A SPECIAL AWARD “GOLDEN CAMERA 300”
FOR THE CONTRIBUTION TO THE WORLD FILM ART
Charles DANCE

There is little doubt that CHARLES DANCE is one of the most distinguished of British actors- he actually received from Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Order of the British Empire(O.B.E.) in June this year. Physically striking -at 6 feet 3 inches- not only has he carved out a career in roles with aristocratic bearing or as suave and sinister villains, but has proved himself equally adept on stage in classical or contemporary dramas, musicals, on television and in British,American and international films ,from mainstream blockbusters to highly-prized "arthouse" productions." It should have come as no surprise that after having played so memorably such directors as D.W.Grifffiths(in the Taviani Brothers marvellous movie memoir, Good Morning, Babylon) Sergei Eisenstein(in Potemkin:The Runner's Cut) and Robert Flaherty(in Kabloonak, opening film of Montreal 1995 and winning Best Actor award at the Paris Film Festival), Charles Dance should have gone behind the camera in 2004 and directed his own screenplay of LADIES IN LAVENDER, a popular success at festivals from Toronto to Haifa and across the USA, and  now at last receiving its Macedonian premiere in his presence at the Manaki Brothers Festival in Bitola.
 
Charles Dance hails from the heart of England and  learned his craft on stages across Britain.He joined the internationally acclaimed Royal Shakespeare Company, performing at Stratford and in London's West End,where he seemed equally at ease in the great classical roles or in musical revivals such as "Irma La Douce". His first film role was as a villain in For Your Eyes Only(1981),opposite Roger Moore's Bond, but he shot to stardom as a heart-throb in the historical TV mini-series "The Jewel in the Crown", which led to his being cast with Meryl Streep in the film version of David Hare's play "Plenty". He subsequently acted in such contrasting films as The Golden Child , White Mischief, Aliens 3,The Last Action Hero,Michael Collins,Dark Blue World, Gosford Park,Swimming Pool, while returning to television for top-class literary or historical productions, as well as performing in live theatre. He has played Ian Fleming, Maxim de Winter,The Phantom of the Opera,and recently won an award for the TV version of "Bleak House", tackled Agatha Christie and a role in Woody Allen's latest comedy,"Scoop". To every part Charles Dance brings a respect for the text, an understanding of how to convey character intelligently and intelligibly,and whatever the role or production always acquits himself handsomely.  Although most  associated with" serious " drama, Charles Dance has a natural flair for comedy himself, as is apparent in his first and very highly assured film as writer-director, LADIES IN LAVENDER,  which was selected for the Royal Command Film Performance in London in November 2004. The film is set on the Cornish coast in the late 1930s and charts the wry antics of two elderly sisters (played by those great Dames of the British profession, Maggie Smith and Judi Dench) when a Polish musician (German Shooting Star, Daniel Bruhl) is literally washed onto the empty beach of their lives.The film bristles with sharply observed vignettes of amusing behaviour yet is underpinned by a genuine affection for its characters and sympathy for their foibles.Above all, it is a brilliantly orchestrated ensemble of script,cast,and original music score which demonstraby proves  that Charles Dance has used his time on sets and in the wings very adroitly.His brilliant first-footing as film director is rich in achievement and we await his next film with the keenest anticipation.