POETESS Stanka Gjurić

start to write poems when she was nine years old. She was born in Čakovec (north of Croatia), and now she lives and works in Zagreb. She has received numerous literary awards for her poetry including the first and the second prize at "Goranovo proljeće" (she has won five awards at "Goranovo proljeće" altogether).
In 2007. she win a ZVONIMIR GOLOB poetry prize. Gjurić is a member of the Croatian Writer Association, and Croatian Independent Artist's Association and has achieved the status of a professional writer.

Her poems have been published in all major literary periodicals and twenty anthologies. In 1988. her works were printed in American Anthology of World Love poems: Love's greatest Treasures: Today's Poets Speak from the heart, published by the American Poetry Association in Santa Cruz, California.

To date she has published nine books (eight book of poems and one book of essay's):

The Seventh Seal (1981)
The Third Act (1983)
A boy (1986)
The turn-key's Dream (1990)
The Antidote or Fostering insanity (1994 and 1998)
The lesson of Impudence (essay's) (2000)
All that Glitters (2005)
Punisher of good Habits (2005)
Bešćutnost akvarela (2008)

Stanka also published an AUDIO CASSETTE (Croatia Records 1999) on which she recites her lines.

* In October 2005, in International literary competition in Italy, with title Tradition of my country, which organized Association Famiglia Veneta, she has been announced as one of the conqueror of competition, for her poem named "To a white fowers" .

* From 27. August to 02. September, Gjuric has been invited to The Third Festival "Woman creators of the two seas, the Mediterranean and the Black Sea" organized by the UNESCO’s Centre for women and peace . The main subject was Women and Tradition. Stanka took part the first day of the festival, in the panel discussion on the issue of ‘Female characters in contemporary culture’ which deals with the examination of stereotypes in literature, soaps, radio and television programmes, etc.

* In 2008 Stanka receive a prize for her video poem in XXIV InternationalNOSSIDE PRIZE 2008for poetry in Reggio Calabria
Professor Pasquale Amato emphasised that: “the Palace dedicated to the great philosopher from Stilo, will echo with verses coming from many different and faraway cultures, from the Andean Quechua, the ancient Inca language, to the dialect of Africo, from the Bisiaco of Friuli to the Tshiluba in Congo.  We will be able to get glimpes of cities such as Moscow and Zagreb and nostalgic images of Brazil through the video poetry.  We will hear musical poetry able to arouse the widest shades of emotions.  Poets and public will be immersed in the magic atmosphere of a Babel of languages and different forms of communications brought together by the Nosside Prize which is realising larger horizons in its progress towards its poetic utopia.”

The ceremony will end the fascinating progress that in 2008 saw the only global poetry competition for unpublished poetry develop in two parts: the “Journey from Reggio Calabria to the World”; and the “Journey of poets from the World to Reggio Calabria”.  The first part was a great success, with events in 13 cities in Europe and America, among them: Havana, Mexico City, New York, Moscow, Sao Paulo and Brasilia.  It was in Brasilia that the Nosside International Prize for Life Achievements was given to the Brazilian poet Thiago de Mello, a long time defender of the natural and cultural heritage of the Amazon rain forest.

The choice of winners and awards of the International Jury of the 2008 Nosside Prize, confirms its international reputation.  The President of the Jury was Giuseppe Amoroso (Italy), who chose the winners together with the following jury members: Teresa Maria Albano (Montenegro), Mayerin Bello Valdéz (Cuba), Giuseppe Cardello – Music (Italy), Ana Lourdes de Hériz (Spain), Janet Lewis (Italy, UK), Rosamaria Malafarina (Italy), Paolo Minuto - video (Italy),  Patricia Peterle (Brazil), Angelo Rizzi (France).  David Lecona Rodríguez (Mexico), Antonio Rossi (Italy).  Secretary general Mariela Johnson Salfrán (Cuba) and Secretary for Brazil and Portuguese Language: Rosalie Gallo (Brazil).

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As the author's spectrum of interest is rather broad, besides modeling she has tried her skills as an actress and acted in four feature films.

They were:

That Summer of White Roses (in english language with Rod Steiger, Tom Conti and Susan George), directed by Rajko Grlić
The Shell Roars, directed by Miro Međimorec
The right time directed by Oja Kodar
Here directed by Zrinko Ogresta
and TV series:
When is ringing, directed by Vlatka Vorkapić

Stanka also workd on Croatian Independent TV, and Croatian National Televizion in Show's Good afternoon, TV Courtroom and Metropolis.

She has worked with many journals: Tren, Svijet, Glorija, Slobodna Dalmacija, Hrvatsko slovo, Nedjeljna Dalmacija and Večernji list where she has an advisory column.

