Božidarka Frajt

Božidarka Frajt
Born
Božidarka Grublješić

(1940-11-11) 11 November 1940 (age 83)
Velika Žuljevica, Vrbas Banovina, Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Other namesBožidarka Frait
OccupationActress
Years active1959–present
SpouseBoris Gregorić
ChildrenBojana Gregorić Vejzović
Awards

Božidarka Frajt (Serbian: Божидарка Грубљешић) also spelled Frait; born 11 November 1940) is a Croatian actress.[1]

In her six decade long career, she has composed a prolific repertoire in Croatian television, film and theatre, but is best known for her role in cinéma vérité-style 1972 film The Living Truth, which earned her critical praise[2] and a Golden Arena Award for Best Actress. In 2010, Frajt was awarded the Vladimir Nazor Award for lifetime achievement.[3]

Early life

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Božidarka Frajt was born Božidarka Grublješić on 11 November 1940. Born to an ethnic Bosnian Serb family, her exact birthplace is unknown due to the scarce information of her childhood.[2] It is believed she was born in Velika Žuljevica under Kozara, and that she was taken by Croatian Ustaše to a concentration camp for Serbian kids in Sisak during the Kozara Offensive in 1942 along with thousands of other orphans.[2] She was later adopted by Croatian Jews Katarina and Stjepan Frajt. At the age of 36, she found out about her Kozara heritage when a woman named Dara Grublješić identified her as her niece.[2]

Career

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Frajt made her acting debut in the 1959 Croatian-language film Lakat kao takav, directed by Ante Babaja.[4] In 1963, Frajt interpreted the complex character Vera in the Yugoslav political film Licem u lice. The film directed by Branko Bauer gained critical acclaim, winning a Big Golden Arena Award for Best Film at the Pula Film Festival and critical praise.[5]

Her debut as a television actress came with the 1969 Sumorna Jesen, as "The Good Fairy". The plot lines of most of the episodes Frajt starred in were inspired by the experiences of screenwriter Ivan Šibl in World War II.[6]

In 1972, Frajt starred in the directorial debut film of Tomislav Radić The Living Truth.[7] Her dynamic and dominant interpretation in the drama provided a direct dichotomy to the depressing nature of the film.[8] Her performance instantly made her one of the most prominent film actresses of Yugoslavia, winning her a Golden Arena for Best Actress and commercial success.[9] In a 1999 poll among 44 Croatian film consumers, The Living Truth was placed 20th on the list of all-time best Croatian films.[10]

Frajt had a major role in the 1977 Krešo Golik film Pucanj, sharing the protagonist role with Serbian actor Marko Nikolić.[11] In 1978, she appeared as the middle-aged audio pedagogue protagonist Ljubica in another Golik production Ljubica.[12]

In 1981, Veljko Bulajić invited her to play the principal character in the film High Voltage, after her performance as Ljubica.[13]

In 1997, she voiced Grga (Melvin)'s mother in the Croatian-language animated feature Lapitch the Little Shoemaker. Frajt also dubbed Kala in the official 2005 Croatian version of the 1999 animated film Tarzan, and in 2013, Helen Mirren's character Dean Abigail Hardscrabble in the Croatian dub of Monsters University.[citation needed]

For her services to Yugoslav film, she was awarded the Vladimir Nazor Award in 2010.[14]

Personal life

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Frajt was married to Croatian producer Boris Gregorić, with whom she had one child, Bojana, who is a prominent Croatian actress. Frajt currently lives in Zagreb.[15]

Selected filmography

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Television

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Year Title Role Notes
1969 Sumorna jesen Good Fairy
1969 Pod novim krovovima Vedrana
1977 Alpensaga Alpina Co-written[16]
1978 Mačak pod šljemom Janja
1979 Svjetionik Iva's mother
1988 Zagubljen govor Danka
1988 Dirty Dozen Citizen
2006 Odmori se, zaslužio si Berta
2009 Zakon! Bruna Cameo role
2009 Stipe u gostima Cvita

