Leka Bungo, the celebrated Albanian director, actor, and screenwriter, has passed away today at the age of 81. His family announced the news on social media, with his daughter Alba sharing a photo alongside her father, stating he had “fought the most serious disease of the century.” Bungo will be buried this Wednesday at 4:00 PM.
Born on February 28, 1944, in Vlora, Leka Bungo leaves behind a profound legacy as one of Albanian art’s most prominent figures, with a rich career spanning theater, film, and television. He trained as an actor at the “Aleksandër Moisiu” school and later completed a directing course at the Higher Institute of Arts.
Throughout his prolific career, Bungo served as a director at the “Bylis” theater in Fier and subsequently at the State Variety Show (Estrada e Shtetit), where he staged plays with social themes and sharp satirical undertones. Following the 1990s, he founded the private theater “Rubairat” near the National Theater, an endeavor aimed at bringing innovation to the Albanian stage, though it ultimately proved short-lived.
In 2002, he emigrated to the United States but remained active in the art world. Bungo authored several dramas and film screenplays, including “Pabesia” (Disloyalty) and “Pas fasadës” (Behind the Facade). He is also fondly remembered for his acting role as Bardhyl in the 1990 film “Një djalë edhe një vajzë” (A Boy and a Girl).
