Ha vinto anche a Cannes: il defunto Oliver Katarina, diva del cinema e della musica

Olivera Katarina, a legendary actress and singer who gained international acclaim through her performances in film and music, has died at the age of 86. Her family confirmed the news, though details regarding a memorial service or final farewell have yet to be announced. Born on March 5, 1940, in Belgrade, she adopted the stage name Katarina in honor of her mother. From an early age, she showed a deep passion for the arts, attending ballet school before briefly studying law. She later chose to pursue her true calling and enrolled at the Academy of Drama, Film, Radio, and Television in Belgrade. Her career began in the early 1960s with a role at the National Theatre, but it was her performance in the iconic film The Collector of Shadows directed by Aleksandar Petrović that brought her worldwide recognition. The film won the Grand Prix of the Jury at the Cannes Film Festival in 1967 and was nominated for an Oscar in the Best Foreign Language Film category. Her portrayal in the movie is remembered as one of the most memorable in European cinema history. One of the most legendary moments of her career took place at Cannes, where she performed the song "Đelem, đelem" in front of more than ten thousand spectators. Due to the immense public interest, she returned to the stage seven times. This performance is still considered one of the most unforgettable in the festival's history. Beyond her acting career, Olivera Katarina left a lasting impact on the music scene. Over the decades, she performed more than a hundred concerts around the world, successfully interpreting folk, old town, and entertainment songs. Among her most famous songs are "In the Name of Love," "Tell Me About Love," "Be My Own," "Never Forget Our Days of Love," "One Evening Shines," and "Šošana." She collaborated with some of the greatest composers and musicians, including Ennio Morricone, Charles Dumont, Mikis Theodorakis, and Kornelije Kovač. She recorded music from various traditions, ranging from Serbian and Roma to Greek and Indonesian, further confirming her artistic versatility. She was also a writer and published several books, including her autobiography Aristocratic Footstep, in which she openly spoke about her successes, loves, and challenges throughout her life. Behind her rich career lay a tumultuous private life. She married twice, and from her marriage to Miladin Šakić, she had a son named Mane, who is now an academic painter. In recent years, she lived a quiet life away from the spotlights that followed her for decades. However, her artistic legacy remains permanently inscribed in the history of film, theater, and music in this region.