Film

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Year Title Role Notes
1959 Lakat kao takav Gordana
1960 Bolje je umeti The Daughter
1963 Licem u lice Vera
1965 Danovi na iskusnije Baba Milka
1967 Protest Ivanka Main role
1970 Pucanj Savka Main role
1970 Rosolino Paternò, soldato... Giatta Italian-language film
1970 Ana i Eva Walter's mistress
1972 The Living Truth Herself Main role
Golden Arena for Best Actress in 1972
1972 Kipic Ivana Main role
1974 Užička republika Nada
1975 Žena sa krajolikom
1975 Muke po Mati Mare
1976 Kuhinja Monika Main role
1976 Izdaja Josipa
1976 Vagon li Vera
1977 I tako dalje Branka
1977 Pucanj Savka Main role
1978 Ljubica Ljubica Main role
1979 Todora Todora Main role
1981 Ritam zločina Zdenka Main role
1981 High Voltage Sonja
1989 A Man Who Liked Funerals Zdenka
1995 Isprani Mother
1997 Russian meat Ida's mother
1997 Lapitch the Little Shoemaker Melvin's mother Voice role
1997 The Third Woman Ivanka
1998 The Three Men of Melita Žganjer Neighbour Cameo
1999 Red Dust Jasna
1999 Četverored
2000 Celestial Body Woman in line Cameo
2003 Here
2004 Accidental Co-Traveller Greta's mother
2005 Tarzan Kala Croatian dub
2011 Josef Julija
2011 Duh babe Ilonke Anka
2013 Monsters University Dean Abigail Hardscrabble Croatian dub

References

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  1. ^ (T.K.) Brigita Knežević (73): Imala sam dvije godine kad su me ustaše zatočili u logoru, Slobodna Dalmacija, 23 July 2015
  2. ^ a b c d Marinović, Barbara (11 November 2018). "Jedna od najvećih hrvatskih glumica kao dijete ostala siroče, prošla i dječji logor, a potom izgradila ogromnu karijeru". jutarnji.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 25 January 2021.
  3. ^ Bozidarka Frajt i Bojana Gregoric
  4. ^ Lakat kaolin takav IMDB
  5. ^ Ritchel, Elaine (20 July 2013). "Reintroducing legendary director Branko Bauer". Ikon Arts Foundation.
  6. ^ Jurica Pavičić (November 21, 2013). "Nikada Zagreb nije tako dobro snimljen kao u ovoj TV seriji". Jutarnji list.
  7. ^ "Hrabrost ratnika". Matica hrvatska.
  8. ^ Heidl, Janko (2011). "Istina o Živoj istini" [The Truth About The Living Truth]. Zapis (in Croatian) (72). Croatian Film Association. Retrieved 14 August 2016.
  9. ^ "Živa istina". hrfilm.hr (in Croatian). Croatian Film Association. Retrieved 2016-08-14.
  10. ^ Heidl, Janko (28 February 2011). "I danas svježe ostvarenje". filmovi.hr (in Croatian). Retrieved 2014-12-03.
  11. ^ Pucanj (in Croatian)
  12. ^ Ljubica at hrfilm.hr (in Croatian)
  13. ^ Hrvatski filmski arhiv: Popis hrvatskih dugometražnih filmova 1944. - 2006.
  14. ^ NE DAJ BOŽE NIKOM STRAHOTE KOJE JE PREŽIVELA MOJA MAJKA BOŽIDARKA FRAJT: Bojana Gregorić Vejzović iskreno o seriji Pogrešan čovek i životu na relaciji Zagreb-Beograd
  15. ^ (T.K.) Pravac Montevideo, Glas Slavonije, 18 August 2012
  16. ^ Recept za srecu, brak nije lunapark, ali to moze nekad biti www.24sata.hr
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