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SHORT FILMS (Film Festivals)

* In October '06. in "Festival of the First" in Zagreb Stanka's short movie "Ubojite misli" (on topic LANDMINES), werw selected to bee exhibit in Gallery Nova.
* From21 - 23 December she participate on the International film Festival for small and independent film and video productions
"Film Front" in Novi Sad (Serbia), where she win a Special jury award for her short film "Sleeping and dreaming".
* In March '07. she participate in Unesco - Paris DigiArtsAward Audio-vizual work dedicated to Zagreb.
* From 01 to 09th June 2007. her film "Ubojite misli" ("Battle Thoughts") were selected for Internation Film Festival AluCine Toronto (Canada), where she win a Honorable Mention Award
* Stanka Gjuric winn a 1st prize for her short film "Spavanje i sanjanje" ("Sleeping and Dreaming") in International Video festival Electric rats dream video dreams in Celje, Slovenia (June '07).
* In the same month the same film "Ubojite misli" were selected for International Festival of short film Mostar (Bosnia and Herzegovina), where Stanka also win a 1st prize
* Stanka is also a winner of “The Prophecy” Entry Level contest, with her short film "Eleven" in Filmaka online competition in Los Angeles (USA)
* In October ’07. Stanka’s short film “Ubojite misli” (“Battle Thoughts”) are selected for International Environmental Film Festival Cinemambiente in Torino (Italy)
* Her short film “Ubojite misli” (Battle thoughts”) was also selected for International CineEco Enviromental Film Festival in Seia (Portugal), in October ’07.
* From 22.10.-11.11. Stanka was invited to participate in “Amala” Media and Light arts - artist workshop and cultural event in Alexandria (Egypt) where she show her two short films and instalation in exhibitions opened in Goethe Insitute and Atelier of Alexandria.
* In January 2008 Stanka's film "Ubojite misli" were selected for International MedAward, Environmental Film Festival in Spain
* "Ubojite misli" were also selected for International Film Festival EcoFilms Rodos (June 2008)
* "Ubojite misli" were also invited to be presented in La Casa Encendida in Madrid (Spain),
and in Lausanne Festival Open Aier de Mon Repos, in July 2008
* “Ubojite misli” were selected for program “Focus” in International Short film Festival Silhouette in Paris (France) in September 2008
* Stanka’s short film “The Sound of Life” was selected for program “Aquascope” in Film Festival Voices from the Waters  in Bangalore (India) in September 2008, for which Festival (the main program) was also selected a film “Dessica” , a short film based on the idea of a US scientist David Madasci, which Gjuric made during her last year stay at the culturel event“Media and light Arts” in Alexandria (Egypt).
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Many literate critics and writers like Vlado Gotovac, Nikola Milićević, Alojz Majetić, Tonko Maroević, Arsen Dedić, Igor Mandić, Mladen Machiedo, Nedjeljko Mihanović, Zlatko Tomičić, Božidar Petrač, etc. have commented on Stanka's poetry.
Here is something from what some of tham said: "Even now chips are real, devoted citations in lyrical transformations. Some of the collage survives. Exactly this is painful because it reveals the weak and unprotected inner side that remains somnolent. Pure cruelty thrives revealing its presence and its moves with the strength and grief of disablement. The lyricism therefore seems even more unreal and its persistence is transforming into a discreet charm of bravery which would, without affliction, bring cynicism."

* * * * * * "The world that this poet expresses stems mostly from a tragic feeling of life consisting of eternal human quest for something decent enough to fulfill a thirsty human soul."

* * * * * * "In her fourth book of poetry Stanka Gjurić speaks even more consistently of existential traumatism, of "being thrown into the world", into the very center of horror vacui in which violently grown up children struggle. Gjurić perceives the world as if it had been created by someone else, someone with a diabolic intention and imagination. This world is set and so unalterable that even an escape to childhood or to the postponent of adulthood cannot be realized.
Internal solitude is definitely incurable. Possible intimacy, no matter how desired, cannot be reached because other people are only passers-by."

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"Writing out her view of the world Stanka Gjurić steers her verses off the current literary mainstream. The view is so unusual, deprived of the reflex of contemporaneity, coarseness and evil and fully exclusive to the so-called "world issues".

* * * * * * "The poet does not only live love, she does not only question it, but she constantly analyses and interprets is as wel. For a poet, more bodily love is insufficient. It is in the mind where it all takes place, it is both the spring and the mouth of every yearning and every experience. This is why her spirits is the mirror of her body in which she observes all that is happening and this is as interesting as the jungles of the Amazon or forgotten vaileys of Ceylon, the unknown races and beasts or plants that haunted H. Blavatsky as well."

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BIOGRAFIA (SUCCINTA) IN ITALIANO
Stanka Gjurić e nata a Čakovec nella Croazia settentrionale. Da alcuni anni vive a Zagabria, collabora a giornali (in qualche rubrica fissa) e riviste letterarie. Ha pubblicato finora otto sillogi poetiche in croato: “Il settimo sigillo”, “Terzo atto”, “Il faneiullo”, “Il sogno del tesoriere”, “Contraveleno o coltivazione della follia”, "Tutto che brilla", "Punitore di buono abitudine", audio cassetta di poesia erotica, e un libro di saggi: “La lezione sulla sfacciataggine”.
Le sono stati conferiti cinque premi nazionali per la poesia, lei e anche Vincitrice di Premio Nosside in 2008 (Reggio Calabria, Italia). Figura in varie Antologie nazionali e straniere, compresane una americana di poesia universale edita a Santa Cruz in California (88.).
E anche attrice cinematografica (tra i suoi ruoli quello nel “L'estate delle Rose Bianche” di Grlić).