Ita Rina | |
|---|---|
 Ita Rina, ca. 1928/1929 | |
| Born | Italina Lida Kravanja (1907-07-07)7 July 1907 |
| Died | 10 May 1979(1979-05-10) (aged 71) |
| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1927–1939, 1960 |
| Spouse | |
| Children | 2 |
Tamara Đorđević (bornItalina Lida Kravanja; 7 July 1907 – 10 May 1979), known professionally asIta Rina, was aSlovenianfilmactress andbeauty queen. She was one of the major film stars inGermany andCzechoslovakia in the late 1920s and the early 1930s. Rina retired from her career shortly after her wedding in 1931, when she changed her religion fromRoman Catholic toSerbian Orthodox and her name toTamara Đorđević.
Ita Rina was born on 7 July 1907 in the small town ofDivača (then Austro-Hungarian Empire, laterYugoslavia, nowSlovenia) as Italina Lida Kravanja.[1] She was called Ida Kravanja for short.[1] The first daughter of Jožef and Marija Kravanja, Rina had a younger sister Danica.[1] Shortly after the outbreak of theWorld War I, the family moved toLjubljana, where Rina matriculated in 1923. She was not a good student; she repeated the third grade ofelementary school.[1] However, her dream was to be an actress.
In October 1926,Slovenski narod (Slovenian People) magazine organized abeauty pageant, and Rina entered the competition.[1] She was crowned Miss Slovenia and was to travel to the final event for Miss Yugoslavia, which was supposed to be held on 20 December 1926 inZagreb.[1] However, her mother did not want to let her go to Zagreb. After a group visit from the Slovenian delegation, Marija Kravanja relented. Unfortunately, when Rina arrived in Zagreb, the jury was already choosing the most beautiful of three finalists.[1] She was, however, noticed byAdolf Müller, the owner ofBalkan Palacecinema in Zagreb. He immediately sent her photographs to Germanfilm producer Peter Ostermayer.[1][2] As her mother did not want to let her go to Berlin, Rina ran away from home.[1]
.jpg)
Rina arrived inBerlin in 1927.[1][2][3] Shortly after she had her first audition, following which she had classes in acting, diction, dancing, driving and riding.[2] She made her debut in the 1927 filmWhat Do Children Hide from Their Parents, directed byFranz Osten.[2] After several small film roles in 1927 and 1928, the critics finally noticed her in the 1928 filmThe Last Supper.[2] The same year, Rina met her future husband Miodrag Đorđević, a student.[1] Her big breakthrough came the following year, in the filmErotikon, directed byGustav Machatý.[1][2][3] She starred in the leading female role, Andrea. The great success of the film upset some moral and Christian organizations.[1] The Catholic theologian Abbot Bethlem wrote: "... First, they lie next to each other, and then on top of each other... It is true that the covering hides their figures, but it certainly does not hide their movements... The face of each protagonist is shown in close-up, especially Ita's face... A viewer can recognize her excitement, then her expression of apprehension mixed with longing, then pain and finally... I blush while describing the scenes".[1] This was, however, the best advertisement for the film, and the beginning of Rina's career.[1]
In 1930, Rina acted in three films, most notable being the first talkingCzech filmTonka of the Gallows, which is often named her best role.[2] Meanwhile, she married Miodrag Đorđević in 1931, and changed her religion fromRoman Catholic toSerbian Orthodox.[1][2][3] Rina was baptised in theRussian Orthodox Church, and also got her new Orthodox name, Tamara Đorđević.[1][2][3] "I wanted to be named Ljubica, but the Russian priest would not allow that name. He proposed to me the Russian variety, Ljubov, but I refused it. So, I was named Tamara", Rina stated about her change of name.[1] The same year, Rina was given an offer fromHollywood, but her husband forced her to choose between her career and their marriage; Rina chose to stay with him.[1][2] Although she had announced her retirement from her film career, she acted until the outbreak ofWorld War II. Her last prewar film wascrimedramaZentrale Rio.[1]
After she left her film career, Rina and her husband settled inBelgrade.[1][2][3] In 1940, she gave birth to their son Milan.[1] After the bombing of Belgrade in 1941, the family moved toVrnjačka Banja, where Rina gave birth to a daughter, Tijana.[1][2] They moved back to Belgrade after the end ofWorld War II in 1945. Although she was promised several roles in Yugoslav films, all projects were cancelled.[1][2] After receipt of a letter she had written toPresident Tito, Rina began working as a co–production advisor in Avala Film.[1] She returned to thesilver screen once, in the1960 filmAtomic War Bride, directed byVeljko Bulajić.[1][2] This was her last role.
As she suffered fromasthma, Rina and her husband moved toBudva (thenYugoslavia, nowMontenegro) in 1967.[1][2] There, she took care of her husband, who was ill withsclerosis.[1] Rina died on 10 May 1979 from an asthmatic attack.[1][2][3] She was buried a few days later in Belgrade, in the presence of numerous film artists, admirers, friends and family.[1][2][3]
| Year | Title | Format | Role | Notes |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1927 | Was die Kinder ihren Eltern verschweigen | Film | ||
| Two Under the Stars | Film | |||
| 1928 | Because I Love You | Film | ||
| Theatre | Film | Maria | ||
| 1929 | Wilde Ehen | Film | ||
| Erotikon | Film | Andrea | ||
| Spring Awakening | Film | Ilse | ||
| Disgrace | Film | Marta Holanová | ||
| 1930 | Tonka of the Gallows | Film | Tonka Šibenice | |
| Der Walzerkönig | Film | Seine Tochter | ||
| Kire lained | Film | Betty | ||
| 1933 | Život teče dalje | Film | ||
| Song of the Black Mountains | Film | Jela Gruić | ||
| 1935 | A život jde dál | Film | Marie | |
| 1937 | The Coral Princess | Film | Anka, Vukowitsch' Pflegetochter | |
| 1939 | Central Rio | Film | Chiquita Salieri | |
| 1960 | Atomic War Bride | Film | Mother |
| Settlements | Administrative seat:Divača |  |
|---|---|---|
| Landmarks | ||
| Notable people | ||
