Božidarka Frajt Explained

Božidarka Frajt
Birth Name:Božidarka Grublješić
Birth Date:11 November 1940
Birth Place:Velika Žuljevica, Vrbas Banovina, Kingdom of Yugoslavia
Othername:Božidarka Frait
Occupation:Actress
Years Active:1959–present
Spouse:Boris Gregorić
Children:Bojana Gregorić Vejzović

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 and a Golden Arena Award for Best Actress. In 2010, Frajt was awarded the Vladimir Nazor Award for lifetime achievement.[2]

Early life

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. It is believed she was born in Velika Žuljevica under Kozara, and that she was taken to a concentration camp for Serbian kids in Sisak during the Kozara Offensive in 1942 along with thousands of other orphans. 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.[3]

Career

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.

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

Personal life

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

Television

YearTitleRoleNotes
1969Sumorna jesenGood Fairy
1969Pod novim krovovimaVedrana
1977AlpensagaAlpinaCo-written[16]
1978Mačak pod šljemomJanja
1979SvjetionikIva's mother
1988Zagubljen govorDanka
1988Dirty DozenCitizen
2006Odmori se, zaslužio siBerta
2009Zakon!BrunaCameo role
2009Stipe u gostimaCvita

Film

YearTitleRoleNotes
1959Lakat kao takavGordana
1960Bolje je umetiThe Daughter
1963Licem u liceVera
1965Danovi na iskusnijeBaba Milka
1967ProtestIvankaMain role
1970PucanjSavkaMain role
1970Rosolino Paternò, soldato...GiattaItalian-language film
1970Ana i EvaWalter's mistress
1972The Living TruthHerselfMain role
Golden Arena for Best Actress in 1972
1972KipicIvanaMain role
1974Užička republikaNada
1975Žena sa krajolikom
1975Muke po MatiMare
1976KuhinjaMonikaMain role
1976IzdajaJosipa
1976Vagon liVera
1977I tako daljeBranka
1977PucanjSavkaMain role
1978LjubicaLjubicaMain role
1979TodoraTodoraMain role
1981Ritam zločinaZdenkaMain role
1981High VoltageSonja
1989A Man Who Liked FuneralsZdenka
1995IspraniMother
1997Russian meatIda's mother
1997Lapitch the Little ShoemakerMelvin's motherVoice role
1997The Third WomanIvanka
1998The Three Men of Melita ŽganjerNeighbour Cameo
1999Red DustJasna
1999Četverored
2000Celestial BodyWoman in lineCameo
2003Here
2004Accidental Co-TravellerGreta's mother
2005TarzanKalaCroatian dub
2011JosefJulija
2011Duh babe IlonkeAnka
2013Monsters UniversityDean Abigail HardscrabbleCroatian dub

Notes and References

  1. (T.K.) Brigita Knežević (73): Imala sam dvije godine kad su me ustaše zatočili u logoru, Slobodna Dalmacija, 23 July 2015
  2. http://www.yugopapir.com/2013/05/bozidarka-frajt-i-bojana-gregoric.html Bozidarka Frajt i Bojana Gregoric
  3. Web site: Jedna od najvećih hrvatskih glumica kao dijete ostala siroče, prošla i dječji logor, a potom izgradila ogromnu karijeru. 11 November 2018. Marinović. Barbara. jutarnji.hr. hr. 25 January 2021.
  4. https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0308483/ Lakat kaolin takav IMDB
  5. Web site: Ikon Arts Foundation. Reintroducing legendary director Branko Bauer. Elaine. Ritchel. 20 July 2013 .
  6. Web site: Nikada Zagreb nije tako dobro snimljen kao u ovoj TV seriji. Jurica Pavičić. November 21, 2013. Jutarnji list.
  7. Web site: Hrabrost ratnika . Matica hrvatska.
  8. Istina o Živoj istini . The Truth About The Living Truth. Heidl. Janko. Zapis . 72 . 2011 . . hr . 14 August 2016.
  9. Web site: Živa istina. hrfilm.hr. Croatian Film Association. Croatian. 2016-08-14.
  10. Web site: I danas svježe ostvarenje. filmovi.hr. Janko. Heidl. 28 February 2011. Croatian. 2014-12-03.
  11. http://hrfilm.hr/baza_film.php?id=294 Pucanj
  12. http://hrfilm.hr/baza_film.php?id=127 Ljubica
  13. http://zagreb.arhiv.hr/hr/hda/kinoteka/Hrvatski_DGM.doc Hrvatski filmski arhiv: Popis hrvatskih dugometražnih filmova 1944. - 2006.
  14. https://www.kurir.rs/zabava/pop-kultura/3190813/ne-daj-boze-nikom-strahote-koje-je-prezivela-moja-majka-bozidarka-frajt-bojana-gregoric-vejzovic-iskreno-o-seriji-pogresan-covek-i-zivotu-na-relaciji-zagreb-beograd 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. https://www.24sata.hr/show/recept-za-srecu-brak-nije-lunapark-ali-to-moze-nekad-biti-539083 Recept za srecu, brak nije lunapark, ali to moze nekad biti www.24sata.hr