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Ukrainian theatre reaches world level thanks to late actor Stupka

Bogdan Stupka died at the age of 70 after a long illness at the Kiev hospital Feofania on Sunday morning
Photo ITAR-TASS
Photo ITAR-TASS

KIEV, July 23 (Itar-Tass) —— The demise of a famous Soviet and Ukrainian actor Bogdan Stupka marked the end to the whole epoch in the modern history of Ukrainian theatre and cinema.

“His genius brought the modern Ukrainian theatre on the world level, his brilliant play charged the Ukrainian filmmaking industry with massive energy,” the Ukrainian Culture Ministry said in a statement on Sunday.

The ministry noted that the actors of such level as Stupka are born once in a century, after their death “some emptiness remains that can be never filled again.”

“From now on the modern history of our theatre and cinema will be divided into two epochs – Stupka’s epoch and an epoch after him. We bow our heads to the talent of a personality, who passed away from this world,” the ministry said in the statement.

Bogdan Stupka died at the age of 70 after a long illness at the Kiev hospital Feofania on Sunday morning.

Stupka’s son Ostap said that an acute heart attack caused the death of his father. “He did not like to complain, therefore, few people knew about it. His illness has been deteriorating rapidly for the last few months, and he was feeling very badly a few days ago,” Ostan Stupka said.

The actor suffered a heart attack overnight to July 22, then fell in a coma and died without regaining consciousness, the doctors of the Kiev clinic Feofania said.

The last farewell ceremony with the actor will be held at the Ivan Franko National Academic Drama Theatre on July 24. Stupka has headed the theatre until recently. The actor will be buried at the Baikovo cemetery.

Stupka had the title of the People’s Actor of the Soviet Union, a laureate of the State Prize of the Soviet Union, a laureate of the Shevchenko Prize and was awarded with the title of the Hero of Ukraine in 2011. He played in more than 100 fiction films and documentaries and held the title of Academician of the Russian Academy of Cinema Arts and Sciences “Nika”.