Edla Van Steen


Edla Van Steen was a Brazilian journalist, actress and writer.
The daughter of a Belgian father and a mother of German descent, she was born in Florianópolis, Santa Catarina and educated at a Catholic boarding school.

Career

She began work as a radio broadcaster and then became a journalist in Curitiba. In 1958, she starred in the film Garganta do Diabo, winning several awards for her performance.
She published a book of short stories Cio in 1965; technically it was her second collection of short stories - an earlier manuscript was lost before it could be published. She founded the art gallery Galeria Multipla and served as its director. Her novel Memórias do Medo was published in 1974. In 1981, it was adapted for television.
In 1977, she published her next collection of stories Antes do amanhecer. The following year, she organized an anthology O Conto da Mulher Brasileira ; she also organized a week in honour of Brazilian writers, sponsored by the São Paulo Ministry of Culture.
Her play O último encontro received the Prêmio Molière and the Prêmio Mambembe for best play as well as a prize awarded by the São Paulo association of art critics. She wrote a second play Bolo de nozes in 1990. She translated works by playwrights such as Jean-Claude Brisville, Henrik Ibsen and Manfred Karge for the theatre.

Personal life

Van Steen married Professor Sábato Magaldi.

Death

Van Steen died on 6 April 2018 at the age of 81.

Selected works