Polde Bibič
A legend of Slovenian theatre and film acting, he graduated from the Academy of Acting Art, today known as the UL AGRFT. During his life he accumulated a very rich and diverse repertoire of acting accomplishments, and he has left his mark on the cultural identity of the Slovenian nation. In addition to acting roles he also worked as a director, theatre manager and writer.
He had exceptional powers of observation and a great gift for story-telling, which helped him enormously in his career. He acted in 150 stage plays and in more than 30 films, and took part in 400 radio broadcasts. Among his better-known films are Kekčeve ukane (Kekec’s Tricks); Ne joči, Peter (Don’t Cry, Peter); Samorastniki (Wild Growth); Cvetje v jeseni (Flowers in Autumn) and Moj ata, socialistični kulak (My Dad, the Socialist Kulak). He worked at SNG Drama in Ljubljana, he featured regularly at Ljubljansko Mestno gledališče, and occasionally also at the Slovenian Permanent Theatre in Trieste, Prešeren Theatre in Kranj and elsewhere.
He was professor of dramatic acting at AGRFT in Ljubljana, president of the Slovenian Association of Dramatic Artists (SADA) and the Federation of Dramatic Artists Associations of Yugoslavia. He wrote seven autobiographical books.
He received a number of awards and prizes for his successful work. The most important of these are: Silver Medal of Freedom of the Republic of Slovenia, which he received for exceptional services to Slovenian culture and theatre, and for his contribution in the struggle for an independent Slovenian state; the Prešeren Prize, which was awarded to him as a master of Slovenian acting and literature; he also received the most prestigious Slovenian prize for acting achievements, the Borštnik Ring, as well as the Župančič Prize of the City of Ljubljana and the Sterija Prize in Novi Sad, Serbia.