Beata Poźniak

Beata is best known for her portrayal of Marina Oswald in Oliver Stone’s “JFK.” This role led to over 30 film and television projects internationally, including the starring role as the first female president of the world on “Babylon 5”, and a fiery revolutionary in George Lucas’ “The Young Indiana Jones Chronicles.” Beata was the recipient of the Croatian Heart Award (with Michael York and John Savage) for her heartfelt performance in the film “Freedom From Despair”, as well as for her dedication to humanitarian causes. She works extensively advocating for human rights and women’s issues. In 1994 Pozniak spearheaded the introduction of the first bill in the history of the U.S. Congress (H.J. Res. 316) to recognize International Women's Day in the United States. She also received official recognition from the Los Angeles City Council, which commended her for her efforts in establishing International Women’s Day as a day to be celebrated in the United States. Pozniak received special recognition from Mayor Richard Riordan for her vision in creating International Women's Day, and from Mayor Tom Bradley for bringing the idea to Los Angeles. To commemorate the introduction of the first bill, she painted “Mnemosyne - International Women’s Day” - an art piece that celebrates and depicts a community of all races of the world in a female form. It evokes the achievements of women along their struggle for peace and equality in the face of discrimination and war. Pozniak’s artwork has been widely exhibited and was selected to be part of the international “Art & Democracy” show at The Bergamot Station along with artists from around the world, including author, human rights activist and Nobel Peace Prize recipient Liu Xiaobo. Her work was acquired by the Cedar’s Sinai Art Council. She often uses her artwork in experimental films created by her. Inspired by Nietzsche’s observation that “out of chaos comes order,” Pozniak founded Discordia Productions to write, direct and stage performance art shows that have been a part of the Los Angeles arts scene for more than two decades, including “Poeticus Umbilicus,” “Poetry Discordia” and “Return of Umbilicus.” Beata has also created multimedia experimental film projects, notably “Mnemosyne” based on her Women’s Day art piece and the recently acclaimed short film “People on the Bridge,” based on a Nobel Prize winning poem, which she produced and also narrated. She describes these works as “visual journeys of the human race that explore where we have been and what we can become.” She narrated a #1 bestselling book “The Winter Palace; a Novel of Catherine the Great”, a 19 hour audiobook for Penguin Random House Audio. A compilation of short stories “The Tsar of Love and Techno” was rated in the Top Five audiobooks of the year by Washington Post. Beata frequently sits on judging panels for the Television Academy Primetime Emmy Awards and has been a presenter for the IFP (Independent Feature Project West) "Independent Spirit Awards," and the “Annual Women’s Leadership Awards” for the National Women’s Political Caucus of California. She was privileged to present a posthumous award to Audrey Hepburn at the Human Rights Film Festival, supported by the United Nations. Pozniak is also a former Chair of Women in Film International. She has been reappointed by the president of SAG-AFTRA to serve on the Women's Committee. Other new posts can be found on https://www.facebook.com/iBeataPozniak/