{{Short description|Slovenian film actress and beauty queen (1907-1979)}} {{Infobox person | name = Ita Rina | image = Ita Rina 1928-29.jpg | alt = | caption = Ita Rina, ca. 1928/1929 | birth_name = Italina Lida Kravanja | birth_date = {{birth date|df=yes|1907|07|07}} | birth_place = Divača, Gorizia and Gradisca, Austria-Hungary | death_date = {{death date and age|df=yes|1979|05|10|1907|07|07}} | death_place = Budva, SR Montenegro, SFR Yugoslavia | years_active = 1927–1939, 1960 | occupation = Actress | spouse = {{marriage|Miodrag Đorđević|1931}} | children = 2 }} '''Tamara Đorđević''' (born '''Italina Lida Kravanja'''; 7 July 1907 – 10 May 1979), known professionally as '''Ita Rina''', was a Slovenian film actress and beauty queen. She was one of the major film stars in Germany and Czechoslovakia in the late 1920s and the early 1930s. Rina retired from her career shortly after her wedding in 1931, when she changed her religion from Roman Catholic to Serbian Orthodox and her name to '''Tamara Đorđević'''.
== Early life and modeling career (1907–1926) == Ita Rina was born on 7 July 1907 in the small town of Divača (then Austro-Hungarian Empire, later Yugoslavia, now Slovenia) as Italina Lida Kravanja.<ref name="PZ">''Politikin zabavnik'': [http://politikin-zabavnik.rs/pz/tekstovi/obozavana-i-proklinjana Obožavana i proklinjana: Ita Rina, naša prva filmska zvezda] {{webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20091201022723/http://politikin-zabavnik.rs/pz/tekstovi/obozavana-i-proklinjana |date=1 December 2009 }} (31 October 2009)</ref> She was called Ida Kravanja for short.<ref name="PZ"/> The first daughter of Jožef and Marija Kravanja, Rina had a younger sister Danica.<ref name="PZ"/> Shortly after the outbreak of the World War I, the family moved to Ljubljana, where Rina matriculated in 1923. She was not a good student; she repeated the third grade of elementary school.<ref name="PZ"/> However, her dream was to be an actress.
In October 1926, ''Slovenski narod'' (Slovenian People) magazine organized a beauty pageant, and Rina entered the competition.<ref name="PZ"/> She was crowned Miss Slovenia and was to travel to the final event for Miss Yugoslavia, which was supposed to be held on 20 December 1926 in Zagreb.<ref name="PZ"/> However, her mother did not want to let her go to Zagreb. After a group visit from the Slovenian delegation, Marija Kravanja relented. Unfortunately, when Rina arrived in Zagreb, the jury was already choosing the most beautiful of three finalists.<ref name="PZ"/> She was, however, noticed by Adolf Müller, the owner of ''Balkan Palace'' cinema in Zagreb. He immediately sent her photographs to German film producer Peter Ostermayer.<ref name="PZ"/><ref name="YU">''YU FIPRESCI'': [http://www.sfipresci.org/tekstovi_Ita_Rina_Erdeljanovic.htm Međunarodna federacija filmskih kritičara: Ita Rina] ''(7 July 2007)''</ref> As her mother did not want to let her go to Berlin, Rina ran away from home.<ref name="PZ"/>
== Film breakthrough and success (1927–1939) == thumb|Ita Rina in 1928 or 1929 Rina arrived in Berlin in 1927.<ref name="PZ"/><ref name="YU"/><ref name="Politika">''Politika'': [http://www.naslovi.net/2007-07-10/mondo/politika-ita-rina-diva-iz-ukrstenih-reci/405923 Ita Rina, diva iz ukrštenih reči] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120222045010/http://www.naslovi.net/2007-07-10/mondo/politika-ita-rina-diva-iz-ukrstenih-reci/405923 |date=22 February 2012 }} (10 July 2007)</ref> Shortly after she had her first audition, following which she had classes in acting, diction, dancing, driving and riding.<ref name="YU"/> She made her debut in the 1927 film ''What Do Children Hide from Their Parents'', directed by Franz Osten.<ref name="YU"/> After several small film roles in 1927 and 1928, the critics finally noticed her in the 1928 film ''The Last Supper''.<ref name="YU"/> The same year, Rina met her future husband Miodrag Đorđević, a student.<ref name="PZ"/> Her big breakthrough came the following year, in the film ''Erotikon'', directed by Gustav Machatý.<ref name="PZ"/><ref name="YU"/><ref name="Politika"/> She starred in the leading female role, Andrea. The great success of the film upset some moral and Christian organizations.<ref name="PZ"/> The Catholic theologian Abbot Bethlem wrote: "... First, they lie next to each other, and then on top of each other... It is true that the covering hides their figures, but it certainly does not hide their movements... The face of each protagonist is shown in close-up, especially Ita's face... A viewer can recognize her excitement, then her expression of apprehension mixed with longing, then pain and finally... I blush while describing the scenes".<ref name="PZ"/> This was, however, the best advertisement for the film, and the beginning of Rina's career.<ref name="PZ"/>
