Her lines from Tesna Koža, Davitelj protiv davitelja, Kamiondžije, Nacionalna klasa, Metla bez drške, and other popular works of Yugoslav cinema are often retold. With her energy and abundant talent, Rahela Ferari breathed eternal life into every character she portrayed. Even minor roles, when interpreted by this Yugoslav artist of Jewish origin, often stood out more than the lead ones.
She was born as Bela Marija Rozalija Rohel Frajnd on August 27, 1911, in Zemun, to a poor Jewish family. During the Great War, the Austro-Hungarian authorities deported them to Bačka Palanka, the birthplace of Bela’s father.
She spent all of World War II hiding from the fascists. She was forced to constantly change residences in villages around Belgrade. At one point, she found refuge with a certain Mrs. Magda, where she introduced herself as Ruža, a name inspired by her stage name Rožika, which she had used at the Serbian National Theatre.
One night, a raid burst into their shabby house. Bela opened the door and stood in front of the Gestapo officers. Suddenly, her friend Smiljka ran into the hallway and said: “Ruža, you’ve received a call from the theatre in Pančevo!” Unsure whether this was a trick to avoid arrest or an actual call, Ruža played the role of her life, brightly telling the soldiers: “You’ve brought me luck! I’ll treat you for this engagement!” Confused, they forgot about checking her ID, and she escaped into the darkness. It is said that she turned gray overnight from the stress. The next morning, she found refuge in an attic at Cvetkova Market in Belgrade, where, together with the Russian-born actress Kapitalina Erić, she awaited the liberation of 1944 and the end of the war, during which the rest of the Frajnd family was killed.
She was married to actor Aleksandar Stojković, the older brother of Danilo Bata Stojković. Upon marriage, she changed her name and surname, and perhaps left behind her tragic past, becoming Marija Stojković.
She passed away in Belgrade on February 12, 1994, at the age of 82.
