Vija Artmane facts for kids
Quick facts for kids
Vija Artmane
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| Born |
Alīda Artmane
21 August 1929 Sēme Parish, Latvia
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| Died | 11 October 2008 (aged 79) Strenči, Latvia
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| Occupation | Actress |
| Years active | 1950—2003 |
| Spouse(s) | Artūrs Dimiters |
| Children | Kaspars Dimiters (1957), Kristiāna Dimitere (1965) |
Vija Artmane (born Alīda Artmane; August 21, 1929 – October 11, 2008) was a famous Latvian actress. She was well-known for her work in both theatre and cinema.
Contents
Life and Career
Early Life and Dreams
Vija Artmane was born Alīda Artmane in Latvia in 1929. Her father passed away before she was born. Her mother worked hard in farming to support them.
As a child, Vija loved playing outdoors. She enjoyed making flower arrangements and traditional Latvian dolls. For a few years, she even took ballet classes.
When she was 10, Vija became a shepherd girl, looking after cows. She did this until the end of World War II. After finishing school in 1946, she dreamed of becoming a lawyer. However, she also loved acting in school plays. Soon, her passion for acting became her main goal.
Becoming an Actress
In 1946, Vija moved to Riga and began studying acting. She joined the Daile Theatre, where she would stay for 50 years! Early in her career, she changed her first name to Vija.
From 1949 to 1998, Vija Artmane was a leading star at the Daile Theatre. She played many famous roles. These included Juliet in Romeo and Juliet and Ophelia in Hamlet. She also starred in Latvian plays and Russian classics like Anna Karenina.
After 1966, she started performing in more modern plays. But she still loved her classic roles. From 1998 to 2000, she worked with the New Riga Theatre. There, she played the main role in The Queen of Spades.
Film Star and Recognition
Vija Artmane became a film star in 1956. She gained huge fame across the Soviet Union in 1963. This was for her role as Sonya in the film Blood Ties. Because of this role, people in Latvia started calling her "Mother-Latvia."
She had a successful film career throughout the 1960s, 70s, and 80s. Some of her notable film roles include Veda Kong in the science fiction movie Tumannost' Andromedy (1967). She also played Empress Catherine the Great in Yemelyan Pugachyov (1978).
In 1980, a documentary about her life called Conversation with the Queen was made.
Her Legacy and Awards
Vija Artmane is seen as a very important person in Latvian culture. She worked hard to protect and support Latvian heritage. She also promoted the use of the Latvian language in art and daily life.
She received many honors for her work. In 1965, she was named "People's Artist of the Latvian SSR." In 1969, she became a "People's Artist of the USSR."
In 1999, she received an award from the Latvian Ministry of Culture. This was for her amazing contributions to theatre and cinema. In 2003, she got a special Theatre Prize for her long career in Latvian culture. In 2007, she received the Order of the Three Stars. This is a high award for great service to Latvia.
An asteroid, 4136 Artmane, was even named after her!
Later Life and Passing
Vija Artmane was married to actor Artūrs Dimiters. They had two children: Kaspars Dimiters, a musician, and Kristiāna Dimitere, an artist.
Later in her life, Vija Artmane moved out of Riga to live in the countryside. In the early 2000s, she became a member of the Eastern Orthodox Church. In 2004, she wrote a book about her life and acting career.
Vija Artmane passed away on October 11, 2008, at the age of 79. She was buried in Pokrov Cemetery in Riga.
Filmography
- 1958 — Alien in the Village — Elsa
- 1962 — A Day Without an Evening — Kaire
- 1963 — Native Blood — Sonya
- 1963 — Introduction to Life — Neighbor
- 1964 — Rockets Shouldn't Take Off — Pearl
- 1966 — Edgar and Kristina — Kristina
- 1967 — Farhad's Feat — Vera
- 1967 — Nobody Wanted to Die — Ona
- 1967 — Strong with Spirit — Lydia Lisovskaya
- 1967 — The Andromeda Nebula — Veda Kong
- 1968 — Surveyor Times — Lien
- 1969 — Triple Check — Frau Greta
- 1969 — Rays in Glass — Iris
- 1970 — The Ballad of Bering and His Friends — Anna Bering
- 1972 — Spruce in the Rye — Dagmar
- 1973 — Gift to a Lonely Woman — Knepikha-Gita
- 1975 — The Arrows of Robin Hood — Kat
- 1976 — Master — Aina Petrovna
- 1977 — Exchange — Jadwiga Ziliuwiene
- 1978 — Pugachev — Catherine II
- 1978 — Theatre — Julia Lambert
- 1978 — Your Son — Mother
- 1980 — State Border — Zinaida Kirillovna
- 1981 — Investigation Established — Ruta Yanovna Graudina
- 1981 — The Larks — Gundega
- 1986 — The Secret of the Snow Queen — Mrs. Autumn
- 1987 — Man of the Retinue — Aglaya Andreevna
- 1987 — Moonzund — Frau Milykh
- 1990 — Hearse — Evgenia Andreevna
- 1990 — Only for Crazy — Zina
- 1991 — Love — Marina's grandmother
- 1999 — Kamenskaya — Regina Arkadievna Walter
- 2003 — Golden Age — Catherine II
Awards and Honours
- Honoured Artist of the Latvian SSR (1956)
- People's Artist of the Latvian SSR (1965)
- People's Artist of the USSR (1969)
- Order of Lenin (1979)
- Order of Friendship (Russia, 2004)
- Order of the Three Stars (October 22, 2007)
- Winner of the All-Union Film Festival (1964, 1968)
- Laureate of State Prize of the Latvian SSR (1980)
- Prize named Lilita Berzina (1987)
- Prize named Bertha Rumnietse (1996)
- Prize II All-Russian Festival "New Russian Cinema" (2001)
- Top award for lifelong contribution to Latvian arts (2003)
