Eva Norvind
Encyclopedia
Eva Norvind was a writer, documentary producer, director, sex therapist/ dominatrix
, and former actress of the cinema of Mexico. She was the mother of telenovela
actress Nailea Norvind
and the sister of composer and singer/songwriter Georg Kajanus
.
. Eva, her mother and her brother moved to France when Eva was 15 years old. The following year she won the second prize in the beauty contest at the Cannes Film Festival
which enabled her to win a minor role in the film Saint Tropez Blues. She then joined the cast of the Folies Bergère and changed her stage name to Eva Norvind. She also appeared in A School for Scandal at the Comédie-Française
.
In 1962, Eva moved to Canada and then to New York City where at the age of 18 she worked as a Playboy Bunny
and a Can-Can
dancer. She finished high school in 1964 and then moved to Mexico City
to study Spanish when she was recruited as an actress. She made seven films in Mexico, her last one being Báñame mi amor in 1968.
Norvind was the object of controversy in Mexico, when on the highly censored national television she spoke in defense of birth control
. The government of Mexico then asked her to leave the country within 24 hours but with the help of the National Association of Actors
she was able to stay in the country, although she was forbidden from appearing on television for one year. She performed in two plays, En el closet, no and Machiavelli's La mandragola (The Mandrake
).
In 1968, she became a photographer covering fashion and celebrity news - traveling to Paris and New York City. She also wrote film articles and worked on distribution of Mexican films to Scandinavia and vice versa.
In 1970, Eva gave birth to her daughter Nailea Norvind
in Mexico City and returned to New York City in 1980 to study film at New York University
(NYU), graduating in 1982 with a Bachelor in Fine Arts degree. In 1985, she became interested in erotic power exchange and two years later founded Taurel Associates, an umbrella company for counselling, erotic role play and video production for health related services. She gave lectures at national conferences worldwide, to both health professionals and lay audiences. In 1996, she obtained her Master's Degree in Human Sexuality
from NYU. The following year, a movie about her life entitled Didn't Do It For Love was made by German filmmaker Monika Treut
. She appeared in that film as well as in the 1999 film Tops & Bottoms.
In 1999, John McTiernan
hired Norvind to coach Rene Russo
for her assertive sexual image in The Thomas Crown Affair
for which she got screen credit. Norvind also pursued graduate studies in Forensic Psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice
. In 2003, she provided sexual consultation for the film 'Distress'.
Norvind died on 14 May 2006, drowned in the waters off the beaches of Huatulco
, in Oaxaca
, Mexico. At the time of her death, she was writing, directing and producing a documentary about severely handicapped Mexican actor and musician Jose Flores
, entitled Born Without ("Nacido sin").
Eva Norvind: "My goal is to inspire people to live to their full potential, by exploring the life of Jose Flores. Born without arms and other limbs, Jose supports his large family by playing the harmonica throughout Mexico. In the face of adversity, he shows great courage and spiritual strength.
This is a film with multiple layers. It is about sharing, daring and being grateful for what we have. It is also an exploration of social values, some of them controversial. Many of Jose's choices have been strongly criticized by his family and people around him. As a result, this is also a film about self discovery: a way to explore what we judge ... and what we choose to accept and forgive."
In March 2007, Born Without won Best International Documentary at the Festival Internacional de Cine Contemporaneo de la Ciudad De Mexico (FICCO
), Best Documentary Feature at the Vancouver International Film Festival
2008 and the Audience Award for Best International Feature at the 2009 LA Film Festival.
Dominatrix
Dominatrix or mistress is a woman or women who takes the dominant role in bondage, discipline and sadomasochism, or BDSM. A common form of address for a submissive to a dominatrix is "mistress", "ma'am", "domina" or "maîtresse"...
, and former actress of the cinema of Mexico. She was the mother of telenovela
Telenovela
A telenovela is a limited-run serial dramatic programming popular in Latin American, Portuguese, and Spanish television programming. The word combines tele, short for televisión or televisão , and novela, a Spanish or Portuguese word for "novel"...
actress Nailea Norvind
Nailea Norvind
Nailea Norvind is a Mexican television actress who also appeared in the critically acclaimed film Gaby: A True Story...
and the sister of composer and singer/songwriter Georg Kajanus
Georg Kajanus
Georg Kajanus is a Norwegian composer and pop musician, best known as the lead singer and songwriter of the British pop group, Sailor.-Early years:...
