Javor Gardev


Javor Gardev is a Bulgarian stage and film director. He was born on February 23, 1972 in Sofia, Bulgaria.

Bio

Javor Gardev holds an MPhil degree in philosophy from Sofia University, and MA degree in theatre directing from the Bulgarian National Academy of Theatre and Film Arts. He has staged over forty performances in his home country and abroad. This includes Williams Shakespeare's Hamlet and King Lear, Edward Albee's The Goat or Who is Sylvia? and The Play about the Baby, Martin McDonagh's A Behanding in Spokane and The Pillowman, Tracy Letts' Killer Joe, Ethan Coen's Almost an Evening, among others.
Gardev has directed radio-drama and authored performance art and video artworks. His long feature debut film Zift won nineteen domestic and international awards and special mentions. Javor Gardev won the Silver St. George for Best Director in Main Competition at the 30th Moscow IFF. Zift was part of the selections of fifty-four international film festivals including Toronto IFF, 2008. It was Bulgaria's official entry for foreign-language Oscar and part of the Official Selection for the European Film Academy Awards, 2008. Until 2009 when its domestic record was broken, it was the highest grossing Bulgarian feature film since the prior two decades.
Since 2009 Javor Gardev is a member of the European Film Academy. In 2011 he founded Compania Ecstatica.

Film

In 2008 Gardev directed his first feature film, Zift. The film was produced by Miramar Film, with the Bulgarian National Film Center and the Bulgarian National Television as co-producers. Gardev is slated to direct his second film, entitled Theseus, which will be a tale of the Greek mythological hero Theseus.

