Moldovan filmmaker would have turned 80 years

Chisinau, 6 November /MOLDPRES/- Filmmaker and poet Emil Loteanu, holder of the Order of the Republic, State Prize Laureate, People’s Artist of Russia, honorary member of the International Film Academy Nike, would have turned 80 years old today.

He was born on 6 November 1936 in Clocusna village, Hotin county, Ocnita district now. He studied at the Bucharest-based Sfintul Sava lyceum. In December 1949, orphaned of father, illegally crossed the Prut river and took refuge at grandparents’ house in Colencauti. He was caught and handed over to Romanian border guards who sent him to Bucharest, where his mother worked at the embassy of Soviet Union. He tried to pass the exam at the Institute of Theatre and Film in Bucharest, but his file had been rejected.

In 1952, he asked to be repatriated and was back to Clocusna to follow studies of cinema in Moscow, as he was rejected in Bucharest. In 1953-1954, he was an actor at dramatic theatre “A.S. Pushkin” in Chisinau.

Loteanu followed acting classes at the theatre school under the Academic Art Theatre in Moscow (1954-1956) and directing courses at the Union Institute of Cinema in the capital of Soviet Union (1956-1962). After graduating the school, he employed at Moldova-film studio in 1962, working within 1973-1983, and since 1983 – as a director at Mosfilm studio in Moscow.

In 1985, he came back to the Moldovan SSR, serving as a chairman of Filmmakers Union of Moldova in 1987-1992. He had an important role in forming two promotions of filmmakers within the high school. He founded “Experimental Creative Association Phoenix-M”, the journal of theatre and film “Lanterna Magica”, being the author of a TV show “Se cauta o stea” (Looking for a star). Also, he was head of theatre and film actors’ course at the Arts Institute in Chisinau. Among actors trained by Emil Loteanu are: Svetlana Toma, Grigore Grigoriu, Victor Ciutac, Maria Sagaidac, frații Victor and Mircea-Voinicescu-Soțchi etc.

Loteanu has made over 20 successful movies, of which “Lautarii”, Poienile rosii”, “O satra urca la cer”, “Anna Pavlova”, “Gingasa si tandra mea fiara”, taking more prizes at the famous international film festivals: ”Scoica de argint” in 1972, at the international film festival in San Sebastian, ”Nimfa de argint”, in Neapolis – 1972, grand prize “Scoica de aur” in San Sebastian in 1976, diploma for the best director in Belgrade, diploma for best film – at international film festival in Prague, in 1977, etc.

In 2001, he was awarded for excellence of stage craft in Bucharest. He was declared as “best director of the 20th century in Moldovan cinema”. He died on 18 April 2003 at a hospital in Moscow, and was buried at the Vagankovo cemetery.

(Reporter N. Roibu, editor A. Răileanu)