Draft:Ljubica Adžović

Ljubica "Aïcha" Adžović (Bar, Yugoslavia 1924 — Montenegro 23rd May 2006) was a Yugoslavian/Montenegrine fortune-teller of Romani ethnicity , who became known for her iconic roles in Emir Kusturica's films Time of the Gypsies (as "Grandmother Khaditza") and Black Cat, White Cat (as "Sujka").

Biografy
Ljubica Adžović was born in Bar, Montenegro (formerly Yugoslavia) in 1924. Mother of nine children, she was a fortune-teller on the beach of Sutomore, until she was discovered in the summer of 1987 by Emir Kusturica's casting crew, in a vineyard in Suvi Potok, near Sutomore.

Interviewed during the filming, Adžović stated: "He (Emir Kusturica, Ed.) liked me, and overnight, I became an actress. I'm illiterate, but that's not a problem, I learn the text by heart. I might even make some money. Because I am a poor woman. I feed nine children with social assistance of only three million and eight hundred thousand dinars. You ask where we live? In a wooden house, smaller than the one used in the film. That's why the children say -go play, mother, earn some dinars so we can fix the roof over our heads".

Even though she was not a professional actress, her inexperience in front of the camera contributed to the realism of her characters.

When interviewed about Adžović, Emir Kusturica stated: "She was very emotive and after three or four screen-tests, she happened to be capable to reach the level I searched for the character of the grandmother ."

Adžović was grateful to Kusturica for having launched her into the film industry, but refused to play other parts in movies not directed by him. Instead, she returned to her roots and previous profession: reading fortunes from cards on the beach in Sutomore.

Her role as gypsy grandmother in "Time of the Gypsies" (1989) and later "Black Cat, White Cat" (1998) alongside Branka Katić made Adžović an icon of the rare portrayals of Romani culture in the 20th century.

After living in Sweden (from 1998 ) and France (from 2001 ), Adžović returned to her native region Montenegro in 2005, where she died after a brief illness on 23rd May 2006.

Interviewed after Adžović's death, Kusturica expressed deep regret, stating that filming Time of the Gypsies and Black Cat, White Cat were the most exciting experiences of his career, and adding that Ljubica was a unique talent: every shot they shot together was an invaluable experience for him as a film director.

Controversies
In 2006, shortly before her death, Adžović was falsely accused of being involved in child trafficking. This false statement turned out to have been caused by an oversight of the Tanjug agency press, since the person that was originally accused of the crime shared the same first and last name with Adžović.

Request for Asylum
In 2001 Adžović sought asylum in Rhône, claiming to have received death threats from the Albanian mafia, which demanded money from her and destroyed her house in Montenegro. In her testimony to the French authorities, Adžović stated to have arrived in Rhône via Italy and through Albania, hoping for "water, bread and a house to be quiet in France".