Iva Janžurová is one of the most distinguished Czech actresses, with career on stage and on both cinema and television screens spanning over decades. Her parents were teachers, so following the family tradition, she first studied a pedagogical grammar school in České Budějovice. Afterwards, she continued to the Faculty of Theatre of the Academy of Performing Arts in Prague, and graduated from Vlasta Fabiánová's class in 1963. She joined the F.X. Šalda Theatre ensemble in Liberec, then moved to Divadlo na Vinohradech and eventually transferred to the National Theatre. She also appeared on the stage of the Kalich theatre, and played in a travelling family theatre with her life-long partner Stanislav Remunda and daughters Sabina and Theodora. After several minor roles, she was discovered by director Karel Kachyňa in the 1960s, and he cast her in Coach to Vienna (Kočár do Vídně). She also portrayed many distinctive dramatic characters in films by Juraj Herz, and her role in the film adaptation of The Petroleum Lamps (Petrolejové lampy) earned her a nomination for the Best Actress Award at Cannes. She proved her comedy talent predominantly in television films of the 1970s and 1980s in such famous comedies as You Are a Widow, Sir (Pane, vy jste vdova!), Marecek, Pass Me the Pen! (Marečku, podejte mi pero!), and numerous others. Together with Jiřina Bohdalová and Jiřina Jirásková, she created a popular trio in the Men About Town (Světáci) musical comedy. Around that time, she also became one of the most frequently cast actresses here. Apart from television films, she has also appeared in numerous television plays and entertainment shows. Iva Janžurová is the winner of two Czech Lion Awards, for In the Rye (Co chytneš v žitě) and Some Secrets (Výlet), and of Alfréd Radok and Thálie theatre awards.
Prague IFF – Febiofest will feature three films in the profile: Boarding House for Bachelors (Pension pro svobodné pány, 1967), Morgiana (1972), Eeny Meeny (Ene bene, 1999).
Photo: Lenka Hatašová
