Luàna Bajrami

Luàna Bajrami-Rahmani, born on March 14, 2001, is a talented actress and filmmaker with French-Kosovar roots. She gained recognition for her performances in the acclaimed films *Portrait of a Lady on Fire* (2019) and *School's Out* (2018). In 2020, she took a significant step in her career by making her directorial debut with *The Hill Where Lionesses Roar*.

Bajrami hails from Pleshina, a village located in Kosovo's Ferizaj District, but her family relocated to Créteil, a suburb of Paris, when she was just seven years old. Her passion for acting sparked after viewing Nicolas Bary's 2008 film adaptation of *Trouble at Timpetill*, which is based on Henry Winterfeld's novel.

Her acting journey began with a notable role in the 2011 television film *Adèle's Choice*, where she portrayed an 8-year-old Albanian student facing family expulsion. Bajrami subsequently played a significant role in *Marion*, a 2016 TV film that delves into the tragic story of a schoolgirl's suicide due to bullying. She expressed in an interview with *Le Monde* that this role gave her a sense of creative agency, as she engaged deeply with the source material.

In addition to her earlier work, Bajrami’s performance as Apolline in *School's Out* earned her acclaim, with critics praising her captivating portrayal. She also starred as Sophie in *Portrait of a Lady on Fire* and as Emma in *Happy Birthday* the same year. For her impressive contributions to film, Bajrami was nominated for "Most Promising Actress" at the 2020 César Awards.