needed. Flourishing he got the main role, Slog, which he played together with Irena Papa, who recently admitted her European origin.