May-Linda Kosumovic
Biography
May-Linda Kosumovic, a Canadian-born actress, began her acting journey at a young age when her parents chose to return to their native Kosovo, where she then graduated from the Academy of Arts in Prishtina in 2014. A pivotal moment in Kosumovic’s career came when she landed a prominent role in the HBO Europe original series “Welcome to Utmark,” directed by the esteemed Icelandic filmmaker Dagur Kári in 2021. This opportunity provided a platform for her skills to unravel and introduced her to a broader audience.
Throughout her career, Kosumovic has taken on roles in various films. In “Lost Exile,” directed by Fisnik Maxville, she played the leading role. The film received critical acclaim, including the Jury award at Locarno in 2016. In “A Performance,” directed by Dritero Mehmetaj, she not only starred as the lead actress but was also one of the scriptwriters. This film won the Best National Film award at Dokufest. She has also appeared in films such as “A Month,” directed by Zgjim Terziqi, “Only Human,” directed by Igor Ivanov, “Sisterhood,” directed by Dina Duma, “The Land Within,” directed by Fisnik Maxville, “A Dream,” directed by Bostjan Slatensek, and “Sirin,” directed by Senad Sahmanovic, which premiered at SFF and has been selected as the Oscar contender for Montenegro 2024. Her roles in these films, whether leading or supporting, have taken her to festivals such as Locarno, Cairo, Karlovy Vary, Tallinn PÖFF, San Sebastian, Göteborg, SFF and IFFI GOA, among others.
In addition to her work in film, May-Linda has embraced the stage and performed in various productions at the National Theatre of Kosovo. She has collaborated with many theatre directors, including Bekim Lumi, Andras Urban, Fatos Berisha, Matthew Lenton, Slobodan Unkovski and Melihate Qena. Since 2015, she has been a resident at the theater, taking on leading roles such as Clytemnestra (Aeschylus’s Oresteia), Annette (Jasmina Reza – God of Carnage), The mother (Jon Fosse – Mother & Child), Vera (Vaclav Havel – Vernisáz), and others. May-Linda has also been acknowledged with multiple national and international awards, recognizing her contributions to both film and theatre.