Jani Riza was born in the village of Bulgarec in the Korçë district, an actor. In 1964, he was appointed as an actor at the “A. Z. Çajupi” Theater in Korçë. He played over 40 roles there, both leading and supporting, becoming one of the most renowned actors in the theater troupe. He had a harsh voice, a robust physique, and a deep, resonant presence. He distinguished himself in creating characters from rural backgrounds, depicting rough individuals with strong wills and distinct identities (in the dramas: “Maro Mokra” by R. Pulaha, “The Accused City” by T. Laço), but occasionally also portraying naive, sincere, and somewhat simple people (Dalipi in the dramatization of the novel “The Swamp” by F. Gjata), or cunning and flawed characters (the drama “The Boys” by Bato Gora and R. Pulaha). His interpretive approach also included characters who were troubled by doubts and strong hesitations in decision-making, leading to inner turmoil (Halimi in “The Unconquered” by M. Jero, Delua in “Facing Oneself” by R. Pulaha). Jani Riza was also a successful actor in cinematography, where he played over 15 roles. He stood out with his role as Xhezo in the film “The Confrontation” (1976), but the character in which he had a high-level acting embodiment was that of Bunac Sali in the television film “The Dawn of the Great Season” (1981). With this role, he won the medal at the 5th Albanian Film Festival. (In the photo: Jani Riza)
Text: Josif Papagjoni
Photo: © https://www.cna.al/2021/01/17/80-vjetori-i-lindjes-se-aktorit-jani-riza-keto-jane-rolet-ku-ka-spikatur
Graphic processing: AHCF
