Daria Lorenci Flatz: I Am a Sarajevan, Always and Forever
In a candid interview, the Croatian actress reveals how Sarajevo shaped her, why confronting the past is crucial, and what audiences can expect from her one-woman show 'Ja, glumica'.
In a candid interview, the Croatian actress reveals how Sarajevo shaped her, why confronting the past is crucial, and what audiences can expect from her one-woman show 'Ja, glumica'.
Croatian actress Daria Lorenci Flatz, born in Sarajevo, spent most of her childhood in the capital of Bosnia and Herzegovina. At the outbreak of the war, when she was just 16, her parents sent her to her grandparents in Zagreb, which has since become her home. However, as she herself points out, her early life in Sarajevo indelibly wove the foundations of her identity.
Speaking about the formative influence of her hometown, Lorenci Flatz told Klix.ba that it is precisely the years up to puberty that shape one's basic character and personality. "It completely shaped me. I truly believe that your basic identity, your character, your personality is formed in that youth up to puberty, of course genetics too, but all those rhythms, images, impressions, temperament, smells, food, air, emotions, music, accent. That shapes you, it gets absorbed into you," she stated.
She added that later influences come like a glaze or a suit, but the basic form remains forever shaped by the end of growing up. "In that sense, I am always and forever a Sarajevan," the actress said. She tries to pass this connection on to her children, although she admits it's impossible to do so fully. "I want to pass everything on to them, everything, I'd most like to show them the whole film of our childhood and the city. Of course, that's impossible. We rarely come to Sarajevo, unfortunately, but I still try to make sure they don't lose touch," said Lorenci Flatz.
Reflecting on wartime experiences, the actress emphasizes that remembering what happened is extremely important, not for retraumatization, but for understanding. "I think it must not be forgotten. On one hand, it's important to pay tribute to the wounds and the tragedy. Healing is necessary in every possible way. Wounds must be given the dignity of being seen, because when you see something and give it space, you heal it, because we can't turn back time," she stated.
She stressed the individual's responsibility to contribute to ensuring such a thing never happens again, but also the key role of politicians and artists. "It's necessary for the criminals to admit their misdeeds, to pay tribute to the victims, and so we can move on. That is, of course, the duty of politicians. We artists can create plays, make the consequences visible, call for catharsis and compassion," said Lorenci Flatz, adding that without this, we remain left to pain and waiting for revenge.
She is particularly saddened that the aggressor has not admitted their misdeeds, drawing a parallel with Germany after World War II. When she talks about the war, she primarily thinks of Sarajevo. "I simply will never understand that motive and desire to attack and destroy Sarajevo like that," she said.
To the complex question of returning to her hometown, the actress answers through the prism of time and identity. With her colleague Tarik Filipović, in the play "Da sam ptica" (If I Were a Bird), she deals precisely with the issues of leaving, returning, and new identity. "I've been answering that question my whole life. However, once you leave, there's no going back. Because you can't return, primarily because you can't turn back time," she explained.
Every visit to Sarajevo painfully reminds her of that impossibility. Over time, she has learned to enjoy the city as someone who is no longer from it. "I used to be, now I'm not anymore. That's it. I love it to the point of pain, and that is my great wealth. Everything that awakens love is the most important thing. So I am a rich woman. There's no return. Zagreb is my home and will remain so. Sarajevo is my city of dreams, an inexhaustible pool of inspiration, spirit, nostalgia, closeness to sevdah, and beauty," concluded Lorenci Flatz.
It is precisely Sarajevo and Novi Travnik that will soon host her one-woman show "Ja, glumica" (I, the Actress). The play will open the Inbox festival in Novi Travnik on September 10, 2026, and a day later, on September 11, it will be performed in Sarajevo. The impetus for creating this personal project was her 50th birthday. "I've wanted to do a one-woman show for a long time. Something personal, that would be fun, yet authentic to me. I love listening to stories, but I also love telling them. And so, my 50th birthday seemed like a good moment," said the actress, announcing a "rollercoaster of emotions, laughter, fun, dance, and music."
After 25 years of career, Lorenci Flatz doesn't dream of a specific unfulfilled role. "There isn't one. There are only people I still want to work with. This is the most beautiful job in the world, and I'm very happy to have the opportunity to do it. I'd love to work more in film or a drama series again. I miss that," she stated. A special place in her career is held by the role of Jadranka in the series "Kumovi" (The Godfathers), which, as she says, helped her "dormant Bosnian part" come to the forefront again. The series broke viewership records, and the actress eagerly awaits returning to the set after the break.