.
Biography
Eva Norvind was the daughter of Russian prince Paul Chegodayef Sakonsky and Norwegian sculptress Johanna Kajanus, who won the bronze medal for sculpture at the Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne (1937)Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne (1937)
The Exposition Internationale des Arts et Techniques dans la Vie Moderne was held from May 25 to November 25, 1937 in Paris, France...
. Eva, her mother and her brother moved to France when Eva was 15 years old. The following year she won the second prize in the beauty contest at the Cannes Film Festival
Cannes Film Festival
The Cannes International Film Festival , is an annual film festival held in Cannes, France, which previews new films of all genres including documentaries from around the world. Founded in 1946, it is among the world's most prestigious and publicized film festivals...
which enabled her to win a minor role in the film Saint Tropez Blues. She then joined the cast of the Folies Bergère and changed her stage name to Eva Norvind. She also appeared in A School for Scandal at the Comédie-Française
Comédie-Française
The Comédie-Française or Théâtre-Français is one of the few state theaters in France. It is the only state theater to have its own troupe of actors. It is located in the 1st arrondissement of Paris....
.
In 1962, Eva moved to Canada and then to New York City where at the age of 18 she worked as a Playboy Bunny
Playboy Bunny
A Playboy Bunny is a waitress at the Playboy Club. The Playboy Clubs were originally open from 1960 to 1988. The Club re-opened in one location in The Palms Hotel in Las Vegas in 2006...
and a Can-Can
Can-Can
The Can-can is a dance. It may also refer to:* Popularly, the Galop Infernal movement of Jacques Offenbach's Orpheus in the Underworld, commonly associated with the dance* Can Can , a 2007 fragrance by Paris Hilton...
dancer. She finished high school in 1964 and then moved to Mexico City
Mexico City
Mexico City is the Federal District , capital of Mexico and seat of the federal powers of the Mexican Union. It is a federal entity within Mexico which is not part of any one of the 31 Mexican states but belongs to the federation as a whole...
to study Spanish when she was recruited as an actress. She made seven films in Mexico, her last one being Báñame mi amor in 1968.
Norvind was the object of controversy in Mexico, when on the highly censored national television she spoke in defense of birth control
Birth control
Birth control is an umbrella term for several techniques and methods used to prevent fertilization or to interrupt pregnancy at various stages. Birth control techniques and methods include contraception , contragestion and abortion...
. The government of Mexico then asked her to leave the country within 24 hours but with the help of the National Association of Actors
National Association of Actors
The National Association of Actors is the Mexican actors guild. It is a member of the Bloque Latinoamericano de Actores that includes all of the actors' unions in Latin America....
she was able to stay in the country, although she was forbidden from appearing on television for one year. She performed in two plays, En el closet, no and Machiavelli's La mandragola (The Mandrake
The Mandrake
The Mandrake is a satirical play by Italian Renaissance writer Niccolò Machiavelli. Its tale of the corruption of Italian society was written while Machiavelli was in exile, allegedly having plotted against the Medici...
).
In 1968, she became a photographer covering fashion and celebrity news - traveling to Paris and New York City. She also wrote film articles and worked on distribution of Mexican films to Scandinavia and vice versa.
In 1970, Eva gave birth to her daughter Nailea Norvind
Nailea Norvind
Nailea Norvind is a Mexican television actress who also appeared in the critically acclaimed film Gaby: A True Story...
in Mexico City and returned to New York City in 1980 to study film at New York University
New York University
New York University is a private, nonsectarian research university based in New York City. NYU's main campus is situated in the Greenwich Village section of Manhattan...
(NYU), graduating in 1982 with a Bachelor in Fine Arts degree. In 1985, she became interested in erotic power exchange and two years later founded Taurel Associates, an umbrella company for counselling, erotic role play and video production for health related services. She gave lectures at national conferences worldwide, to both health professionals and lay audiences. In 1996, she obtained her Master's Degree in Human Sexuality
Human sexuality
Human sexuality is the awareness of gender differences, and the capacity to have erotic experiences and responses. Human sexuality can also be described as the way someone is sexually attracted to another person whether it is to opposite sexes , to the same sex , to either sexes , or not being...
from NYU. The following year, a movie about her life entitled Didn't Do It For Love was made by German filmmaker Monika Treut
Monika Treut
Monika Treut is an openly lesbian German filmmaker.In the mid-1970s she began working with video. She founded Hyena Filmproduktion together with Elfi Mikesch in 1984, and began producing, writing, and directing independent feature films....