Theatre

Gardev has also directed over forty plays. Among his most famous stage directions are: Russian People's Post, In the Air, The Pillowman, Caligula, A Behanding in Spokane, and Almost an Evening.
DIRECTOR
2019 “Hangmen” by Martin McDonagh,
Macedonian National Theatre, Skopje, North Macedonia
2019 “The Celebration” by Thomas Vinterberg,
Mogens Rukov, Bo hr. Hansen, and David Eldridge,
Little City Theatre "Off the Channel", Sofia
2018 “The Observers” by Konstantin Iliev,
The National Theatre of Bulgaria, Sofia
2018 “Dragon” by Evgeniy Schwarz,
Varna Drama Theatre, Bulgaria
2018 “Sleuth” by Anthony Shaffer,
Theatre of Nations, Moscow, Russia
2017 “Chamkoria” after Milen Ruskov's Novel,
Theatre 199, Sofia, Bulgaria
2017 “The Drunken Ones” by Ivan Vyrypaev,
Little City Theatre "Off the Channel", Sofia, Bulgaria
2015 “The Seagull” by Anton Chekhov,
National Palace of Culture, Theatre Azaryan, Sofia
2015 “Quartet - Dangerous Liaisons After The End of The World”,
Live Performance Movie by Javor Gardev Reimagining Heiner Muller's Play
National Palace of Culture, Sofia
2014 “Joan” by Yaroslava Pulinovich,
The National Theatre, Sofia, Bulgaria
2013 “Almost an Evening” by Ethan Coen,
Youth Theatre & Bright Light Entertainment, Sofia, Bulgaria
2012 “Hamlet” by William Shakespeare,
The National Theatre, Sofia, Bulgaria
2012 “Cancun” by Jordi Galceran,
State Drama Theatre "Priyut Komedianta", Saint Petersburg, Russia
2012 “The Moth” by Peter Gladilin,
The National Theatre, Sofia, Bulgaria
2011 “The Ugly One” by Marius von Mayenburg,
Saratov Academic Drama Theatre, Russia
2011 “A Behanding in Spokane” by Martin McDonagh,
The National Theatre, Sofia, Bulgaria
2011 “Killer Joe” by Tracy Letts,
Theatre of Nations, Moscow, Russia
2010 “The Gronholm Method” by Jordi Galceran,
Theatre of Nations, Moscow, Russia
2009 “The Goat, or Who is Sylvia?” by Edward Albee,
The National Theatre, Sofia, Bulgaria
2008 “Caligula” by Albert Camus,
Co-production: & “La Rose des Vents”
Scene Nationale Lille Metropole, Villeneuve d’Ascq, France
.
2008 “Valentine’s Day” by Ivan Vyrypaev,
Little City Theatre "Off the Channel", Sofia, Bulgaria
2007 “The Old Woman from Calcutta” by Hanoch Levin,
Theatre 199, Sofia, Bulgaria
2006 “Krum” by Hanoch Levin,
Varna Drama Theatre, Varna, Bulgaria
2006 “Koutzoulan ou La Sainte Vierge aux Loups” by Konstantin Iliev,,
Panta Theatre, Caen, France
2006 “King Lear” by William Shakespeare,
The National Theatre, Sofia, Bulgaria
2005 “The Play About the Baby” by Edward Albee,
Theatre 199, Sofia, Bulgaria
2004 “The Tempest” by William Shakespeare,
Adana State Theatre, Turkey
2004 “The Pillowman” by Martin McDonagh,
Varna Drama Theatre, Varna, Bulgaria
2003 “Life x 3” by Yasmina Reza
Theatre 199, Sofia, Bulgaria
2003 “Marat/Sade” after Peter Weiss,
Multilateral co-production of Triumviratus Art Group, Varna Drama Theatre – Bulgaria, Association THEOREM, Hebbel Theater – Berlin, “La Rose des Vents”
Scene Nationale de Villeneuve d’Ascq – France, Stadsschouwburg Utrecht – Netherlands
2002 “In the Air” after Alexej Schipenko,
Haskovo Drama and Puppet Theatre, Haskovo, Bulgaria
2001 “Bastard” after William Shakespeare, Friedrich Dürrenmatt and Adso of Moutier-an-Der,
Produced by Varna Drama Theatre in the Underground Wine Cellar ‘Dimyat’, Varna, Bulgaria
2000 “Nosferatu, celui du dedans” after David Le Breton,
Theatre du Plessis-les-Tours / Companie Jose Manuel Cano Lopez, Tours, France
2000 “Verona” by Alexej Schipenko,
The National Theatre, Sofia, Bulgaria
1999 "Russian People's Post" by Oleg Bogayev,
Bulgarian Army Theatre, Sofia, Bulgaria
1999 “Quartet” by Heiner Müller,
Theatre-laboratory “Sfumato”, Sofia, Bulgaria
1997 "Somnium Ulixis" after Heiner Müller, Joseph Brodsky, and K. Merjanski,
Theatre-laboratory "Sfumato", Sofia
1996 "Tanya-Tanya" by Olya Moukhina,
Little City Theatre "Off the Channel", Sofia, Bulgaria
1995 "The March" by Georgi Tenev,
State Drama Theatre, Lovech, Bulgaria
1995 "The Maids" by Jean Genet,
Haskovo Drama Theatre, Dimitrovgrad Drama Theatre, Theatre-laboratory “Sfumato”, Sofia, Bulgaria
1994 "Parts of the Night" by Georgi Tenev,
Sliven Drama Theatre, Sliven, Bulgaria
1994 "Two Little Plays about the End" after F.M.Dostoievski and L.Petrushevskaia,
Dimitrovgrad Drama Theatre, Bulgaria
ACTOR
1999 The young Bataille in "Story of the Eye" by Georges Bataille, directed by Ivan Stanev
1997 Germancho in “Apocrypha”, authors’ performance of M. Mladenova & Ivan Dobchev
1993 Leonce in «Leonce and Lena» by Georg Büchner, directed by Galin Stoev
1992 Cherubino in «The Marriage of Figaro», directed by Nikola Petkov
1988 Peyko in «The Big Treasure» by Pancho Panchev, directed by Nikolay Aprilov
1987 First Duck in «Anna’s Tales» by Stefan Tsanev, directed by Nikolay Aprilov
1986 Bonny The Clown in «Laughter In The Circus», directed by Nikolay Aprilov
1985 The Artist Abenitto and Citizen 2 in «Gelsomino in The Liars’ Country» after Gianni Rodari, directed by Nikolay Aprilov
1984 The Buck Goat in «The Yellow Eye» by Nikola Rusev, directed by Nina Svetoslavova
1983 Huckleberry Finn in «Tom Sawyer» by Mark Twain, directed by Bogdan Krasinski
ACTOR
2019 – Roussinov in “The Father’s Day”, Directed by Pavel Vesnakov
1989 – Joshua Muller in “Watch On The Rhine” by Lillian Hellman
1988 – Gottfried Klepperbein in “Little Adventures”
after Erich Kästner’s novella “Anna Louise and Anton”

