Monthly Archives: November 2013

Doctor Pranvera Krasniqi, Building Bridges Between Kosovo and Italy

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Pranvera is a fantastic example of a worthy, yet a humble young Kosovar Albanian woman living in Italy. Her friendly attitude towards everyone, and modesty do not fit the stereotypical character of a doctor as we are used to think. Italians like to call her “Primavera.” In fact, she loves the way Italians pronounce her name, but she still insists on being called by her original name, Pranvera [prah-n-vehra], pronounced in her native Albanian language.

Pranvera Krasniqi was born in Kosovo and grew up with an interesting childhood with her family, friends, and books during wartime Kosovo. Taking care of others has always been her passion. She attended high school in Prishtina, and was admitted to the University of Prishtina, School of Medicine before relocating to Italy in 2004 to pursue her medical studies. “It was a realization of my dream, my biggest dream,” she stated in an interview with Kosovo Diaspora. 

Pranvera told us that her transfer from Kosovo’s public university to the University of Perugia in Italy was realized with the help of her valuable family friend, Don Sandro Sciaboletta. The Krasniqi family met Don Sandro in 1999, when they left Kosovo as refugees. He and the Santa Maria Regina Catholic Community took care of them during those years, providing not only material but a heartfelt support.

Pranvera  was a successful student at the University of Perugia, despite her challenges with the Italian language and the initial difficulties to integration into the Perugia society. Yet, she managed to make her way, and successfully complete her studies. Pranvera’s success inspired Don Sandro to establish an initiative, which brought more than 40 Kosovar Albanian students to Italy to study in various disciplines.

“At the beginning, it seemed impossible for my brother (an Economics student) and I to get used to the Italian language and lifestyle. It was our first experience as expatriates. Our experience as refugees was different.When we were refugees, Don Sandro offered us shelter. At least had our family with us, and were taken care of.  When we moved to Perugia to study, we were alone, and needed to make our way into the system and keep up with the pressures of students’ life. Though we always knew we had  the support from Don Sandro’s and the Santa Maria Regina Community. We were willing to learn and study, and Don Sandro was convinced that giving other students from Kosovo the same opportunity was more than a charity deed; it was a mission.”

After graduating, Pranvera was involved in cross-country projects between Kosovo and Italy. One project, dear to her heart, has been implemented by the Santa Maria Regina Community and Don Sandro. The project provided the necessary care and treatment of children in need, who did not have  access to healthcare or or the proper resource to be treated in Kosovo. These children were brought to Italy for treatment. Pranvera said, “Helping these patients, the cutest children you could ever meet,  get treated was the best gift I could receive.”

Pranvera now specializes in anesthesiology at the University of Siena. Her commitment to helping Kosovar patients get treated continues, and she feels proud and fulfilled that she is able to give back to her community and birthplace.

Mikey Boy Movie – A story about an Albanian-American pizzeria worker

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Mikel Dusi, star of ‘Mikey Boy,’ set for Times Square premiere on Friday. Film has united the Albanian community — including the nation’s president!

Mikel Dusi, whose semi-autobiographical film “Mikey Boy” opens Friday, shows off the skills that made him one of the city’s legendary Albanian-American pizzeria workers. A pizza boy from Ozone Park is hoping to be the next big Albanian-American star and lift the country’s profile in the process.

Expats of Albania — who emigrated from the Cold War redoubt following the 1985 death of communist dictator Enver Hoxha and subsequent civil unrest — are rallying behind Queens-bred producer Mikel Dusi, 32, who will star in his first feature film “Mikey Boy,” debuting on Friday.

For a country that has dealt with a century of instability and strife, Dusi’s humorous and heartfelt take on the Albanian experience has galvanized one of the city’s most close-knit cultural enclaves. “We’re all excited,” said Marko Kepi, president of the group Albanian Roots, which has been tapping its 5,000 members to make sure the premiere is a sell-out. Films that have portrayed Albanians as kidnappers and criminals such as the “Taken” franchise have put a black eye the Albanian image, Kepi said. And few could forget Hoxha, who ruled the country with an iron fist — or, more actually, a flint one, given that he took the country back to the stone age. The good news is that since his death, the country has bounced back, even joining NATO in 2009. But cultural triumphs in America have been few and far between. “We’re finally looking forward to something positive,” Kepi said of Dusi’s film.

The comedic mockumentary follows Mikey, a pizza shop worker in Queens, as he tries to shop a full-length film across three-continents and wiggle his way out of an arranged marriage in Albania.

The forced union is fictional, but the rest of the plot was borrowed from Dusi’s personal life. The energetic filmmaker has marinara sauce running through his veins after spending his entire childhood slinging slices at the family-owned Galleria Pizza on 101st Ave. in Ozone Park. “I grew up performing behind the counter at the pizzeria,” said Dusi, who now lives in Los Angeles. His filmmaking journey began after his license was suspended in 2010. With no way of getting around, Dusi had to get creative. “When inspiration meets desperation, the rest doesn’t matter,” he said. “I created my own films so I can have the [production assistants] drive me around.” He cast many of his friends from Ozone Park as well as his parents, Joe, 63, and Marta, 53. “Since he was a 4-years-old, he always stood out,” said the proud papa. Albanians are no stranger to making their dough from pizza.

The film, set in a pizzeria, is drawn richly from Dusi’s life. The Albanian community has come out strongly in support.

Pizza empire Famous Famigilia Pizzeria is owned by the Kolaj brothers, who immigrated from the European country. A majority of the shops in the Bronx’ “Little Italy” on Arthur Ave. are Albanian-owned, said Kepi, the Albanian Roots president. “They go from being bus boys to waiters to owners of the same restaurants that they were working in,” said Kepi. Dusi, a “proud” Albanian, went on a tour this week of the U.N. Embassy and met with several dignitaries, meeting with Albania’s President Bujar Faik Nishani at one point. The outpouring of support from his fellow countrymen doesn’t surprise Dusi — it’s the nature of the Albanian culture. “We are a small community. We’ve had communism, war and genocide,” he said. “If we didn’t stick together, we’d be extinct.” Long-time friend and “King of Queens” actor Larry Romano told Dusi he was “crazy” for trying to produce his own film. The two shared a celebratory slice at Galleria on Wednesday, which was prepared by Dusi. “I give him a lot respect, he made it through,” said Romano. “He’s got talent.”

The original article was posted at Nydailynews.com. Click here to read the original article