Josip Zovko (4 June 1970 – 3 April 2019) was a Croatian actor and director.[1] A native of the Berinovac, Lokvičići municipality in the Imotska Krajina[2] he was best known for playing Joze in the television series Naši i vaši. He was also acclaimed for his roles in the films Sorry for Kung Fu and Wish I Were a Shark.[3][4]

Josip Zovko
Josip Zovko
Josip Zovko at HNK Split in 2006.
Born(1970-06-04)4 June 1970
Died3 April 2019(2019-04-03) (aged 48)
CitizenshipCroatian
Alma materAcademy of Dramatic Art
OccupationActor
Years active1993–2019

Biography and studies

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Zovko was born on June 4, 1970, in Split. He graduated from the Academy of Dramatic Art in Zagreb and in 1993 he became a member of the Croatian National Theater ensemble in Split, also known as HNK Split, where he played many roles.[5][6] At the Theater of Split he was a student of Mustafa Nadarević with whom Zovko had been on the stage many times.[7]

Early career

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Josip Zovko in a theatre performance of William Shakespeare Timon Atenjanin as painter, 2013

Zovko's first television appearance was in 1997 when he appeared in the theater play "Mali libar Marka Uvodića Splićanina". He later played the character “Mate” in the movie "Da mi je biti morski pas" (If I could be a shark) in 1999.[8] Zovko won several awards at the 46th Pula Film Festival.[9][10]

Starting in 2001, Zovko had one of the main roles in the movie "Ante se vraća kući" (Ante is Returning home). He played the character “Kole”, a student from Dalmatia. In the movie "Holding" he played a smaller role as a little brother. In the same year he played a waiter on a cruise ship in the movie "Posljedna Volja" (The Last Will), with fellow Croatian actor Goran Višnjić.[11][12]

Zovko played the character “Jozo” in the Croatian TV series “Naši i vaši“ (Ours and Yours) (2000-2002) along with the actor Vedran Mlikota. In this series both actors played men from “Hercegovina” who came to Zagreb. The story goes that both were under the impression that college would be easy since they knew the professor, but it turned out that they actually had to study hard to finish college. Josip Zovko also appeared in the movie “Sorry for Kung Fu“ as „Ćaćo“ in 2004. In the TV movie "Trešet" from the year 2006 Josip acted as a cop named "Prekrasni Um" (Beautiful Mind). Domestic people had the desire to corrupt him and lure him to their side because they saw a benefit for themselves. In the movie "Najvećoj pogrešci Alberta Einsteina (The Biggest Mistake of Albert Einstein), Josip acted as a stranger. In 2008, Josip Zovko opened the role in “Bitange i Princeze“.[13] In 2009 he appeared as "Roko" in the movie “Vjerujem u anđele“ (I believe in Angels), where Oliver Dragojević[14] also participated. In 2011 Josip played a Yugoslav Partisan in the movie “Bella Biondina”.

In the music video of the singer Miroslav Škoro (2003) “Tamo gdje je dom“ (There Where the House Is) Zovko played a knight who is fighting for his homeland.[15]

Death

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Josip Zovko was killed in a car crash in Grudsko Vrilo (close to Grude) in Bosnia and Herzegovina and was buried at the cemetery Sveti Ante in Lokvičići on April 6.[16] A memorial service was held in his honor on April 12, 2019, attended by friends and acting colleagues.[17][18]

 
Josip Zovko in a theatre performance of Simon Bent Elling as Frank Ashley, 2010

Filmography

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Film

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Television

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Music videos

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Theatre HNK Split

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Performances outside Split Theatre

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  • Mail Libar Marka Uvodića Splićanina, GKM Split[21]
  • performance Ilija Zovko, regie / direction Josip Zovko, GKM Split[22]

Film awards and special honors

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  • Croatian actress prize for role of Mate in TV movie To be a shark, directed by Ognjen Sviličić, 2000.[23]
  • Award Veljko Maričić at the International Small Scene Festival for the role of Little in the performance of Bijelo Dubravko Mihanović, directed by John Leo Leme, 1998.[24]

