Janez Lapajne

Janez Lapajne (; born 24 June 1967 in Celje, Slovenia, grew up in Ljubljana, Slovenia is a Slovenian film director, producer, writer, editor and production designer.

The son of geophysicist , he graduated in film directing from the University of Ljubljana.

He founded , an occasional academy for researching the art of film directing, which he heads as mentor. He also directs for theatre, radio and television.

He has won several awards for his student works and his feature films.

He is former first president of Directors Guild of Slovenia.

Lapajne is related to Slovenian female painter Ivana Kobilca.

Filmography

As director 1992 – Blackred/Črnordeče (Zveza Kulturnih Organizacij Slovenije), short fiction 1995 – An Electric Chair Over Ljubljana or What a Painter Can Do With Two Suitcases/Električni stol nad Ljubljano ali Kaj počne slikar z dvema kovčkoma (University of Ljubljana and Radiotelevizija Slovenija), short documentary 1996 – The Smile/Smehljaj (University of Ljubljana), short fiction 1997 – The Kanižarica Lignite Mine Closure/Rudnik rjavega premoga Kanižarica v zapiranju (Orson), short documentary 1997 – Breakages/Črepinjice (University of Ljubljana), diploma film, short fiction 2002 – Rustling Landscapes/Šelestenje (Triglav film, VPK), first feature film 2006 – Short Circuits/Kratki stiki (Triglav film), feature film 2009 – Personal Baggage/Osebna prtljaga (Triglav film), feature film 2012 – Who's Afraid of the Big Black Wolf?/Kdo se boji črnega moža?/Wer hat Angst vorm Schwarzen Mann? (Triglav film), short fiction 2019 – Dromedary/Dromedar (Triglav film), short fiction 2026 – Drama/Drama (Triglav film), short fiction (currently in postproduction)

As producer 2002 – Rustling Landscapes/Šelestenje (Triglav film, VPK), first feature film 2006 – Short Circuits/Kratki stiki (Triglav film), feature film 2013 – Class Enemy/Razredni sovražnik (Triglav film), first feature film 2019 – Dromedary/Dromedar (Triglav film), short fiction

As writer 1992 – Blackred/Črnordeče (Zveza Kulturnih Organizacij Slovenije), short fiction 1995 – An Electric Chair Over Ljubljana or What a Painter Can Do With Two Suitcases/Električni stol nad Ljubljano ali Kaj počne slikar z dvema kovčkoma (University of Ljubljana and Radiotelevizija Slovenija), short documentary 1996 – Cinders/Pepelca (University of Ljubljana), short documentary 1996 – The Smile/Smehljaj (University of Ljubljana), short fiction 1997 – The Kanižarica Lignite Mine Closure/Rudnik rjavega premoga Kanižarica v zapiranju (Orson), short documentary 1997 – Breakages/Črepinjice (University of Ljubljana), diploma film, short fiction 2002 – Rustling Landscapes/Šelestenje (Triglav film, VPK), first feature film 2004 – Lilies of the Valley/Solzice (University of Ljubljana and Radiotelevizija Slovenija), short fiction 2006 – Short Circuits/Kratki stiki (Triglav film), feature film 2009 – Personal Baggage/Osebna prtljaga (Triglav film), feature film 2012 – Who's Afraid of the Big Black Wolf?/Kdo se boji črnega moža?/Wer hat Angst vorm Schwarzen Mann? (Triglav film), short fiction 2013 – Dual/Dvojina (Perfo), feature film 2013 – Class Enemy/Razredni sovražnik (Triglav film), first feature film 2019 – Dromedary/Dromedar (Triglav film), short fiction 2026 – Drama/Drama (Triglav film), short fiction (currently in postproduction)

As editor 1996 – The Smile/Smehljaj (University of Ljubljana), short fiction (uncredited) 2002 – Rustling Landscapes/Šelestenje (Triglav film, VPK), first feature film 2004 – Lilies of the Valley/Solzice (University of Ljubljana and Radiotelevizija Slovenija), short fiction 2006 – Short Circuits/Kratki stiki (Triglav film), feature film 2009 – Personal Baggage/Osebna prtljaga (Triglav film), feature film 2011 – A Trip/Izlet (Perfo, Invida, MC Krka), first feature film 2012 – Who's Afraid of the Big Black Wolf?/Kdo se boji črnega moža?/Wer hat Angst vorm Schwarzen Mann? (Triglav film), short fiction 2013 – Dual/Dvojina (Perfo), feature film 2013 – Class Enemy/Razredni sovražnik (Triglav film), first feature film 2019 – Dromedary/Dromedar (Triglav film), short fiction 2026 – Drama/Drama (Triglav film), short fiction (currently in postproduction)

