Celebrating the 90th Anniversary of Bulgarian Actor, Itzhak Fintsi: Star Roles, Theater Education, and More

For a theater or film to be good, or anything worthwhile, you really have to play with good actors. And you have to want to play with good actors. Only then things go right – when the partner is good. The words are those of Itzhak Fintsi, a few days ago, in the “Odeon” cinema, where the short film “Vera” (2012, director – Lisa Boeva, screenplay – Lisa Boeva ​​and Itzhak Fintsi) was presented, BTA recalls.

Today, the great Bulgarian actor celebrates his 90th birthday.

April 20, 2023. Yitzhak Fintsi at the Odeon cinema, where the 90th anniversary of the great actor was celebrated at a special event (Photo: BTA)

“I don’t live with memories. This activity that Lisa and I are doing at Philizi 33 inspires me a lot and makes me feel needed and important,” says Finzi. I think it’s really worth it to dedicate yourself to an education in art, to an education in understanding – to understand what is really beautiful and valuable, he adds.

“Because, for myself, I can say that I missed this field when I was young. The fact that now I am given the opportunity to devote myself, I like it very much. It gives me tone, it gives me energy,” says the actor.

April 20, 2023. At the Odeon cinema, the 90th anniversary of Yitzhak Finzi was celebrated at a special event with a screening of the short film “Vera” (2012), directed by Lisa Boeva, screenplay by Lisa Boeva ​​and Yitzhak Finzi. In the photo Itzhak Fintsi and Zlatna Kostova (Photo: BTA)

In 2009, his first book was published. It premiered on August 31, 2009 during the 25th edition of “Apollonia”. The autobiography with a record long title – “The Motorcycle. Romulus the Great. Naive. Back then, in Sao Paulo. What am I to Peter Brook? Bobo and other readings”.

The actor has two children from two marriages. His first wife is the pianist Gina Tabakova, with whom they are the parents of the actor Samuel Fintsi. From his second wife – Lisa Boeva, he has a daughter – Matilda, born in April 2017.

THE BEGINNING, THE VIOLIN…

April 1, 2023. Itsko Fintsi at the April Fool’s Day concert in the “Bulgaria” Hall (Photo: BTA)

Yitzhak Samuel Fintsi was born on April 25, 1933 in Sofia. His father, Samuel Fintsi, was a theater actor and reciter. Directed self-made theater productions in Sofia and the countryside. After 1944 he was engaged in trade. His parents wanted him to become a violinist, so he took violin lessons from the age of 7. “We had a radio and then my parents told me to listen to Huberman play. They wanted me to become the greatest violinist in the world,” says the actor.

For the first time in a theatrical performance, the future actor played in the funhouse. He is one of the seven dwarfs near Snow White. He remembers about the role:

“I’m sure I was a little bit in love with Snow White herself, and I felt a lot of trepidation about being in the picture next to her and touching so lightly somehow that she put her hand on my shoulder. Things like that mattered.”

April 1, 2023. Itsko Fintsi at the April Fool’s Day concert in the “Bulgaria” Hall (Photo: BTA)

STAR CLASS, STAR ROLES

Itzhak Fintsi is one of the most original Bulgarian artists who can transform into anything. In 1950, he graduated from the Third Men’s High School, and in 1955 from the Higher Institute of Acting (VITIZ) “Krastyo Sarafov” in the class of Stefan Sarchadzhiev together with the actors Grigor Vachkov, Tatyana Lolova, Nikola Anastasov, Dosi Dosev, Emilia Radeva , Hindo Kasimov, Yuri Yakovlev. After graduation, Yitzhak Fintsi was assigned to the theater in Dimitrovgrad, where he joined a group with the directors Krastyo Doinov and Nikolay Gunov.

April 1, 2023. Itsko Fintsi at the April Fool’s Day concert in the “Bulgaria” Hall (Photo: BTA)

Before the three years of assignment in Dimitrovgrad were over, Itzhak Fintsi moved to the Drama Theater in Burgas in 1957 at the invitation of the director Metodi Andonov, where he worked together with Leon Daniel, Vili Tsankov and Yulia Ognyanova.

He plays together with actors Ivan Kondov, Petar Slabakov, Dosyo Dosev, Rositsa Danailova, Asen Angelov. From 1960 to 1966, Yitzhak Fintsi played on the stage of the State Satirical Theater in Sofia. His longest working experience – 20 years – was on the stage of the “Sofia” theater, where he played from 1966 to 1988.

