WHEN I WAS A STUDENT WITH LAZAR BARAKOV: BOOKS WERE MY EQUIVALENT OF WHAT IPHONES ARE FOR TODAY’S YOUTH. THE CHARACTERS WITHIN THOSE PAGES BECAME MY COMPANIONS, AND I OFTEN DREAMT OF STEPPING INTO THE ROLE OF AN ACTOR.

Lazar Barakov, our renowned actor, is most prominently associated with Macedonian folktales. Alongside Gjorgji and Shenka Kolozovi, Goce Todorovski, and Vancho Petrushevski, he captivated audiences with the folk wisdom woven into the stories recorded in the 1980s. His acting repertoire is extensive, encompassing numerous roles in films, series, and folktales. Born on May 24, 1954, this year marks his 70th birthday, yet he remains actively engaged in his craft, displaying unwavering vigor and enthusiasm.

He completed secondary education underage

He recounted completing his elementary education in his birthplace, the village of Mokrino, nestled in the embrace of Mount Belasica, and finishing high school in Strumica.

“I adored books from a tender age, mastering reading even before beginning school. Back then, books brought me immense joy, akin to the allure of today’s most coveted iPhones for children. I completed high school underage and successfully passed the acting entrance exam at the esteemed Belgrade Academy on my first attempt. However, due to financial constraints and a sense of adventure, I departed the Academy after three months, embarking on a journey to the so-called ‘rotten West’ to work as a guest laborer, settling initially in Austria. My initial impression was akin to stepping foot on an entirely different planet,” reminisces Lazar Barakov.

He gave little thought to his post-high school plans, as his desire had been unconsciously ingrained in him since his early school and preschool years.

“As a child from the village, I was adept at various tasks and unafraid of any type of work. We, village children, were raised with a Spartan ethos, where evasion of life’s obstacles was not an option. What precisely influenced my decision to become an actor, I cannot say for certain. However, the notion was ingrained within me. Even while occupied with other pursuits, acting remained a persistent presence in my thoughts. Every character from the books I read seemed to come alive within me, guiding my path towards acting,” Lazar shares.

Strict and disciplined – studying and practicing from dawn to dusk

Barakov adds that his studies led him to various locations across different countries. After Belgrade, he pursued further education in Austria, and after two years, he continued his studies in Sofia.

“Those years were poor, but adventurous. I led a poor, modest life at that time in Sofia with many student friends from various countries. My fellow students were from many countries – Ethiopia, Sudan, Afghanistan, Vietnam, Peru, etc. At the Academy, I majored in acting, and my friends majored in film directing and theater directing. We were well educated children, we sang “The Internationale,” says Barakov.

Studying was not easy, and he points out that the Sofia Academy was among the first world-ranking academies.

“Strict, disciplined, and filled with hours of study and exercises, from dawn till dusk. I faced numerous challenges and moments of doubt, yet I persevered. Sometimes praised by my teachers, other times criticized… I would occasionally take a tour around Europe as an escape valve, only to return… and they forgave me. By the end of my third year at the Academy in Sofia, I had already had a graduation play on a major stage. However, in my fourth year, I made the decision to relocate to Skopje and stage my graduation play there. I received an offer from Professor Ljubisha Georgievski, and it was performed at the Drama Theater,” Barakov reveals.

With empty pockets, barefoot, but full of ideals

The most important thing for him was to get into the essence of what he wanted to do.

“I was consumed with thoughts of acting from dawn till dusk, whether within the confines of the Academy or outside of it, my mind was fixated on the craft 24/7. Even now, in these later years. However, I must acknowledge that the faculty taught me more than just acting; it instilled in me principles of order, purity of soul, and military discipline. Reflecting on my student days, I realize I was hyperactive in my pursuits. Hunger or satiety didn’t occupy my thoughts; if my day was filled with tasks, I felt spiritually nourished, calm, and content. I paid little attention to my attire or material possessions; I gazed towards a brighter horizon filled with laughter, joy, and beauty. Despite empty pockets and bare feet, my heart overflowed with ideals. I craved knowledge for its own sake, regardless of whether my acting career would leave a lasting mark or fulfill my dreams. Often, I found myself dreaming of soaring alone in an airplane. Education served as a remedy for simplicity and a cure for despair. That which God has bestowed upon you, to showcase it requires diligent investment and hard work, as the popular saying goes, ‘No pain, no gain,'” shares actor Lazar Barakov.