Juraj Jakubisko

It has been almost 15 years since the countries declared their independence from one another, but Slovakia born director Juraj Jakubisko’s personality, work and focus are all marked by the dual cultural identity of the former Czechoslovakia. Experimental films during his student days at FAMU, The Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, opened the doors to film festivals worldwide and domestic acclaim equal to that of Fellini or Bergman. Long after the premiere of his first feature film, Jakubisko retains his own personal image of the world and in the words of film critics he uses imagery like a painter and thoughts like a poet, presenting them all in a perfectly mastered cinematic style. His latest work, gothic-thriller Bathory, is scheduled to be in cinemas starting fall 2007.

Loved and hated, meek and domineering, soft and hard, calming and provocative, pure and controversial, but always a full-blooded woman with the boundless energy of a non-conformist standing outside the pack. These are the screen and stage roles of Deana Jakubiskova-Horvathova. She will next be seen on the big screen as Darvulia, the local sage in director Juraj Jakubisko’s bold vision of notorious 17th century murderess, Countess Erzsebet Bathory’s life. In recent years the actress and well-known personality has added producer to her list of credits.