1987 – The Boy in “The Kite” by Rada Moskova
1984 – The Boy in “Grandad, Grandma, Bread Roll and Grandchildren”
1983 – Emil The Space in “To Everyone” by Dragan Maramski

Opera

DIRECTOR
2015 "La Rondine” by Giacomo Puccini,
Sozopol Summer Academy of Arts,
Darina Takova Foundation

TV & Radio

DIRECTOR
2005 "D.J." by Georgi Gospodinov,
2003 "The Gate of Europe" co-directed by D. Wedel / V. Vrhovnik / Javor Gardev,
2000 "The Citadel" audio-project of Assen Avramov / Georgi Tenev / Javor Gardev,
1999 "The Atoll" audio-project of Javor Gardev / Assen Avramov / Georgi Tenev,

Awarded “Grand Prix - Best European Radio Drama” Berlin ’99, Germany
ACTOR
2014 Chief in-command of Sofia Airport in "Flying Help" by Angel Karaliychev & Matvey Valev
ANCHOR
1989-1991 “Youngster”, Radio Show for Teenagers, Anchor
1988 “Class of Everything”, Teenager Program, Anchor
1987 “Motley Roundabout”, Morning Radio Show for Children, Anchor
1984-1988 “Pioneeria”, Children Program, Anchor

Performance Art

PERFORMANCE ARTIST
2005 “Visual Police”
video-performance
Presented or exhibited at:
- Wuertenbergische Kunstverein, Stuttgart – 2006
- Kunsthaus, Dresden – 2006
- Schauspielhaus, Hanover – 2006
- Deutsche Schauspielhaus, Hamburg - 2006
- ATA Gallery - Institute of Contemporary Art, Visual Seminar, Sofia - 2005
1998 “Doppelmond oder Ihre Sprache im Koerper unserer Sprache”
literary and video performance together with the writers Georgi Tenev and Dubravka Ugresic
Gallery of Akademie Schloss Solitude, Stuttgart
1995 “Tiger’s Funeral”
open-air performance on the roof of Sliven Drama Theatre, Bulgaria
1994 “Entrance Into The Night”
open-air performance on the roof of Sliven Drama Theatre, Bulgaria

Playwriting

AUTHOR
2005 “Night Labor” dramatic miniature published within:
“Sprung in die Stadt” - DuMont Literatur und Kunst Verlag
Edition in German:
“Leap into the City” - DuMont Literatur und Kunst Verlag
Edition in English:

Video

AUTHOR'S SHORT VIDEOS
2002 “Oh Sweet Home of Mine / Discovery Channel Redone” – 1min., supershort
Produced by Triumviratus Art Group
Co-produced by Euroscreen 21
2000 “Bedspotting” – 8 min., short
Produced by Triumviratus Art Group
Co-produced by Companie Jose Manuel Cano Lopez, Tours, France
Co-produced by Pro Helvetia
1998 “Der Solitudebolero oder Raskolnikowbesessenheit” – 33 min., short
Produced by Akademie Schloss Solitude, Stuttgart, Germany

