- Either I leave the Academy or he does! –
How the famous actor and Zagreb mayor studied.
After a difficult childhood marked by the death of both parents, escaping from the death train and being kicked out of elementary school, and then from high school, which he never finished, Boris Buzančić, future famous actor and mayor, seemed to be lucky at last. Despite all the obstacles, he entered the Academy of Dramatic Art in Zagreb and became one of the first class students to ever attend it.
Enrollment in the academy did not solve his existential problems. During his studies, he was more hungry than full. Five students lived in a small apartment in Gundulićeva - Mato Ergović, Zorko Rajčić, Ante Vican and some Ovničević. When they had money, they ate in the student canteen located next to the Balkan cinema, and when they didn't, they lived on bread and beans. They didn't even have heating in the apartment, and in winter they were poorly dressed, which, according to Branko, gave their skin a "blue, healthy-frozen color". He said that he found a worn raincoat in the Jewish seminary. It was his only coat for the next few years, and he looked like a real gentleman in it.
He often recalled working with Mata Grković, who was a famous actor at the time. However, Boris was not impressed by him because Mato always played the roles in the same way. He did not approve of his way of teaching either, because Mato always asked his students to imitate him. He did not allow students to work on the roles themselves. While working on the play Robbers by Friedrich Schiller, Buzančić and Grković had a nasty fight. Buzančić rushed to Professor Gavella and asked him for his documents. He wanted to leave the Academy. Gavella tried to calm him down, but failed. Buzančić said: - Either I leave the Academy or he does! – Later he admitted that it was ugly of him, but at that moment his colleagues supported him. Grković, seeing the determination of his students, withdrew like a true gentleman.
Already in the second year of his studies, Boris shot the successful film "Ciguli, Miguli". Because of him, he became famous and he was no longer asked about his origin. After graduating from the Academy, he became a member of the Gavella theater, and later became part of the ensemble of the Zagreb HNK. He became popular playing dotura Vicu, the mayor in the series "Velo misto".