References

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  1. ^ "Zovko is directed by Zovko". Croatian newspaper: Slobodna Dalmacija. Retrieved 12 May 2008.
  2. ^ Darko LONČAR (15 September 2009). "An actor from the shadow of Imotski phenomena". imotskenovine.hr (in Croatian). 15 September 2009. Archived from the original on 4 April 2019. Retrieved 12 September 2019.
  3. ^ Jasmina Parić. "we will remember him most for the films 'To Be a Shark' and 'Sorry for Kung Fu' and the 'Yours and Ours' series". Slobodna Dalmacija (in Croatian). 03 April 2019. S televizijskih ekrana gledatelji ga najviše pamte po ulogama u serijama 'Naši i vaši', 'Bitange i princeze
  4. ^ V.M. / HRT. "In memoriam Josip Zovko: 'It's like being a shark'". Croatian television: HRT Magazin (in Croatian). 05.04.2019.
  5. ^ P. N. "The prominent actor Josip Zovko, a man with a big heart, was killed". Croatian: Novi List (in Croatian). 04 April 2019. Retrieved 12 September 2019. He graduated from the Academy of Dramatic Art in Zagreb, and has been a permanent member of the Drama Ensemble of the Croatian National Theater Split since 1993.
  6. ^ Gordan Vasilj (3 April 2019). "Split actor Josip Zovko killed in a car accident near Grude". Radio Dalmacija (in Croatian). 3 April 2019. Zovko has played more than 50 theatrical and film roles, and will be best known for his role as Mate from the movie 'To Be a Shark'. He has also starred in the films 'I Believe in Angels', 'Albert Einstein's Biggest Mistake', 'Holdin' and 'Sorry for Kung Fu', as well as the 'Ours and Yours' series and 'Battles and Princesses'.
  7. ^ Dragica Zeljko (7 April 2019). "Imotski: Buried 'believer and man' Josip Zovko, actor who turned down roles because of religion" (in Croatian). 07 April 2019. The Death of a Merchant Traveler ', Arthur Miller (2011) by Josip Zovko and Mustafa Nadarevic
  8. ^ "Da mi je biti morski pas".
  9. ^ V.M. / HRT. "In memoriam Josip Zovko: 'It's like being a shark'". Croatian Television: HRT (in Croatian). 05 April 2019. The film 'To Be a Shark', produced by Croatian Radio and Television, has received, among other things, the following awards: four Golden arenas and an Octavian Award from the Croatian Film Critics Association at the Pula Film Festival '99. He has successfully participated in the 48th Mannheim International Festival, the Alpe-Adria Festival in Trieste and the Valencia International Film Festival.
  10. ^ "46. PULSKI FILMSKI FESTIVAL". Pula film festival (in Croatian).
  11. ^ "Split actor Josip Zovko killed". Croatia today (in Croatian). 03 April 2019. Television series and movies
  12. ^ "Posljednja volja / Last Will 2001". Moj Film. Cast: Goran Visnjic, Angelica Bridges, Stefan Lysenko, Alison Heruth Waterburry, Josip Zovko
  13. ^ "Josip Zovko (48) has played over 50 roles, he is remembered most for his movie 'To Be a Shark'" (in Croatian). 04. April 2019. 4 April 2019.
  14. ^ "Making music for a movie I believe in angel" (in Croatian). 10.03.2009. Music: Oliver Dragojevic Cast: Vedran Mlikota, Dolores Lambasa, Josip Zovko
  15. ^ "Miroslav Škoro today announced his candidacy for President of the Republic of Croatia!". showbizzmagazin (in Croatian). 23.06.2019. 23 June 2019. As the lead actor, Josip Zovko participated in the video "There Where the House Is" from 2003, as a knight defending his home.
  16. ^ Dragica Zeljko (7 April 2019). "Imotski: Buried 'believer and man' Josip Zovko, actor who turned down roles because of religion". hkm.hr (in Croatian). On Wednesday, a car accident on the main road in Grudsko Vrilo killed Josip Zovko, 48, a Split actor of Imotski roots
  17. ^ Nada Kovačević / Tom Dubravec / CROPIX. "Farewell to the actor: Commemoration for Josip Zovko". tportal.hr (in Croatian). 12.04.2019. Actor Josip Zovko died in a car accident last Wednesday on the M-6 Grude-Gorica highway. A memorial service was held at his home theater, Croatian National Theater Split, on Friday
  18. ^ "HNK Say Goodbye to Giant Commemoration for Josip Zovko on Friday at the Grand Theater". dalmacijadanas.hr / dalmatia today. 09 April 2019. A memorial service for the deceased actor of the Croatian National Theater, Josip Zovko, will take place on the big stage of the Theater on Friday, April 12, starting at 12 noon.
  19. ^ "Miroslav Skoro today announced his candidacy for President of the Republic of Croatia!". showbizzmagazin (in Croatian). 23.06.2019. 23 June 2019. As the lead actor, Josip Zovko participated in the video "There Where the House Is" from 2003, as a knight defending his home.
  20. ^ Mira Muhoberac. "Charismatic actor's early departure". Matica.hr (in Croatian). Prominent Croatian theater, television and film actor Josip Zovko left us prematurely at the age of 49.The roles in which we will remember Josip Zovko
  21. ^ M.Ra. "These are the roles by which we will remember the dead actor Josip Zovko". Index.hr (in Croatian). 03 April 2019. Roles outside the Croatian National Theater "The Little Libar by Marko Uvedic Split"
  22. ^ "Zovko is directed by Zovko" (in Croatian). 28.05.2008. 28 May 2008. It is a monodrama in which Ilija Zovko himself plays, and his younger colleague actor Josip Zovko accepted the directing. "The show" is another story of Ilija about the guest's fate for which he drew his motives from meetings and stories in his hometown, although it is placed in the theater environment, that is, the stage of the "cultural summer" that is mandatory in every village today.
  23. ^ "Josip Zovko" (in Croatian). biography and awards Josip Zovko
  24. ^ "Josip Zovko" (in Croatian). biography and awards Josip Zovko
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