Teaching

MASTERCLASSES & WORKSHOPS
2019 Javor Gardev, Acting, And Directing Classes, New Bulgarian University
2018 Javor Gardev, Playwriting Laboratory with the Winners of New Bulgarian University’s Contemporary Play Contest
2017 Javor Gardev, Lecture, Documentary Theatre Project «N/TRY 17», Red House, Sofia
2017 Javor Gardev, Masterclass, Stage And Film Directing, Studio Of Individual Directing MIR-5, Moscow, Russian Federation
2015 Javor Gardev, Masterclass, Performing Daniil Harms, Sozopol Summer Academy Of Arts, Sozopol, Bulgaria
2015 Javor Gardev, Theatrical Workshop, "Performing “Hamlet”, Montfiz Winter Festival, Velingrad, Bulgaria
2014 Javor Gardev, Theatrical Workshop, "King's Ghost", Gdansk Shakespeare Festival, Gdansk, Poland
2014 Javor Gardev, Theatrical Workshop, "Performing “Hamlet”, New Bulgarian University, Sofia, Bulgaria
2013 Javor Gardev, Theatrical Workshop, "Almost An Evening", Youth Theatre & Art Office, Sofia, Bulgaria
2012 Javor Gardev, Theatrical Workshop, "Rehearsing “Hamlet”, Sofia University Cultural Centre, Bulgaria
2008 Javor Gardev, International Theatrical Master Class, Territoria International Festival, Moscow, Russian Federation
2006 Javor Gardev, International Theatrical Workshop “Declaration d’amour”, 'Performing A.P. Chekhov' at Theatre Ephemeride, Val de Reuil, Normandie, France
2004 International Theatrical Workshop “Mozart, Don Juan, Puschkin und Ich”, Javor Gardev's Class "Performing Alexander Pushkin", Trebnitz Castle, Brandenburg, Germany
2002 International Theatrical Workshop “Penthesilea”, Javor Gardev's Class "Performing Heinrich von Kleist", Trebnitz Castle, Brandenburg, Germany
2000 Javor Gardev, Creative Journey Lab “Nosferatu, The One Inside”, With French Actors From Central Region, Theatre du Plessis-les-Tours, Company Jose Manuel Cano Lopez, Tours, France
1999 Javor Gardev, Workshop "Chekhov’s Seagull", Duke University, University of Chapel Hill, North Carolina, USA

Affiliations

Since 2011 – Affiliated Stage Director, Drama League of New York, USA
Since 2009 – Voting Member of the European Film Academy
Since 1994 – TRIUMVIRATUS ART GROUP
2005 - 2001 – BULGARIAN THEATRE DIRECTORS ASSOCIATION

Publications

SELECTED ARTICLES
Javor Gardev, "God Complex or Caligula Phenomenon", In: "Philosophia", 3/91, pp.39-44, Sofia, 1991
Javor Gardev, "Theocentrism or Egocentrism", In: "Philosophical Thought", 12/91, pp.32-34, Sofia, 1991
Javor Gardev, "Peyo Yavorov's Queens оf The Night", In: "Text And Meaning: Literary Analyses", pp.122-126, Sofia University Publishing House, 1992
Javor Gardev, "From Fraternal Mound to Mons Veneris: Rehabilitation of an Injured Erotism", "Kultura Weekly“, Sofia, 02/02/1996
http://newspaper.kultura.bg/media/file/phpxBWjV34852.pdf
Javor Gardev, „British Theatre is dead! Long Live British Theatre!”, "Kultura Weekly“, Sofia, 07/26/1996
http://newspaper.kultura.bg/media/file/phpzIUIt75801.pdf
Javor Gardev, "Sadomasochism: Love Deprived of Its Method“, "Kultura Weekly", Sofia, 10/18/1996
http://newspaper.kultura.bg/media/file/phpmGDpwZ3318.pdf
Javor Gardev, "Ecstatic Theatre", In: "Democratic Review", vol.34, Winter 97/98, pp.664-686, 1998
Javor Gardev, "The Unbearable Lightness of Being Barbarian", "Subsol" Online, 2000
http://subsol.c3.hu/subsol_2/contributors/gardevtext.html
Javor Gardev, "For A New Ecstatic Theatre", In: "Artmargins" Art Magazine, 05/18/2000
https://artmargins.com/for-a-new-ecstatic-theater/
Javor Gardev, "Night Labor", Short Play, In: "Leap Into The City", DuMont Literatur und Kunst Verlag, pp.129-139, Cologne, 2006
Javor Gardev, "An Interview with Edward Albee" In: L'Europeo Bulgaria, Issue #31 / Reality, 2012
http://javorgardev.com/wordpress/2015/01/01/3675/
Javor Gardev, "The Art оf Balance", In: "Bulgaria & Romania: 10 Years In The European Union", pp.109-119, Plovdiv 2019 Foundation - European Capital of Culture & Timisoara – European Capital of Culture Association, 2017
http://plovdiv2019.eu/en/news/183-10-year-anniversary-of-bulgaria-and-romania-in-the-eu

