International Actor's Day (Dia Internacional del Actor)

Theater is one of the oldest forms of art Ancient Roman productions dedicated to the god Osiris, kabuki theater performances and tragedies of Greek playwrights always involved actors who tried on the images of other people and lived someone else's life The attitude towards role performers who engaged in buffoonery and antics in society has always been ambiguous In Rus', this profession was long considered “unclean”: there was an opinion that actors knew the devil It was not customary to make friends with them and let them into decent houses The Christian Church did not approve of acting However, she elevated one of the representatives of the profession to the rank of saints According to legend, the actor of the 3rd century Ginesius, playing a parody of the sacrament of Jesus' baptism in front of Emperor Diocletian and other politicians, unexpectedly believed in Christ His speech was considered blasphemous and he was sentenced to torture and death The Church canonized the actor, considering his path to faith a miracle - interpreting fiction, he found the path to the truth and was tortured in defense of it A holiday was established in honor of Ginesius of Rome (San Gines) and other representatives of the craft August 26 is International Actor's Day During the Dia Internacional del Actor celebration, themed parties are held, which bring together colleagues, relatives and friends of the performers Some theaters dedicate performances on this day to the memory of actors and actresses who gave their lives to serving Melpomene San Gines is associated with one of the most spectacular forms of art, like the ancient Greek muse of tragedy Therefore, Ginesius of Rome is depicted with a lyre and a mask - symbols of the theater The life of the saint inspired Lope de Vega to write the tragicomedy Lo fingido Verdade, and the French playwright Jean de Rotrou - the play "The True San Ginés" Henri Geon's drama "The Comedian Stuck in His Comedy" is dedicated to the Roman actor A Madrid café, opened in 1894, is named after San Gines The spotlight, applause, a sea of ​​fans and flowers are the external side of the acting craft Despite the attributes of success and fame, the profession cannot be called easy Acting in films or on stage requires a talent for transformation, deep inner work on oneself, and the ability to skillfully convey the emotions of another person and his experiences An actor is one of the most attractive and at the same time very dependent professions Obtaining a role is subject to the desire of the director, karting assistant, or producers of a theater or film production The final result of an actor's work is largely determined by the professionalism of other participants in the process: costume designers, cameramen, lighting technicians, etc The center of the modern film industry is Hollywood Thanks to this talent pool, the world learned about Marilyn Monroe, Grace Kelly, Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, Laurence Olivier, Vivien Leigh, Greta Garbo and other great actors But not every performer managed to pull out a lucky ticket and become a world star Many representatives of the profession are content with supporting roles and film episodes throughout their lives, receiving meager fees In 1952, the first film actors' strike took place in Hollywood, and 8 years later the second, led by Ronald Reagan Trade unions demanded better working conditions and pay The largest strike in history was the 1980 strike The Screen Actors Guild demanded that producers agree to provide performers with a percentage of income from the sale of videotapes and increase wages by 35% The strike, which began in May 2023, is one example of an attempt to resolve labor conflicts peacefully, an example of the cohesion of fellow workers The actors were joined by the directors' guild, and later the screenwriters' guild - the lowest paid profession in Hollywood The initiators of the conflict are demanding higher fees and regulation of the use of AI in the film industry Despite difficult times and ongoing protests, representatives of the ancient craft are congratulated on August 26 on the International Actor's Day by colleagues and fans of their talent