Ene Järvis (born 26 October 1947) is an

Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from Finland, to the west by the Baltic Sea across from Sweden, to the south by Latvia, and to the east by Ru ...

n stage, film, radio, and television actress.

Early life and education

Ene Järvis was born in Kiidjärve,

Põlva County Põlva County ( or ''Põlvamaa'') is one of 15 counties of Estonia. It is situated in south-eastern part of the country and borders Tartu, Valga and Võru counties. 23,989 people live in Põlva County – constituting 1.8% of the total popula ...

to parents Paul and Amanda Elfriede Järvis. She was the second to youngest of five siblings; two older sisters and an older brother named Eimar almost fourteen years her senior, and a younger sister. She attended schools in Põlva, graduating from Põlva Secondary School in 1966 (now, Põlva Gymnasium). Following graduation, she enrolled at the Tallinn State Conservatory in

Tallinn Tallinn is the capital city, capital and List of cities in Estonia, most populous city of Estonia. Situated on a Tallinn Bay, bay in north Estonia, on the shore of the Gulf of Finland of the Baltic Sea, it has a population of (as of 2025) and ...

(now, the

Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre The Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre (''Eesti Muusika- ja Teatriakadeemia'') began as a mixed choir of the Estonia Society Musical Department (EMD) on the eve of World War I. The assembly of the Estonia Society created the Tallinn Higher Musi ...

), graduating from the institution's performing arts department in 1970. During her studies at the Tallinn State Conservatory, she met and befriended classmate Helene Vannari. The two would become lifelong friends.

Career

Stage

In 1970, Järvis began an engagement at the National Youth Theatre in Tallinn (now, the

Tallinn City Theatre Tallinn City Theatre () is a repertory theatre located in the medieval old town of Tallinn, Estonia Estonia, officially the Republic of Estonia, is a country in Northern Europe. It is bordered to the north by the Gulf of Finland across from ...

). She would remain an actress at the theatre for nearly forty years, leaving in 2009. Since 2009, she has been a freelance actress.

Film

Järvis' first substantial feature-length film role was in the 1987

Soviet The Union of Soviet Socialist Republics. (USSR), commonly known as the Soviet Union, was a List of former transcontinental countries#Since 1700, transcontinental country that spanned much of Eurasia from 1922 until Dissolution of the Soviet ...

-Estonian Helle Karis directed ''Metsluiged'', adapted from the 1838

Hans Christian Andersen Hans Christian Andersen ( , ; 2 April 1805 – 4 August 1875) was a Danish author. Although a prolific writer of plays, travelogue (literature), travelogues, novels, and poems, he is best remembered for his literary fairy tales. Andersen's fai ...

literary fairy tale ''

The Wild Swans "The Wild Swans" () is a literary fairy tale by Hans Christian Andersen about a princess who rescues her 11 brothers from a spell cast by an evil queen. The tale was first published on 2 October 1838 in Andersen's '' Fairy Tales Told for C ...

'', for

Tallinnfilm Tallinnfilm () is the oldest surviving film studio in Estonia. It was founded as Estonian Culture Film in 1931, and was nationalized in 1940 after Estonia was integrated into the Soviet Union. During the first year of Soviet occcupation (1940 ...

. This was followed in 1990 by a small role in the Kaljo Kiisk directed drama ''Regina''; and an uncredited role as Agnes in the 1992 Mati Põldre directed ''Need vanad armastuskirjad'', a biopic of 1930s and 1940s Estonian songwriter Raimond Valgre. In 1999, she appeared as a director in the Valentin Kuik directed drama ''Lurjus'', which was adapted from the short story ''Poldlets'' (also known as ''An Affair of Honor'') penned by

Vladimir Nabokov Vladimir Vladimirovich Nabokov ( ; 2 July 1977), also known by the pen name Vladimir Sirin (), was a Russian and American novelist, poet, translator, and entomologist. Born in Imperial Russia in 1899, Nabokov wrote his first nine novels in Rus ...

