«For me, God is theater. And I have believed in him my whole life». – on the 110th anniversary of the birth of Zinaida Ivanovna Brovarskaya, theater and film actress, teacher, and People’s Artist of the Belarussian SSR

August 31, 2026, marks the 110th anniversary of the birth of Zinaida Ivanovna Brovarskaya, theater and film actress, teacher, and People’s Artist of the BSSR.

From 1938 to 2005, Zinaida Ivanovna Brovarskaya played approximately 100 roles at the Yanka Kupala Theater, and staged over 40 performances as a theater director. At the same time, she performed on Belarusian Radio, acted in films, and taught at the Belarusian Theater and Art Institute. In 1967, Zinaida Ivanovna Brovarskaya was awarded the title of People’s Artist of the BSSR.

A promotional video for the exhibition «For Me, God is Theater. And I Have Faithfully Believed in It All My Life» has been posted on the BGAKFFD YouTube channel to commemorate the 110th anniversary of Zinaida Ivanovna Brovarskaya’s birth. Link to access.

Currently, the Belarusian State Archive of Film, Photo, and Sound Documents contains 160 photographic documents from 1940 to 1996, more than 20 film documents from 1952 to 2003, and approximately 40 sound documents from 1953 to 1989 related to the actress’s work.

Photos and film footage (from the newsreels «Savetskaya Belarus» and «Mastatstva Belarusi» and the documentaries «Dumki i vobrazy» (Thoughts and Images, 1965), «Krez Vseyu Zhizn» (Throughout Life, 1978), «The Clock Will Not Stop..». (1998), and «Litso pod Grimom» (Face Under Makeup, 2003) capture the actress during performances, interacting with colleagues and students, and giving interviews.

The archive’s sound library contains recordings of radio plays featuring the actress, as well as a 1983 radio broadcast dedicated to People’s Artist of the BSSR Zinaida Ivanovna Brovarskaya.

For her significant contribution to the development of Belarusian theatrical art and active participation in the social and cultural life of the Republic of Belarus, Zinaida Ivanovna Brovarskaya was awarded the Certificate of Honor of the National Assembly of the Republic of Belarus in 2001.

The actress died on February 18, 2005 and was buried in Minsk.

1. 4-0855 Z.I.Brovarskaya, actress of the Belarusian State Yanka Kupala Theater, Honored Artist of the BSSR, as Yulenka in the play “A Profitable Post” based on the play by A. Ostrovsky

2. 1-022009 Still from the feature film “Who Laughs Last” produced by the Belarusfilm studio; Honored Artist of the BSSR Z.I.Brovarskaya as secretary Zina Zyolkina and People’s Artist of the USSR B.V. Platonov as researcher Zyolkina, /1953-1954/, BSSR, Photo Library of the National Film Studio Belarusfilm

3. 4-0807 Scene from the play “Nora” based on the play by G.Ibsen, staged by the Belarusian State Yanka Kupala Theater; Starring: Krogstad – Honored Artist of the BSSR P.A.Pekur, Nora – Honored Artist of the BSSR Z.I.Brovarskaya, 1954, Minsk, Photo Library of the Belarusian Theatre, I.Berlin

4. 2-4415 Actress of the Belarusian State Academic Theatre named after Yanka Kupala, Honored Artist of the BSSR Z.I.Brovarskaya in the role of a Woman in a scene from the play “Forgotten by All” based on the play by N.Hikmet, 1958, Minsk, Photo Library of the Public Association of the Belarusian Union of Theatre Workers, L. Ostrzego

5. 1-021913 During the filming of the feature film “The Clock Stopped at Midnight” produced by the Belarusfilm studio; In the foreground: actress R.I. Gladunko as Marina Kazanich, Honored Artist of the BSSR Z.I.Brovarskaya as Frau Kaunitz, actor A.M.Adoskin as Bushman, before 1958/, USSR, Photo Library of the National Film Studio “Belarusfilm”

6. 4-0305 Z.I.Brovarskaya – Honored Artist of the BSSR, actress of the Belarusian State Order of the Red Banner of Labor Academic Theater named after Yanka Kupala, 1959, Minsk, Photo Library of the Belarusian Film Studio I.Arotsker, L.Ostshego