Photo: BulFoto

Among the roles they perform there are Bezsemenev from “Guilds” by Maxim Gorky, Romulus from “Romul the Great”, Azdak and Puntila from “Brechtiada”, Tochilko in “As You Like It”.

After 1989, the actor played on the stage of the Small City Theater “Behind the Canal” in Sofia. Itzhak Fintsi played for two years on the stage of the Youth Theater (now the Youth Theater “Nikolay Binev”), Theater “199” and Theater Workshop “Sfumato”.

April 20, 2023. Itzhak Fintsi with his wife Lisa Boeva ​​at the Odeon cinema, where the great actor’s 90th birthday was celebrated at a special event (Photo: BTA)

CINEMA DEBUT – AGAIN “STAR”

He made his film debut in 1958 in the film “Stars”, in which he played the role of a Greek Jew. The film won the special prize of the jury in Cannes and a bunch of other international awards.

Photo: BulFoto

Yitzhak Finzi has acted in more than 70 films. After them are “The Sea” (1967), “Birds and Hounds” (1969), “The End of the Song” (1971), “Colorful World: Naked Conscience” (1971), “The Third After the Sun” (1972), “The Big victory” (1973), “Poor Summer” (1973), “Escape to Ropotamo” (1973), “The Last Word” (1973), “Counting the Wild Rabbits” (1973), “Houses Without Fences” (1974), My Painter Father (1974), The Wardrobe, TV Movie (1974), Clear (1974), Villa Zone (1975), Cricket in the Ear (1976), Sunstroke (1977 ), “The Morning is Unique” (1978), “Hear the Rooster” (1978), “On the Trail of the Missing” (1979), “The Airman” (1980), “Chontvari” (1980), “Our Shoshkanini” ( 1982), “The Great Love of D. Lukov” (1982), “Elegy” (1982), “Master for a Day” (1983), “Konstantin the Philosopher” (1983), “The Way of the Musicians” (1985), ” Romantic Story” (1985), “Feature” (1985), “Only You, Heart” (1987), “The Patilata of Spas and Nelly” (1987), “I, the Countess” (1989), “Divorces, Divorces… .” (1989), “The Foreign Nephew” (1990), “The Camp” (1990), “Walks with the Angel” (1990), “The Restless Lovebird” (1990), “The Mark of Humanity” (1991), ” Reserve” (1991), “Calvary” (1993), “Fatal Tenderness” (1993), “Late Full Moon” (1996), “All From Zero” (1996), (1997), “A Day and a Half in the Life of Margarita ” (1998), “Operation Delta Force 4”, “Cherry Orchard” (1999), “Dog Boarding House” (2000), “City of Fear” (2001), “Destiny as a Rat” (2001), “The Rebellion” (2001), “Barefoot” (2004), “Stolen Eyes” (2004), “March” (2006), “The Keeper of the Dead” (2006), “Vatanen’s Rabbit” (2006), “The Lark Farm” ( 2007), “Small Talk” (2007), “Fly with Rocinant” (2007), “The Bonito Migration” (2011).

April 20, 2023. At the Odeon cinema, the 90th anniversary of Yitzhak Finzi was celebrated at a special event with a screening of the short film “Vera” (2012), directed by Lisa Boeva, screenplay by Lisa Boeva ​​and Yitzhak Finzi. In the photo Itzhak Fintsi and Rashko Mladenov (Photo: BTA)

THE CONFESSION

The actor has been honored with numerous Bulgarian and international awards. On December 28, 1997, he was awarded the “Best Actor of 1997” award of the Union of Bulgarian Filmmakers. On May 24, 1993, he received the “Askeer” for lifetime achievement, and on March 27, 2003, the “Icarus” of the Union of Artists in Bulgaria for lifetime achievement. In 2000, he received the “Apollon Toxophoros” award of the “Apollonia” foundation for his remarkable presence on the theater stage.

April 20, 2023. At the Odeon cinema, the 90th anniversary of Yitzhak Finzi was celebrated at a special event with a screening of the short film “Vera” (2012), directed by Lisa Boeva, screenplay by Lisa Boeva ​​and Yitzhak Finzi. In the photo Yitzhak Fintsi and Lilia Abadazhieva (Photo: BTA)

On May 23, 2004, President Georgi Parvanov awarded him the “Stara Planina” order (first degree) on the occasion of May 24 – the Day of Bulgarian Education and Culture and of Slavic Writing. On May 12, 2003, Yitzhak Fintsi was awarded the title “Honorary Citizen of Sofia”, and on March 7, 2013, he received the Sofia Award of the Sofia Municipality for overall contribution to world cinema.

2009 Itsko Finci and friends on stage (Photo: BulFoto)