site.bta80th Birth Anniversary of Actress Katya Paskaleva

Thursday, September 18, marks the 80th anniversary of actress Katya Paskaleva (1945-2002), one of the most beloved figures in Bulgarian theatre and cinema. “Talent is needed to create art. But in addition to talent, kindness is also needed,” once said the actress. 

Katya Paskaleva was born on September 18, 1945, in Petrich. Her first artistic performances were in her childhood, when her family moved to Pernik.

As a schoolgirl, Paskaleva performed at the local theatre. Her father passed away in her arms and with his last words encouraged her to pursue an acting career. In 1963, after a magnificent performance of Juliet's monologue, Paskaleva became one of 15 girls selected from among more than a thousand in a competition for admission to the Krustyo Sarafov Higher Institute of Theatre Arts (currently called the National Academy for Theatre and Film Arts (NATFA).

Katya Paskaleva's class was taught by Prof. Boyan Danovski, Stefan Sarchadzhiev, and Metodi Andonov, and her classmates included Stefan Danailov, Stefan Mavrodiev, Rusi Chanev, Milen Penev, Sonya Markova, and Elena Rainova. After graduating from the institute in 1967, the young actress was assigned to Dobrich, and after a short stay, she went to Plovdiv. In 1969, she settled at the Konstantin Velichkov Drama Theatre in Pazardzhik, where she performed for seven years. Her stage career moved to Sofia, where she performed at the Sofia Drama Theatre (1976-1984) and the Aleko Konstantinov State Satirical Theatre.

ROLES

Her theatre roles included her performances in Yordan Yovkov's Albena, Krustyo Drenski's Kaliakra, Vera in Samuel Alyoshin's Diplomat, Rosalind in Shakespeare's As You Like It, Yonka Karabayeva in Lozan Strelkov's Meeting, Vela in Anton Strashimirov's Vampire, Ivana in Stefan Tsanev's Saturday 23, Lavinia from Shakespeare's Titus Andronicus, Nina Zarechnaya from Chekhov's The Seagull, Varvara from Gorky's The Summerfolk.

Paskaleva also participated in television theatre productions – Madame Sans Gene by Victorien Sardou and Above Sea Level by Ivan Radoev.

In cinema, she played the iconic role of Maria in The Goat Horn (1972), directed by Metodiy Andonov, Hristina in Ivan Kondarev (1974), Stefka in Villa Zone (1975), and Tana in Matriarchy (1977), and many more.

THE UNKNOWN KATYA PASKALEVA

Katya Paskaleva's watercolor paintings are little known. They have been shown in posthumous exhibitions. Three of her portraits, painted by Zlatyu Boyadjiev, are also well known. This manifestation of her talent, as well as the actress's bohemian lifestyle, are described in several biographical books and films about her and her first husband, the famous Plovdiv artist Georgi “Slona” (“”The Elephant”) Bozhilov

The first book about Katya Paskaleva was written by her second husband, director Ivan Rosenov. Paper Squares was published in 2003 and contains her watercolors, as well as the notes the actress made on pieces of paper from her notebook from June 1 to July 21, 2002, in the Lozenets Hospital, when she lost her voice and was battling illness. In this notebook, Katya Paskaleva sent her last messages to her loved ones and the world.

RECOGNITION

In 2016, Katya Paskaleva's classmates from Pernik created a foundation in the actress's name to support talented artists. The foundation placed a commemorative plaque on the building of the high school where she studied.

In 2023, the Sofia City Council decided to name a street in the Vitosha district after her.

Paskaleva was awarded the title of Honored Artist in August 1974. For her role in the film The Goat Horn, she won the award for Best Actress at the 10th International Film Festival in Panama in 1972, the Femina award in Brussels, Belgium, and an award for her contribution to the development of world cinema from the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival in Czechoslovakia in 1976.

In the same year, she received an award for Best Actress from the Golden Rose Festival in Varna for the film Villa Zone. In 1981, she was awarded for acting mastery by the Union of Artists in Bulgaria, and in 1986, she received an award for best actress from the Union of Bulgarian Film Artists for her role in the film Memory. In 1987, she won an award for supporting female role in the film Eva on the Third Floor at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival, and in 1991, she was awarded the Askeer Award for leading female role. In December 1995, she received the award for best actress from the Union of Bulgarian Filmmakers for her roles in the films The Forbidden Fruit and Rolling Stones.

Paskaleva passed away on July 23, 2002, after battling cancer for two years.