Book Promotion

It Was Worth - Monograph dedicated to Gordana Đurđević Dimić

Author of the monograph: Jovanka Simić, journalist

The monograph It Was Worth It, through which the Serbian National Theatre pays tribute to Gordana Đurđević Dimić, a leading actress of its Drama ensemble, for four decades of loyalty and dedication, is composed of ten chapters. It opens with her extensive and candid account of her life and acting career, followed by a comprehensive list of her roles in theatre, television, film, and radio, as well as the many awards and recognitions she has received. Directors, theatre scholars, and fellow actors – including Vida Ognjenović, Haris Pašović, Kokan Mladenović, Aleksandar Božina, Mira Banjac, Zoran Maksimović, and others – speak in the monograph about Gordana’s extraordinary talent and her unwavering dedication to the art of acting over the decades. In the closing chapter, the protagonist reflects on each of her four professional decades. She examines them with her characteristic blend of sincerity, gentle wistfulness, self-criticism, and disarming humor. Ultimately, she arrives at a simple conclusion: “It was worth it.” There could hardly be a more fitting title for this honest and deeply personal book about Gordana Đurđević Dimić. Her name has long been synonymous with theatrical truth and profound emotion across a remarkable gallery of characters – from the eccentric Desanka in a tragicomic story set on a park bench, and Đuka, the devoted and self-sacrificing mother of the genius Nikola Tesla, to Martha in the dark comedy Arsenic and Old Lace. Gordana’s body of work serves as a kind of handbook and source of inspiration for future generations of actors. When expressed in numbers, Gordana’s four decades on the stage of her home theatre testify to an impressive career: 58 roles at the Serbian National Theatre and a further 18 in theatres in Subotica, Zrenjanin, and Kruševac. She has also performed 33 roles in films and television series, as well as around twenty in radio dramas. It seems that nearly every second role she has played has been recognized with at least one award. To date, she has received a total of 31 accolades, including the Dobrica’s Ring Award, the most prestigious lifetime achievement award presented by the Association of Dramatic Artists of Serbia, which she received in February of this year.