The Directors Guild of Slovenia, celebrating its 20th anniversary this year, will present the Bert Award for lifetime achievement in film acting next Friday, November 28, at the Slovenian Cinematheque in Ljubljana. This year’s laureate is the Drama ensemble’s leading actress, Silva Čušin.

“When we directors say, or hear, the name Silva, we immediately think of an entity we call film presence. At the core of this deeply cherished presence lies the extraordinary acting genuineness and an evocative force of an unfiltered existence, as well as a delicate screen acting craft, free of interpretive strain, through which this year’s recipient of Bert Award creates characters who feel alive and uncannily close to people we all know—or suspiciously close to ourselves, to who we are when we are alone and honest. Silva’s screen acting is a seamless balance of personal presence and artistic mastery, dexterity, and spontaneity. There is a powerful gravity within the orbit of her performance, and everyone is welcome in this demanding force. On one condition only: that they, too, are honest, open, and prepared to take at least as many risks as she does. Silva Čušin is an actress who would excel in any cinema. We are grateful that she is part of ours, Slovenian cinema,” stated the members of the Directors Guild of Slovenia in their eulogy.

Dear Silva, heartfelt congratulations!