Kushtrim Koliqi (1984 – ). Professor, theater and film director, producer, publisher, and human rights activist. Born in Pristina, Kosovo, where he also finished primary and secondary school. He studied theater directing at the Faculty of Arts of the University of Pristina, where he also finished his Master’s degree. He completed his doctoral studies at the South East European University, Faculty of Languages, Cultures and Communication in Macedonia with the topic “Dramatization and staging of Kadare in the Theater”. During his professional career, he was involved in theater productions at the National Theatre of Kosovo as well as in other local and private theaters.
His most successful performances are:
“For old times” (Kushtrim Koliqi), “Underground Man” (Hristo Boytchev), “Open Couple” (Dario Fo), “Closer” (Patrick Marber), “After Ms. Julie” (Patrick Marber), “The Merchant of Venice” (Associate Director, William Shakespeare), “Caligula” (Albert Camus), “I am my own wife” (Doug Wright), “La Rrem” (Arian Krasniqi), “Stiffler” (Doruntina Basha), “Father and father” (Jeton Neziraj), “The Traitor’s Niche” (author Ismail Kadare, playwright Doruntina Basha), etc. As a director, he is known for avant-garde, brave, provocative, creative, politically/socially engaged, and innovative approaches. His theater performances are evaluated positively by critics and have been well-received by the audience, in Kosovo and abroad. For his work, he has won many important awards, including the Annual Award for Best Direction and Performance in Kosovo for 2013. He was also a member of the board of the National Theater and Chairman of the Council of the Pristina City Theater “Dodona”. He is a member of the Executive Board of the Association of Theater Artists of Kosovo, is the founder and director of the Barabar Center in Pristina, is the artistic director of the New Theater “Intent” (Kosovo and England), and is also the co-founder and organizer of the Festival “Mirëdita, dobar dan!”.
He was also engaged as a director and producer of media and film productions (television series, short films and documentaries, marketing campaigns, etc.). Among the most important of these are the production of the narrative documentary film series “People and Memories Talk”, with stories of civilian victims of the war in Kosovo and throughout the region of former Yugoslavia, which were broadcast in 6 countries – as producer and director; The production of video exhibitions entitled “Living with the Memories of the Missing” – as producer and director; The production of the television series “Spitaliks” – as director; the production of a feature film “A Story of Prishtina” – as executive producer; the production of the feature film “Hana” – as executive producer, etc. He is also the author and publisher of various books, monographs, research and articles, etc. including “Monograph – Faruk Begolli”, “Monograph Nexhmije Pagarusha”, “Shkelqim dhe Tmerr” by Bekim Fehmiu, “Muharrem Qena – Monograph”, “Mjeshtri, Abdurrahman Shala – Monograph”, etc. As a human rights activist, K. Koliqi has been the director of the “Integra” organization since 2003, which is focused on the field of dealing with the past and transitional justice, the legacy of war, human rights, art and culture, civic activism, critical thinking and writing, etc.
Koliqi has written and published several scientific papers, including “Kadare and the Theater” (European Journal of Interdisciplinary Studies, September-December 2018, Volume 4, Issue 3), “Dramatization of Kadare’s Work for Theater” (Albanologji 8, Albanological Institute of Pristina), “Pre-service teachers’ attitudes and the factors influencing their formation regarding inclusive education in Kosovo” (Nases Journals). His work is widespread throughout the Balkans and Europe. Koliqi is also a professor at AAB College in several subjects.