7. 1-023344 Scene from the play “Northern Madonna” based on the play by the Tur brothers, staged by the Belarusian State Academic Theater named after Yanka Kupala; in the role of Christina Helmer, Honored Artist of the BSSR Z.I.Brovarskaya (left), actress Z.P.Zubkova in the role of Marta, 1962, Minsk, Photo Library of the Public Association of the Belarusian Union of Theatre Workers, I. Arotsker

8. 2-1148 Z.I. Brovarskaya, actress of the Belarusian Academic Theatre named after Yanka Kupala, Honored Artist of the BSSR in the role of Mamaeva in the play “Enough Stupidity in Every Wise Man” based on the play by A.Ostrovsky, 1962, Minsk, Photo Library of the Belarusian Theatre, I. Arotsker

9. 2-4093 Actress of the Belarusian State Academic Theatre named after Yanka Kupala, Honored Artist of the BSSR Z.I.Brovarskaya as Emma Konstantinovna in the play “Before Dinner” based on the play by V. Rozov, 1962, Minsk, Photo Library of the Public Association of the Belarusian Union of Theatre Workers, I.Arotsker, R.Malishkevich

10. 1-025888 Scene from the play “A Liar Wanted” based on the play by D.Psafas, staged by the Yanka Kupala Belarusian State Academic Theatre; Honored Artist of the BSSR Z.I.Brovarskaya as Janie, Honored Artist of the BSSR N.N.Eremenko as Todoras Parlas, 1965, Minsk, Photo Library of the Public Association of the Belarusian Union of Theatre Workers

11. 0-068264 Deputy Chairperson of the Board of the Belarusian Branch of the Canada-USSR Society, Honored Artist of the BSSR Z.I. Brovarskaya, together with employees of the Belarusian Society for Friendship and Cultural Relations with Foreign Countries (BelOKS), gets acquainted with literature received from Canada, March 1965, Minsk, BelOKS Photo Library, D.Press

12. 1-008573 Scene from the play “The Fox and the Grapes” based on the play by G.Figuereido, staged by the Belarusian State Academic Theater named after Yanka Kupala; Starring: Aesop – actor B.V.Vladimirsky, Kleya – People’s Artist of the BSSR Z.I.Brovarskaya, 1967, Minsk, BTO Photo Library

13. 0-086983 A group of the oldest artists of the Belarusian State Academic Theater named after Yana Kupala on the day of the theater’s 50th anniversary: ​​People’s Artist of the USSR L.G.Rakhlenko, People’s Artist of the BSSR V.N.Pollo, People’s Artist of the BSSR S.S.Birillo, People’s Artist of the BSSR S.M.Stanyuta, People’s Artist of the USSR Z.F.Stomma, People’s Artist of the BSSR R.N.Koshelnikova, People’s Artist of the BSSR Z.I.Brovarskaya and People’s Artist of the USSR L.I.Rzhetskaya, November 17, 1970, Minsk, BelTA Photo Chronicle, V. Lupeiko

14. 1-023245 Actress of the Belarusian State Academic Theater named after Yana Kupala, People’s Artist of the BSSR Z.I.Brovarskaya as the mother in a scene from the play “The Intimidated Apostle” based on the play by A.Makayonok, 1971, Minsk, Photo Library of the Public Association of the Belarusian Union of Theatre Workers, I. Arotsker, R. Malishkevich

15. 0-100449 In the meeting room of the joint plenum of creative unions of the BSSR, dedicated to the 50th anniversary of the formation of the BSSR: director of the Belarusfilm film studio I.M. Dobrolyubov and director, People’s Artist of the USSR V.V. Korsh-Sablin, People’s Artist of the BSSR Z.I.Brovarskaya, writer Ales Osipenko, People’s Artist of the BSSR E.A. Zaitsev, writer Maxim Luzhanin during breaks between sessions of the plenum, November 14 1972, Minsk, BelTA Photo Chronicle, V.Lupeiko

16. 0-116035 Scene from the play “Uncle’s Dream” based on A.Dostoevsky’s play, staged by the Belarusian State Academic Yanka Kupala Theater; starring Moskaleva – People’s Artist of the BSSR Z.I.Brovarskaya, her daughter – actress T.G.Puzinovskaya, 1978, Minsk, BTO Photo Library, R.Maleshkevich

17. P004035 Z.I.Brovarskaya, actress of the National Academic Yanka Kupala Theater, People’s Artist of the BSSR /portrait/, 1993, Minsk, BelTA Photo Chronicle, V.Shuba