. She appeared in that film as well as in the 1999 film Tops & Bottoms.
In 1999, John McTiernan
John McTiernan
John Campbell McTiernan, Jr. is an American film director and producer, best known for his action films and most identifiable with the three films he directed back-to-back: Predator, Die Hard, and The Hunt for Red October, along with later movies such as Last Action Hero, Die Hard with a...
hired Norvind to coach Rene Russo
Rene Russo
- Early life :Russo was born in Burbank, California, the daughter of Shirley , a factory worker and barmaid, and Nino Russo, a sculptor and car mechanic who left the family when Rene was two. Her father and maternal grandfather were of Italian descent. Russo grew up with her sister, Toni, and their...
for her assertive sexual image in The Thomas Crown Affair
The Thomas Crown Affair (1999 film)
The Thomas Crown Affair is a 1999 American heist film directed by John McTiernan. The film, starring Pierce Brosnan, Rene Russo and Denis Leary, is a remake of the 1968 film of the same name....
for which she got screen credit. Norvind also pursued graduate studies in Forensic Psychology at John Jay College of Criminal Justice
John Jay College of Criminal Justice
The John Jay College of Criminal Justice is a senior college of the City University of New York in Midtown Manhattan, New York City and is the only liberal arts college with a criminal justice and forensic focus in the United States. The college offers programs in Forensic Science and Forensic...
. In 2003, she provided sexual consultation for the film 'Distress'.
Norvind died on 14 May 2006, drowned in the waters off the beaches of Huatulco
Huatulco
Huatulco , centered on the town of La Crucecita, is a tourist development in Mexico. It is located on the Pacific coast in the state of Oaxaca. Huatulco's tourism industry is centered on its nine bays thus the name Bahias de Huatulco but has since been unofficially shortened to simply Huatulco...
, in Oaxaca
Oaxaca
Oaxaca , , officially Estado Libre y Soberano de Oaxaca is one of the 31 states which, along with the Federal District, comprise the 32 federative entities of Mexico. It is divided into 571 municipalities; of which 418 are governed by the system of customs and traditions...
, Mexico. At the time of her death, she was writing, directing and producing a documentary about severely handicapped Mexican actor and musician Jose Flores
Jose Flores
Jose Carlos Flores is a baseball player who briefly appeared in 7 games for the Oakland Athletics in and 9 games for the Los Angeles Dodgers in .-External links:...
, entitled Born Without ("Nacido sin").
Eva Norvind: "My goal is to inspire people to live to their full potential, by exploring the life of Jose Flores. Born without arms and other limbs, Jose supports his large family by playing the harmonica throughout Mexico. In the face of adversity, he shows great courage and spiritual strength.
This is a film with multiple layers. It is about sharing, daring and being grateful for what we have. It is also an exploration of social values, some of them controversial. Many of Jose's choices have been strongly criticized by his family and people around him. As a result, this is also a film about self discovery: a way to explore what we judge ... and what we choose to accept and forgive."
In March 2007, Born Without won Best International Documentary at the Festival Internacional de Cine Contemporaneo de la Ciudad De Mexico (FICCO
FICCO
Mexico City International Contemporary Film Festival, or FICCO for its initials in Spanish was an annual film festival that began in February 2004 and finished in 2010....
), Best Documentary Feature at the Vancouver International Film Festival
Vancouver International Film Festival
The Vancouver International Film Festival is an annual film festival held in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada for two weeks in late September and early October...
2008 and the Audience Award for Best International Feature at the 2009 LA Film Festival.
Films
- Báñame mi amor (1968) as Priestess
- Un yucateco honoris causa (1967)
- Don Juan 67 (1967) as Helga
- Santo el enmascarado de plata vs la invasión de los marcianos (1967) as Selene
- Nuestros buenos vecinos de Yucatán (1967)
- Juan Pistolas (1966)
- Esta noche no (1966) as a blond in AcapulcoAcapulcoAcapulco is a city, municipality and major sea port in the state of Guerrero on the Pacific coast of Mexico, southwest from Mexico City. Acapulco is located on a deep, semi-circular bay and has been a port since the early colonial period of Mexico’s history...
- Pacto de sangre (1966) as Helen
- Saint Tropez Blues (1961) as a German Tourist
- Whipped (1998) as herself
- The City (2007) as herself