# Miroslav Benka

Miroslav Benka (Serbian Cyrillic: Мирослав Бенка; born April 22, 1956) is a Serbian screenwriter, actor, director and designer.

## Life and work

Benka was born in Ašanja, Vojvodina, Serbia to a Slovak family. He graduated from the College of Applied Arts in Design and the Acting Department of the Academy of Arts in Novi Sad|Academy of Arts in Novi Sad (Akademija umetnosti u Novom Sadu). Benka also graduated from the Directing Department of the University of Arts in Belgrade (Fakultet dramskih umetnosti univeziteta u Beogradu).
He was a guest professor at the Academy of Performing Arts in Bratislava and the International University in Novi Pazar, and artistic director of the City Drama Theatre (Mestké divadlo) in Žilina, Slovakia, the National Theatre Sterija in Vrsac and the Vrsac Autumn Theatre Festival. Benka has directed 60 productions by classical and contemporary playwrights, documentaries, advertisements, television programs, music videos, radio dramas and the multimedia project Lux in Tenebris at Bojnice Castle (Zámok Bojnice).
Benka has performed at the Belgrade International Theatre Festival (BITEF) in 1991 and 2004, the Novi Sad Sterija Theatre Festival (Sterijino Pozorje) in 1995 and 1998, the Vojvodina Theatre Festival (Susret profesionalnih pozorišta Vojvodine) in 1991, 1995, 1996, 1998, 1999 and 2001, the Vrsac Autumn Theatre Festival (Vršačka pozorišna jesen) in 1994, 1996, 1998, 2001 and 2002, the Sarajevo Theatre Festival (MESS) in 1991 and 2004, the Ljubljana Theatre Festival in 2006, the 1991 Zagreb Dance Week Festival (Tjedan suvremenog plesa), the 1998 Užice Yugoslav Theatre Festival (Jugoslovenski pozoišni festival u Užicu), the Prešov Slovak Theatre Festival in 1994 and 1995, the International Theatre Festival (Divadelná Nitra) in 1992 and 1995, the 2012 Touches and Connections Theatre Festival (Dotyky a spojenia), the 2013 International Theatre Festival (Kotor Art) and Herceg Novi Summer Festival (Herceg Fest). He has contributed to S.O.S. (1991), Soft Dreams (Mäkké Sny, 1994), Bread and Circuses (Panem et Circenses, 2004), Painted in Frost (Maľované inovaťou, 2008) and Images of My World (Obrazy môjho sveta, 2009).
He has exhibited work at the World Stage Design Exhibition during the Prague Quadrennial. Other exhibitions include the Museum of Art and Crafts in Belgrade and the Triennial of Theatre Scenography and Costume Design in Novi Sad.

## As director

* 1991: S.O.S. (Save Our Souls) by Miroslav Benka
* 1994: Lux in Tenebris by Bertolt Brecht
* 1994: Soft Dreams (Mäkké sny) by Miroslav Benka
* 1998: Kamen za pod glavu by Milica Novković
* 2004: Bread and Circuses (Panem et Circenses) by Miroslav Benka
* 2008: Painted in Frost (Oslikano injem) by Miroslav Benka
* 2009: Images of My World (Slike moga sveta) by Miroslav Benka
* 2010: On the Wings of Dreams by Miroslav Benka
* 2011: Abode/Bydlisko/Boraviste by Miroslav Benka
* 2012: Days of Einstein's Dreams by Miroslav Benka
* 2022: Tesla, light in time by Miroslav Benka

## Awards

* 1991: Jurislav Korenić best young director award (MESS, Sarajevo)
* 1991: Best experiment in contemporary theatre award (MESS, Sarajevo)
* 1994: State Prize for direction (Soft Dreams; Union of Dramatic Artists of Slovakia, Bratislava)
* 1994: Best Director (2nd Vrsac Autumn Theatre Festival, Vršac)
* 1995: Best Director (45th Festival of Professional Theatre of Vojvodina, Vršac)
* 1995: RTVBG – RTVNS Award of National TV RTS, Belgrade
* 1998: Best Director (48th Festival of Professional Theatre of Vojvodina, Sremska Mitrovica)
* 1999: Golden Mark of Union of Culture and Education, Belgrade
* 2001: Special Award for Directing and Dramaturgy (51st Festival of Professional Theatre of Vojvodina, Vršac)
* 2001: Best Scenography (51st Festival of Professional Theatre of Vojvodina, Vrsac)
* 2006: Grand Prix (24th Fajr International Theater Festival)
* 2007: Best Scenography (19th Cairo International Festival for Experimental Theatre)
* 2016: Honorary member of the Association of Slovak Writers (SSS), Bratislava
* 2017: Medal of Culture for Multiculturalism and Interculturalism of the Institute for Culture of Vojvodina Miloš Crnjanski, Nový Sad
* 2022: Recognition for the highest contribution to the national culture, ie the culture of national minorities, Ministry of Culture of the Republic of Serbia, Belgrade