Božidarka Frajt

{{Infobox person

|name = Božidarka Frajt

|image =

|imagesize =

|caption =

|birth_name = Božidarka Grublješić

|birth_date = {{Birth date and age|1940|11|11|df=y}}

|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

|website =

|awards = {{hlist|Golden Arena for Best Actress (1972)|Vladimir Nazor Award (2010)}}

}}

Božidarka Frajt (Serbian: Божидарка Грубљешић) also spelled Frait; born 11 November 1940) is a Croatian actress.(T.K.) [http://www.slobodnadalmacija.hr/Hrvatska/tabid/66/articleType/ArticleView/articleId/171916/Default.aspx Brigita Knežević (73): Imala sam dvije godine kad su me ustaše zatočili u logoru], Slobodna Dalmacija, 23 July 2015

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.[http://www.yugopapir.com/2013/05/bozidarka-frajt-i-bojana-gregoric.html Bozidarka Frajt i Bojana Gregoric]

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 by Croatian Ustaše 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.{{cite web|url=https://100posto.jutarnji.hr/scena/jedna-od-najvecih-hrvatskih-glumica-kao-dijete-ostala-siroce-prosla-i-djecji-logor-a-potom-izgradila-ogromnu-karijeru.html|title=Jedna od najvećih hrvatskih glumica kao dijete ostala siroče, prošla i dječji logor, a potom izgradila ogromnu karijeru|date=11 November 2018|last=Marinović|first=Barbara|work=jutarnji.hr|language=hr|accessdate=25 January 2021}}

Career

Frajt made her acting debut in the 1959 Croatian-language film Lakat kao takav, directed by Ante Babaja.[https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0308483/ Lakat kaolin takav IMDB] 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.{{cite web|work=Ikon Arts Foundation|title=Reintroducing legendary director Branko Bauer|url=http://ikonartsfoundation.org/brankobauer/|first=Elaine|last=Ritchel|date=20 July 2013 }}

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.{{cite web|title=Nikada Zagreb nije tako dobro snimljen kao u ovoj TV seriji|author=Jurica Pavičić|date=November 21, 2013|publisher=Jutarnji list|url=http://www.jutarnji.hr/kultura/film-i-tv/sumorna-jesen-na-htv3-nikada-zagreb-nije-tako-dobro-snimljen-kao-u-ovoj-tv-seriji/921938/}}

In 1972, Frajt starred in the directorial debut film of Tomislav Radić The Living Truth.{{cite web |title=Hrabrost ratnika |url=https://www.matica.hr/vijenac/360/Hrabrost%20ratnika/ |publisher=Matica hrvatska}} Her dynamic and dominant interpretation in the drama provided a direct dichotomy to the depressing nature of the film.{{cite journal

| url=http://www.hfs.hr/nakladnistvo_zapis_detail.aspx?sif_clanci=33937#.V6-kBzVoDbQ

| title=Istina o Živoj istini

|trans-title=The Truth About The Living Truth

| last=Heidl

| first=Janko

| journal=Zapis

| issue=72

| year=2011

| publisher=Croatian Film Association

| language=hr

| accessdate=14 August 2016

}} 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.{{cite web

| url=http://hrfilm.hr/baza_film.php?id=67

| title=Živa istina

| work=hrfilm.hr

| publisher=Croatian Film Association

| language=Croatian

| accessdate=2016-08-14

}} In a 1999 poll among 44 Croatian film consumers, The Living Truth was placed 20th on the list of all-time best Croatian films.{{cite web

| url=http://filmovi.hr/index.php?p=article&id=1426

| title=I danas svježe ostvarenje

| work=filmovi.hr

| first=Janko

| last=Heidl

| date=28 February 2011

| language=Croatian

| accessdate=2014-12-03

}}

Frajt had a major role in the 1977 Krešo Golik film Pucanj, sharing the protagonist role with Serbian actor Marko Nikolić.[http://hrfilm.hr/baza_film.php?id=294 Pucanj] {{in lang|hr}} In 1978, she appeared as the middle-aged audio pedagogue protagonist Ljubica in another Golik production Ljubica.[http://hrfilm.hr/baza_film.php?id=127 Ljubica] at hrfilm.hr {{in lang|hr}}

In 1981, Veljko Bulajić invited her to play the principal character in the film High Voltage, after her performance as Ljubica.[http://zagreb.arhiv.hr/hr/hda/kinoteka/Hrvatski_DGM.doc Hrvatski filmski arhiv: Popis hrvatskih dugometražnih filmova 1944. - 2006.]

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.{{cn|date=May 2021}}

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

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.(T.K.) [http://www.glas-slavonije.hr/174362/11/Bojana-Gregoric-u-nastavku-srpskog-hita Pravac Montevideo], Glas Slavonije, 18 August 2012

Selected filmography

=Television=

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| Notes
1969 \|Sumorna jesen \| Good Fairy \|
1969 \|Pod novim krovovima \| Vedrana \|
1977 \|Alpensaga \|Alpina \|Co-written[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]
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 \|

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

1969

|Sumorna jesen

| Good Fairy

1969

|Pod novim krovovima

| Vedrana

1977

|Alpensaga

|Alpina

|Co-written[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]

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=

class="wikitable sortable"
Year ! Title ! Role ! class="unsortable" \| 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

class="wikitable sortable"

Year

! Title

! Role

! class="unsortable" | Notes

1959

|Lakat kao takav

| Gordana

1960

|Bolje je umeti

| The Daughter

1963