Mirjana Karanović (Serbian Cyrillic: Мирјана Карановић) (born 28 January 1957 in Belgrade) is a Serbian actress known for many important roles in former Yugoslav films during the past quarter of a century.

She made her screen debut in 1980 film Petrijin venac ("Petrija's Wreath"), earning accolades for her portrayal of an illiterate Serbian woman. She is best known to international audience by her portrayal of the mother in the 1985 film When Father Was Away on Business.

In 1995 she appeared in an award-winning movie, Underground, directed by a famous Serbian director Emir Kusturica.

In 2003 Mirjana Karanović again made history by appearing in Croatian film Svjedoci (Witnesses). She was the first actor from Serbia to appear in a Croatian film since the break-up of Yugoslavia. In the film she played a Croatian war widow.

In 2005 she appeared in the film Grbavica by the Bosnian director Jasmila Žbanić, in which she played a Muslim woman who had to come to terms with her teenager daughter regarding the nature of her birth. In this film she portrays a rape victim abused by Serbs during the Bosnian War.

Biography

Mirjana a été la première actrice serbe à jouer dans un film croate après l'éclatement de la Yougoslavie et le conflit qui en a découlé. Il s’agissait du film Witnesses (Svjedoci) en 2003.

Elle a aussi été la présidente du jury du Festival du film de Sarajevo en 2009.