Josip Pejaković, one of the greatest actors and writers of Bosnia and Herzegovina, passed away last night at the age of 78.
He was born on March 5, 1948 in Travnik. He graduated from acting in Sarajevo in the class of Kaća Dorić and Josip Lešić, making his debut in the plays “Three Sisters” and “Concert in the Egg of Arabala”.
He was engaged at the National Theatre of Sarajevo from 1970 to 2013, where he performed more than 50 premiere roles.
He is one of the winners of the prestigious Golden Laurel Wreath for his contribution to theatre at the MESS Festival in 2018.
He became famous for his monodramas: “He Has No Bosnia for Me”, “Oj life” and “O, refugee”.
He played minor but notable roles in television series and films such as: The Eighth Offensive, “Deaf Gunpowder” (Bahrudin Čengić, 1990), “The Perfect Circle” (Ademir Kenović, 1997) and others. He is a member of the New Flame Council.
The sad news of his death was first shared by his son, Dejan Pejaković.
The Chairman of the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina Željko Komšić sent a telegram of condolences to the family of Josip Pejaković on the occasion of his death, the Presidency of Bosnia and Herzegovina announced.
“It was with deep regret that I received the news of the passing of our Josip Pejaković, a man whose words, roles and works marked an era of Bosnian art. He was more than an actor and a writer- he was the voice of the people, a witness of a rich and powerful time, a fighter for truth and culture,” the telegram states.
According to Komšić, his monodramas, his energy on stage, as well as his dedication to preserving the identity of Bosnia and Herzegovina, will remain forever etched in the memory of our society.
In his silence, a loud message remained – about the country he loved, the people he belonged to and the values he tirelessly stood for.
“To the Pejaković family and everyone who loved and respected Josip, I offer my most sincere condolences,” said Komšić.