In 1930, Rina acted in three films, most notable being the first talking Czech film ''Tonka of the Gallows'', which is often named her best role.<ref name="YU"/> Meanwhile, she married Miodrag Đorđević in 1931, and changed her religion from Roman Catholic to Serbian Orthodox.<ref name="PZ"/><ref name="YU"/><ref name="Politika"/> Rina was baptised in the Russian Orthodox Church, and also got her new Orthodox name, Tamara Đorđević.<ref name="PZ"/><ref name="YU"/><ref name="Politika"/> "I wanted to be named Ljubica, but the Russian priest would not allow that name. He proposed to me the Russian variety, Ljubov, but I refused it. So, I was named Tamara", Rina stated about her change of name.<ref name="PZ"/> The same year, Rina was given an offer from Hollywood, but her husband forced her to choose between her career and their marriage; Rina chose to stay with him.<ref name="PZ"/><ref name="YU"/> Although she had announced her retirement from her film career, she acted until the outbreak of World War II. Her last prewar film was crime drama ''Zentrale Rio''.<ref name="PZ"/>
== Marriage, later years and death (1940–1979) == After she left her film career, Rina and her husband settled in Belgrade.<ref name="PZ"/><ref name="YU"/><ref name="Politika"/> In 1940, she gave birth to their son Milan.<ref name="PZ"/> After the bombing of Belgrade in 1941, the family moved to Vrnjačka Banja, where Rina gave birth to a daughter, Tijana.<ref name="PZ"/><ref name="YU"/> They moved back to Belgrade after the end of World War II in 1945. Although she was promised several roles in Yugoslav films, all projects were cancelled.<ref name="PZ"/><ref name="YU"/> After receipt of a letter she had written to President Tito, Rina began working as a co–production advisor in Avala Film.<ref name="PZ"/> She returned to the silver screen once, in the 1960 film ''Atomic War Bride'', directed by Veljko Bulajić.<ref name="PZ"/><ref name="YU"/> This was her last role.
As she suffered from asthma, Rina and her husband moved to Budva (then Yugoslavia, now Montenegro) in 1967.<ref name="PZ"/><ref name="YU"/> There, she took care of her husband, who was ill with sclerosis.<ref name="PZ"/> Rina died on 10 May 1979 from an asthmatic attack.<ref name="PZ"/><ref name="YU"/><ref name="Politika"/> She was buried a few days later in Belgrade, in the presence of numerous film artists, admirers, friends and family.<ref name="PZ"/><ref name="YU"/><ref name="Politika"/>
== Filmography == {| class="wikitable" style="font-size:100%;" ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Year ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Title ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Format ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Role ! style="background:#B0C4DE;" | Notes |- | rowspan="2" | 1927 | ''Was die Kinder ihren Eltern verschweigen'' | Film | | |- | ''Two Under the Stars'' | Film | | |- | rowspan="2" | 1928 | ''Because I Love You'' | Film | | |- | ''Theatre'' | Film | Maria | |- | rowspan="4" | 1929 | ''Wilde Ehen'' | Film | | |- | ''Erotikon'' | Film | Andrea | |- | ''Spring Awakening'' | Film | Ilse | |- | ''Disgrace'' | Film | Marta Holanová | |- | rowspan="3" | 1930 | ''Tonka of the Gallows'' | Film | Tonka Šibenice | |- | ''Der Walzerkönig'' | Film | Seine Tochter | |- | ''Kire lained'' | Film | Betty | |- | rowspan="2" | 1933 | ''Život teče dalje'' | Film | | |- | ''Song of the Black Mountains'' | Film | Jela Gruić | |- | 1935 | ''A život jde dál'' | Film | Marie | |- | 1937 | ''The Coral Princess'' | Film | Anka, Vukowitsch' Pflegetochter | |- | 1939 | ''Central Rio'' | Film | Chiquita Salieri | |- | 1960 | ''Atomic War Bride'' | Film | Mother | |}
== References == {{reflist|2}}
== External links == {{commons category}} *{{IMDb name|0727340|Ita Rina}} *[http://film.virtual-history.com/person.php?personid=1143 Photographs of Ita Rina] * {{Find a Grave|8034756}}
{{Divača |state=collapsed}}
{{Authority control}}
{{DEFAULTSORT:Rina, Ita}} Category:1907 births Category:1979 deaths Category:People from Divača Category:Deaths from asthma Category:Slovenian female models Category:Slovenian film actresses Category:Slovenian silent film actresses Category:Converts to Eastern Orthodoxy from Roman Catholicism Category:Eastern Orthodox Christians from Slovenia Category:Yugoslav actresses Category:20th-century Slovenian actresses