Gender in Post-Yugoslav Cinema Speakers
Vedrana Božinović, actress, was born in Sarajevo in 1976. She graduated in acting from the Academy of Performing Arts in Sarajevo in 1998. and earned an MA in Acting from the University of Essex, UK in 2004 by attending East 15 Acting School, London. Since 2007, she has been a member of the ensemble of the National Theater Sarajevo. She has played in numerous plays of the parent company, as well as other Sarajevo and BiH theaters, and in independent productions. As an actress, she was engaged in Residens Teather Munich for the project Dark Ages by Milo Rau, with which she participated in the largest European theater festivals. She starred in notable films by BiH authors, including Death in Sarajevo by Danis Tanovic, and a short film by Hungarian author Istvan Kovacs, who won numerous awards among which the Student Academy Award in the US. As a playwright, she collaborates with theater director Urban Andraš. For performances M.I.R.A. Bitef Theater and Hasanaginica Ujvideki Sinhaz Novi Sad she received the Sterija Award for dramaturgy. For the dramaturgy on the play Hasanaginica, she also received a special award from the jury of the theater festival in Kragujevac. She publishes regularly in Sarajevo’s Gracija Magazine. She published the book Seksan and the City.
Lana Barić was born in 1979 in Split, Croatia. She graduated acting on the Academy of Performing Arts in Sarajevo in 2005 in the class of Professor Aleksandar Jevđević and Professor Senad Bašić. Lana is employed in Croatian National Theater since 2011 and had numerous parts in Croatian National Theater as well as other theaters and theater festivals in Ex-Yu while still managing to have impressive number of roles on film and TV. She is most recognized for TEREZA37 (2020), BESA (2018), HUSH…(2013), YOU CARRY ME (2015). She received accolades for best female supporting role on Pula Film Festival (2013), best role in minority co-production category on FEST Belgrade (2016) and many other. Lana Barić also wrote several scripts for short movies and one feature film (Teraza37).
Mirjana Karanović is a Serbian actress known for many important roles in former Yugoslav films. World fame came with the role of the mother in Emir Kusturica’s WHEN FATHER WAS AWAY ON BUSINESS (nominated for the Oscar award for the best foreign movie). One of her most memorable roles was the one of Esma in GRBAVICA, directed by Jasmila Žbanić (Golden Bear Award for Best Film at the Berlinale). For this performance, Mirjana Karanović has won a number of awards at festivals and a nomination for the European Film Academy Award 2006. She appeared in Andrea Štaka’s film DAS FRAULEIN (Grand Prix at Locarno Film Festival, Heart of Sarajevo Award) and Darko Lungulov’s film HERE AND THERE (The Best New York Narrative at Tribeca film festival). In 2008 she won the Winning Freedom Award, an award presented to a woman whose work promotes and affirms the principles of human rights, rule of law, democracy and tolerance in society. A GOOD WIFE was Mirjana’s directing debut premiered at Sundance in 2016.
Labina Mitevska started her acting career as a teenager in 1993, playing Zamira in Milcho Mancevski’s Golden Lion awarded BEFORE THE RAIN. In 1996 she entered into a successful collaboration with Michael Winterbottom. Following WELCOME TO SARAJEVO they worked together in I WANT YOU. For these accomplishments she was chosen as one of the Shooting Stars at the Berlinale in 1998. Her acting carrier continued around Europe, creating over 40 roles in films shot in Germany, Czech Republic, Turkey, Italy, Bulgaria, England, Slovenia.
Sisters and Brother Mitevski is a family run production company based in Macedonia.Siblings Labina, Teona and Vuk successfully launched their company in 2001.Labina is responsible for the production. The company produced short, feature, documentary and animation films that won numerous awards on festivals worldwide. All their feature films are complex and successful European co-production projects.
GOD EXISTS, HER NAME IS PETRUNYA that premiered in competition in Berlin Film Festival 2019, where it was awarded the Ecumenical Prize, as well at the German Guild Film Prize. Until today the film has received more than 30 awards internationally, most notably the 2019 LUX Prize by the European Parliament and was sold for theatrical release to over 40 territories world-wide.
Since its founding, SISTERS AND BROTHER MITEVSKI, have co-produced THE WILD PEAR TREE by Nuri Bilge Ceylan; NIGHTLIFE and HALF-SISTER by Damjan Kozole and SIERRANEVADA and MALMKROG by Cristi Puiu.
Labina Mitevska, producer and managing director of Sisters and Brother Mitevski is member of the European Film Academy and country representative of EAVE program for Macedonia. In 2014 she was part of the program PRODUCERS OF THE MOVE by EFP.