The student years were the most important period of my life. Lots of fun, friendships, work, emotional imbalance, stress, freedom, learning… There was much of everything, says Sara Klimoska, who is part of the ten European discoveries “European Shooting Stars 2021” of the European Film Promotion.

The student years were the most important period of my life. That experience is worth 3 faculties, says the actress Sara Klimoska.

The Faculty of Dramatic Arts (FDA) has never been an option for her. She had a great desire to enroll in a ballet academy to study modern dance. But she fell in love with FDA in a matter of one week while enrolling.

– I cried preventively all night before the entry exam results in case I was not accepted – says Sara for the column “When I was a student”, which is realized in cooperation with “Pivara Skopje”.

She is part of the ten European discoveries “European Shooting Stars 2021” of the European Film Promotion, due to her role in Igor Aleksov’s debut film – “Lena and Vladimir” produced by “Mind Production”.

The owners of the faculty cafeteria are just as important as the professors.

She completed the primary education at OSU “St. Kliment Ohridski ”in Ohrid, where she continued with the secondary education at the high school named after the educator St. Clement of Ohrid.

– I was an excellent pupil in elementary school. I was a very calm and rational child until my teens, which was at the end of primary and the beginning of secondary school. I became very curious, rebellious and righteous and hardly any of the professors at that time could get along with me – says Sara.

She studied acting at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts in Skopje and graduated in the class of 2013 under the mentorship of professors Suzana Kirandziska and Kristina Lelovac.

– I had been engaged in dance almost all my life, so I had a great desire to enroll in a ballet academy to study modern dance. The FDA has never been an option for me. But, in a conversation with my sister Ana, she explained to me that through acting I will probably have a greater opportunity to express myself as a stage performer. I was not convinced, but still, I went to the admission exam and fell in love with the faculty in that one week during the enrolling procedure. I cried preventively all night before the entry exam results in case I was not accepted. Fortunately, it all ended well. – says Klimoska.

When asked about what is the first thing that comes to her mind when thinking about her student days, she says:

– As soon as I read this question, I was immediately flooded with memories of my student days! The first thing that comes to mind is the “Skomrahi” festival, the performances/final exams and the parties that took place at the faculty cafeteria. In fact, the cafeteria plays a great role for the students. It was our comfort zone where all the students from all over the faculty gathered. There you could share every problem you face and ask for advice, contacts and friendships were made there, experiences were shared, and we even prepared our final exams there. The owners of the cafeteria, Viki and Gogo, are as important as all the professors at the faculty.- says Sara.

GPA 9,87

Her favorite subjects were acting and stage movements and dancing. She graduated from the university with a high average – 9.87.

– The student days were the most important period of my life. Lots of fun, friendships, work, emotional imbalance, stress, freedom, learning… There was much of everything. I studied with a great generation of students and together we experienced the ongoing student protests and student occupation. That experience is worth 3 faculties, not one. Our faculty together with all the professors was the only faculty that gave us full, unreserved support during the students’ uprising. Regarding that situation, as the FDA students, we were indeed privileged. Even most of the meetings at the beginning took place on the faculty’s grounds. The spirit of revolution and solidarity was felt. During that period, our class made its best play “Animal Farm” by George Orwell in collaboration with the guys from Kula who made our masks, and with Professor Marjan Necak who made our music. The motto of the play was appropriate for the situation: “All animals are equal, but some are more equal than others” – adds Klimoska.

There is no boredom at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts

The memory-archive from her student days consists of fun and laughter, mostly filled with internal jokes.

– Feeling stressed and anxious before an exam was sort of a habit and a ritual because you can never be too sure how you will play the role. At our faculty it is important to be present and work there, there is not much room for work from home, because acting is based on collective work, and rarely on individual. Once, we even slept in the so-called “pools” of the faculty in order to have more time to work before an exam. The other theoretical subjects were not very difficult for me and I always took them on time.

She says that it is difficult to find a boring part of the studies at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts.

– I can say that there is a difficult part. The first year is always the hardest until you understand what is required of you, but then you get into the faculty’s rhythm. I remember at the beginning my parents would ask me about the time my classes were supposed to end, and with time they got used to the fact that there is no time frame at the FDA. – she said.

Being from Ohrid, she struggled the most with stage speech.

She skillfully kept a balance between learning and socializing.

– I studied and socialized and studied while socializing. I keep in touch with almost all my colleagues from the FDA and we see each other from time to time. But Tamara Ristoska and Darko Nabakov are the colleagues with whom I do not spend a day without seeing or hearing from them. Before I send this interview to you, it will go through their remarks and criticism first. – shares Sara.

Being from Ohrid, she had to work hard on her speech to play on stage, she struggled the most with stage speech, with her voice technique.

– However, I am glad that I worked hard on that part so today I can play without thinking about the speech. My biggest focus of studying was acting, of course. And stage acting because the main focus for the actors at the faculty is stage acting, not acting for film. My dream and idea were to work on plays in independent troupes, but somehow from my studies I started to play more in film than in theater. I am glad that today I act in both because both film and theater offer a special and significant experience – says Sara.

Student life with no spare time

She spent her student days with almost no free time.

– If I was not at a lecture, I hung out with colleagues or read to prepare for the theoretical exams. What the faculty taught me outside the theoretical part and acting is sacrifice, solidarity, empathy, fighting spirit, ideology, ethics! The faculty is my home. I always go back to the lectures when I am referring to something. I’m proud of everything I’ve done so far, even when I made a mistake, because I’ve learned a huge lesson. And my advice to future colleagues is take it all! It depends only on you how much you want to learn and upgrade – she says.

Sara Klimoska became a recognizable name in a short period of time.

Successful roles soared her.

Her acting achievements led her to the top of contemporary acting expression. She says that she does not aim for a specific peak, but only hopes that she will have the opportunity to continue working with directors and actors at film or theater that will be inspiring and challenging for her.

Author: Sanja Jachevska