As production designer 1992 – Blackred/Črnordeče (Zveza Kulturnih Organizacij Slovenije), short fiction (uncredited) 2002 – Rustling Landscapes/Šelestenje (Triglav film, VPK), first feature film 2006 – Short Circuits/Kratki stiki (Triglav film), feature film 2009 – Personal Baggage/Osebna prtljaga (Triglav film), feature film 2012 – Who's Afraid of the Big Black Wolf?/Kdo se boji črnega moža?/Wer hat Angst vorm Schwarzen Mann? (Triglav film), short fiction 2019 – Dromedary/Dromedar (Triglav film), short fiction 2026 – Drama/Drama (Triglav film), short fiction (currently in postproduction)

As costume designer 1992 – Blackred/Črnordeče (Zveza Kulturnih Organizacij Slovenije), short fiction (uncredited) 1996 – The Smile/Smehljaj (University of Ljubljana), short fiction

As mentor 2004 – Birth/Rojstvo (PoEtika, Triglav film), short fiction 2004 – Life/Življenje (PoEtika, Triglav film), short fiction 2004 – Death/Smrt (PoEtika, Triglav film), short fiction 2007 – Swamp/Močvirje (PoEtika, ZKD Grosuplje, Smila Film), short fiction 2007 – The Pianist/Pianist (PoEtika, ZKD Grosuplje, Smila Film), short fiction 2008 – I Love You/Rad te imam (Filmski tabor Kolpa, ZIK Črnomelj), short fiction 2009 – Rolled Dumplings/Štruklji (PoEtika, Triglav film, FFNM), short fiction 2009 – Nothing Particular/N'č tazga (PoEtika, Triglav film, FFNM), short fiction

Appearance 2001 – Tiigra (Studio Arkadena), fiction-documentary, as himself

Theatre - director: 1999 - Several authors: Coquettnesses/Spogledljivosti (The Student Organisation of the University of Ljubljana, Primorski poletni festival and Orson) - world premiere - at 6th Primorski poletni festival, Koper 1999. 2004 - David Auburn: Proof (Slovenian National Theatre Celje/Slovensko ljudsko gledališče Celje) - Slovenian premiere - season 2003/04, 2004 - John Osborne: Look Back in Anger (Municipal Theatre Ljubljana/Mestno gledališče ljubljansko) - season 2004/05, 2006 - Neil LaBute: Bash: Latter-Day Plays (Imaginarni and Mini Teater) - Slovenian premiere - season 2005/06, 2007 - Nejc Gazvoda: The Swing/Gugalnica (Imaginarni) - world premiere - season 2007/08.

- art director: 1999 - Several authors: Coquettnesses/Spogledljivosti (The Student Organisation of the University of Ljubljana, Primorski poletni festival and Orson) - world premiere - at 6th Primorski poletni festival, Koper 1999, 2004 - John Osborne: Look Back in Anger (Municipal Theatre Ljubljana/Mestno gledališče ljubljansko) - season 2004/05, 2006 - Neil LaBute: Bash: Latter-Day Plays (Imaginarni and Mini Teater) - Slovenian premiere - season 2005/06, 2007 - Nejc Gazvoda: The Swing/Gugalnica (Imaginarni) - world premiere - season 2007/08.

- costume designer: 1999 - Several authors: Coquettnesses/Spogledljivosti (The Student Organisation of the University of Ljubljana, Primorski poletni festival and Orson) - world premiere - at 6th Primorski poletni festival, Koper 1999.

- film crew director: 2010 - Ingmar Bergman: Autumn Sonata/Höstsonaten (Slovenian National Theatre Celje/Slovensko ljudsko gledališče Celje) - Slovenian premiere - season 2009/10.

- video: 2003 - Witold Gombrowicz: Yvonne, Princess of Burgundy/Ivona, Księżnicka Burgunda (Prešernovo gledališče Kranj) - season 2003/04, 2004 - John Osborne: Look Back in Anger (Municipal Theatre Ljubljana/Mestno gledališče ljubljansko) - season 2004/05.

- actor: 1996 - Matjaž Kmecl: Trubar/Trubar (Cankarjev dom, Radiotelevizija Slovenija and Micom) - world premiere - season 1996/97.