Blerime Topalli is a native of Boston, Massachusetts.  She graduated from Boston University Film School in 1993 and completed her graduate studies at San Francisco State University in Interdisciplinary Art in 1996. 

After moving to Los Angeles in 1997, she pursued a career in special effects, working on such films as Starship Troopers, Hollow Man and Titanic.  From there, Ms. Topalli continued on as a writing consultant on movies of the week, such as Kiss Tomorrow Goodbye for Fox Television.  Eventually she transitioned into development, where she worked to bring independent films to the market, most notably My Big Fat Greek Wedding.  Ms. Topalli has most recently worked for Dino De Laurentiis on several features currently being filmed in Europe and Africa, such as Young Hannibal, The Decameron, and Last Legion.

As she continued to fill out her experience in the film industry, Ms. Topalli’s interest in writing and production took shape in this last project, Stay Awake, a passionate labor on the experiences of immigrants in New York at the end of turn of the millennium.

The film, focusing on the ethnic Albanians and Serbians in particular, is close to her heart, as Ms. Topalli herself is a first generation Albanian.  Ms. Topalli continues to write and work on upcoming projects in Los Angeles.

E-mail: blerime@topalli.com