. In 2011, Ene Järvis appeared as Riina in the Rain Tolk and Andres Maimik directed comedy ''Kormoranid ehk Nahkpükse ei pesta'' for Kuukulgur Film, about a 1970s rock band trying to make a comeback. In 2012, she had a starring role as Reeda in the Ain Mäeots directed drama ''Deemonid'', which chronicles the downward spiral of three individuals who enter a casino. In 2013, she had a small role as a gynecologist in the

Ilmar Raag Ilmar Raag (born 21 May 1968 in Kuressaare) is an Estonian media executive, actor, screenwriter and film director, best known for his socio-critical film '' The Class''. He was CEO of Estonian Television from 2002 to 2005. He is a well known ...

romantic drama '' Kertu''. In 2016, she appeared in both the René Vilbre directed comedy ''Klassikokkutulek'', and the Anu Aun directed romantic drama ''Polaarpoiss''. Throughout her career, Järvis has also appeared in a number of film shorts.

Television and radio

In 1989, Ene Järvis was cast in the role of Astrid Olsen for the Mikk Mikiver directed television film ''Doktor Stockmann'', based on the 1886 play ''

An Enemy of the People ''An Enemy of the People'' (original Norwegian title: ''En folkefiende'') is an 1882 play by Norwegian playwright Henrik Ibsen that explores the conflict between personal integrity and societal norms. The play centers on Dr. Thomas Stockmann, w ...

'' by Norwegian playwright

Henrik Ibsen Henrik Johan Ibsen (; ; 20 March 1828 – 23 May 1906) was a Norwegian playwright, poet and actor. Ibsen is considered the world's pre-eminent dramatist of the 19th century and is often referred to as "the father of modern drama." He pioneered ...

. Between 1995 and 1996, she played the role of Lilian Põder on the popular, long-running Eesti Televisioon (ETV) drama serial ''

Õnne 13 Õnne 13 is an Estonian dramatic TV series that airs on ETV. The series first aired on 30 October 1993 and was written by Astrid Reinla and as of 1996 by Teet Kallas. Rainer Kerge. Vabandage, proua, kas see maja on Õnne tänav 13?'. Õhtule ...

''. Järvis has also made appearances in 2007 on the Kanal 2 television crime series ''Kelgukoerad'', and as Helga in the Kanal 2 mystery-horror television series ''Süvahavva''. Between 2011 and 2015, she also made several appearances on episodes of the TV3 comedy-crime series ''Kättemaksukontor''. During her career Järvis has also performed in a number of radio theatre plays. Some of her more memorable roles in radio theatre have been in productions of works by

Vladimir Mayakovsky Vladimir Vladimirovich Mayakovsky ( – 14 April 1930) was a Russian poet, playwright, artist, and actor. During his early, Russian Revolution, pre-Revolution period leading into 1917, Mayakovsky became renowned as a prominent figure of the Ru ...

August Gailit August Gailit (9 January 1891 – 5 November 1960) was an Estonians, Estonian writer. Life Georg August Gailit was born in Lossiküla, Kuiksilla (near Sangaste Castle), Sangaste Parish (now Otepää Parish), Kreis Dorpat, Governorate of Livonia, ...

, and

Oscar Wilde Oscar Fingal O'Fflahertie Wills Wilde (16 October 185430 November 1900) was an Irish author, poet, and playwright. After writing in different literary styles throughout the 1880s, he became one of the most popular and influential playwright ...

Personal life

Ene Järvis was married to actor Vello Janson from 1976 until their divorce in 1984. The couple had no children. Järvis currently lives in Tallinn and is in a relationship with long-term partner Gunnar.Õhtuleht
''"Minu suurim tragöödia on see, et mul pole lapsi."'' 16 March 2004. Retrieved 11 February 2017.

References

External links

* {{DEFAULTSORT:Jarvis, Ene 1947 births Living people People from Põlva Parish Estonian stage actresses Estonian film actresses Estonian television actresses Estonian radio actresses 20th-century Estonian actresses 21st-century Estonian actresses Estonian Academy of Music and Theatre alumni