Awards

2018 Best Comedy & Satire / "Golden Kukerikon" Award for "Chamkoria"
2018 Best Director Award / Vratza Chamber Theatre Festival for "Chamkoria"
2018 Best Performance of the Year / Union of Bulgarian Performing Artists IKAR Award for "The Drunken Ones"
2016 Best Director of the Year / Union of Bulgarian Performing Artists IKAR Award for "Quartet - Dangerous Liaisons After The End of The World" & "The Seagull"
2014 Best Director, Best Performance & Best Cast / Golden Harlequin Awards - “The Ugly One”
2013 Best Performance of the Year / Academy ASKEER Award - “Hamlet”
2013 Best Director of the Year / Academy ASKEER Award for “Hamlet”
2013 Best Director of the Year / Union of Bulgarian Performing Artists IKAR Award for "Hamlet"
2012 Best Performance of the Year / Academy ASKEER Award - “The Moth”
2012 Best Director of the Year / Academy ASKEER Award for “The Moth” & „Behanding in Spokane”
2011 Varna Theatrical Award “Golden Mask”
2010 MK Newspaper Award “Upcoming Masters”, Best Performance – “The Gronholm Method”
2009 Award of the Society of the Independent Theatre Critics – “The Goat, or Who Is Sylvia?
2009 Salerno IFF – “Tohno” Award – “Zift”
2009 Bulgarian National Film Center & Filmmakers Union Annual Award – Best Film - “Zift”
2009 16th Palic EFF – International Critics’ Jury Award - “Zift”
2009 09th Wiesbaden goEast Festival – Special Mention Director's Achievement - “Zift”
2009 14th Vilnius IFF - Best Director Award - “Zift”
2009 13th Sofia IFF - Special Award of the International Jury - “Zift”
2009 13th Sofia IFF - Kodak Award for Best Bulgarian Feature Film - “Zift”
2008 28th Golden Rose Film Festival - Grand Prix “Golden Rose” for Best Film in Competition - “Zift”
2008 28th Golden Rose Film Festival - Special Award of the Bulgarian Cinema Critics Association - “Zift”
2008 33rd Plovdiv ITVF - “Golden Chest” Special Prize of the Jury - “Zift”
2008 33rd Plovdiv ITVF - “Academica 21” Award for Director's Achievement - “Zift”
2008 33rd Plovdiv ITVF - “Galya Bachvarova” Award for Director's Achievement - “Zift”
2008 30th Moscow IFF - “Silver St. George” Best Director in Main Competition - “Zift”
2008 30th Moscow IFF - Film Clubs Federation Award for Best Film - “Zift”
2006 Award of the Society of the Independent Theatre Critics in Bulgaria - Theatre Person of The Year for “King Lear” and “Krum”
2006 Best Performance of the Year / Academy ASKEER Award for „King Lear“
2006 GOLDEN AGE Award for contribution to Bulgarian Arts and Culture
2006 Best Director of the Year / Union of Bulgarian Performing Artists IKAR Award for "The Play about the Baby"
2005 Memorable Medal of Ministry of Culture of Turkey / “The Tempest” tour in France
2005 GOLDEN QUILL Award of FM Classic Radio, Municipality of Sofia, and Ministry of Culture of Bulgaria for contribution to Bulgarian Culture.
2006 Best Director Award / Vratza Chamber Theatre Festival for "The Play about the Baby"
2005 Best Performance Award / Vratza Chamber Theatre Festival for "The Pillowman"
2005 Best Director Award / Vratza Chamber Theatre Festival for "The Pillowman"
2004 Municipality of Sofia Award for exceptional contribution to Arts and Culture / “Life X 3”
2002 Best Performance of the Year / Academy ASKEER Award for „Bastard“
2002 Best Director of the Year / Academy ASKEER Award for „Bastard“
2002 Best Director of the Year / Union of Bulgarian Performing Artists IKAR Award for "Bastard"
1999 Berliner Grand Prix Europe / Best European Radio Drama for "The Atoll"
1999 Best Director Award / Vratza Chamber Theatre Festival for "Quartet"
1999 Best Director Award / Blagoevgrad Annual Theatre Festival for "Quartet"
1997 Best Director of the Year / Union of Bulgarian Performing Artists Annual Award for “Tanya-Tanya”
1997 Best Director Award / Blagoevgrad Annual Theatre Festival for "Tanya-Tanya"
1991 National Highschools Literary Competition / First Prize for Best Essay
1991 National Highschools Philosophy Contest Winner / Philosophers Society