Ljubica Adžović

Ljubica Adžović (born 1924, Bar, Yugoslavia – died 23 May 2006, Montenegro) was a Yugoslav and Montenegrin fortune-teller of Romani descent, best known for her performances in Emir Kusturica's films Time of the Gypsies (1989) and Black Cat, White Cat (1998).
==Biografy==
Ljubica Adžović, born in 1924 in Bar, Montenegro. (then part of Yugoslavia), was the daughter of Pašo and Rukija and the mother of nine children. She made her living as a fortune-teller on the beach of Sutomore
Her life took a sudden turn in the summer of 1987 when she was discovered by a film crew working with Emir Kusturica. The crew was searching for non-professional actors to cast in Kusturica's film Time of the Gypsies and found Adžović in a vineyard near Sutomore, in Suvi Potok.. This encounter marked the beginning of her unexpected acting career.
In an interview during the filming of Time of the Gypsies, Adžović reflected on the sudden change in her life: "He (Emir Kusturica, Ed.) liked me, and overnight, I became an actress. I'm illiterate, but that's not a problem — I learn the text by heart. I might even make some money, because I am a poor woman. I feed nine children with social assistance of only three million and eight hundred thousand dinars. You ask where we live? In a wooden house, smaller than the one used in the film. That's why the children say, 'Go play, mother, earn some dinars so we can fix the roof over our heads'".
Kusturica himself praised Adžović’s emotional depth, noting that after few screen tests, she achieved the level of performance he envisioned for the role of the grandmother in Time of the Gypsies. Despite her lack of formal training, Adžović's inexperience in front of the camera lent a natural authenticity to her portrayals, enhancing the realism of her characters.
Although she was offered other acting roles, Adžović remained loyal to Kusturica and declined to work with other directors. She ultimately returned to her original profession as a fortune-teller on the Sutomore beach. Her role as the Romani grandmother in Time of the Gypsies (1989) and later in Black Cat, White Cat (1998), where she appeared alongside Branka Katić, established her as a key figure in cinematic portrayals of Romani culture in the 20th century.
After living in Sweden from 1998 and in France from 2001, Adžović returned to Montenegro in 2005. She passed away on May 23, 2006, following a brief illness. Upon her death, Kusturica expressed profound sadness, noting that working with her on Time of the Gypsies and Black Cat, White Cat were among the most thrilling experiences of his career. He described Adžović as a unique talent, stating that every scene they filmed together was an invaluable experience for him as a director.
==Filmography==
Year	Title 	Role
1989	Time of the Gypsies 	Grandmother Khatidža
1998	Black Cat, White Cat	Sujka
==Controversies==
In 2006, shortly before her death, Ljubica Adžović was mistakenly implicated in a child trafficking case. This accusation was the result of an error by the Tanjug news agency, which had confused her with another person of the same name. The allegation was subsequently proven to be unfounded.
==Request for Asylum==
In June 2001, Ljubica Adžović sought asylum in the Rhône region of France, citing death threats from the mafia as the reason for her flight. According to her testimony to French authorities, the mafia had extorted money from her and destroyed her home in Montenegro. Adžović stated that she had traveled to Rhône via Italy and Albania, seeking refuge in France with the hope of securing "water, bread, and a house to live in peace"
Category:1924 births
Category:2006 deaths
Category:People from Bar, Montenegro
Category:Yugoslav people