Aksella Luts
Aksella Luts | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Born | Aksella Hildegard Kapsta 10 November 1905 |
| Died | 8 January 2005 (aged 99) |
| Other names | Antti Metsalu |
| Occupation(s) | Actress, screenwriter, dancer, choreographer, film editor, photojournalist |
| Years active | 1924–2005 |
| Spouse | |
Aksella Luts (born Aksella Hildegard Kapsta; 10 October 1905 – 8 January 2005)[1] was an Estonian actress, screenwriter, dancer, choreographer, film editor and photojournalist.
Early life
Aksella Luts was born Aksella Hildegard Kapsta in Moscow to Estonian parents Martin and Maria Kapsta (née Mark). She was the middle child of three siblings; her sister Erica Regina was born in 1903 and her brother Alfred was born in 1911.[2] The family returned to Estonia when she was quite young. She attended secondary school in Tartu, graduating in 1924 before attending dance classes in Tartu and then the Union des Professeurs de Danse de France (UDPDF) in Paris, where she studied modern dance. She married Estonian future filmmaker Theodor Luts (younger brother of writer Oskar Luts) at age 19 and the two opened a dance studio in Tartu.[1]
Film
In 1927, Theodor Luts founded Tartu Filmiühing (Tartu Film Society) and using the knowledge he had gained from filmmakers in Paris and Berlin, the couple began writing the script for the patriotic silent film
After Theodor made several silent film nature and cultural documentaries for Eesti Kultuurfilm, the couple would co-write the script for the 1932 melodrama Päikese lapsed (The Children of the Sun). The film would be Estonia's first feature-length Estonian language sound film; it was co-produced by Erkki Karu of Finland's Suomi-Filmi and Theodor Lutsu Filmiproduktsioon. Theodor would again direct and Aksella would choreograph a dance routine, while Estonian actor Ants Eskola would have a starring role.[6]
Travel abroad
In 1938, Theodor and Aksella moved to
In 1944, the couple moved to
Later years
Following the death of Theodor Luts on 24 September 1980, Aksella remained in Brazil until 1996, when she returned to Estonia and settled in Pärnu. She gave frequent television and radio interviews and was made an Honorary Member of Eesti Kinoliit (Estonian Filmmaker's Association).[3] She died in Pärnu in 2005, aged 99, and was cremated. Her ashes were buried next to her husband in São Lourenço, Brazil.[3]
References
- ^ a b c d e Tallinn University Academic Library (in Estonian)
- ^ Estonian World Review 10 January 2005
- ^ a b c Postimees: Hüvasti, imeline Aksella! 11 January 2005
- ^ a b c Ekspress.ee archive. September 1996
- ^ Culture And Customs of the Baltic States By Kevin O'Connor
- ^ Eesti filmi andmebaas (in Estonian)
- ^ Eesti filmi andmebaas: Theodor Luts. 13 June 2007 (in Estonian)
External links
- Aksella Luts at IMDb
- Image of Aksella Luts at Fotis. Rahusarhiivi Fotode Andmebaas
