A Croatian special edition of Ian Fleming’s Moonraker was unveiled at a special gala event this week...

Moonraker Launched In Croatia

May 19th 2011

At a gala event held last week at Le Méridien Lav Hotel in Split, Croatian publishing house Algoritam has revealed the latest in its line of special first editions of Ian Fleming’s 007 books, Moonraker.


 

The Croatian imprint is historically unique in that it features the work of the nation’s most beautiful models and most talented photographers, who are recreating the Bond Girls featured in each title as closely as possible to the author’s description.

As with the previous two novels, Casino Royale and Live And Let Die, and the Quantum of Solace short story collection, the first edition of Moonraker is issued in a strictly-limited run of 1000 hardcover copies with laminated, silver-foil embossed covers.

“It is a tremendous responsibility to bring the original James Bond books to a new language,” said Mr. Vladimir Cvetkovic Sever, the editor and translator of the Algoritam 007 imprint.

“Conversely, it is just as tremendous an opportunity. Using the same care with which we are ensuring that the translation is faithful and as rich as the original, our team has now produced the fourth in a series of covers that feature character portraits of Ian Fleming’s leading ladies.”

Left: The Moonraker Special Edition cover, featuring Ana Kurobasa as Gala Brand.

Portraying Gala Brand of Moonraker is Ana Kurobasa, the first runner-up of the 2008 Croatian Miss Universe pageant. As Miss Kurobasa is based in Split, the Algoritam team decided to produce the entire cover there, utilising local talent.


Above: Ana Kurobasa interviewed for Croatian TV

The photographer, Mr. Hrvoje Radeljic, was instrumental in creating a stage set depicting the polished-gun interior of the Moonraker rocket shaft in his studio, while a dedicated crew styled Miss Kurobasa to resemble Gala Brand as closely as possible.


Above: Ana Kurobasa at the promotion.

The results have met with approval from the guests attending the gala at the Lav, a hotel with a longstanding connection to the Bond Girl phenomenon - their iconic antecedent, Ursula Andress, was its first celebrity guest back in 1973. “It is only fitting that this hotel now celebrates the latest in this very select group of ladies,” remarked the CEO of Algoritam, Mr. Neven Anticevic. “We are grateful to the British Embassy for their assistance in organising this event, and particularly to Ian Fleming Publications Ltd., who have been extending gracious support to our imprint since its inception three years ago.”


Above: The crew of the Special Edition cover, L-R: Hrvoje Radeljic, photographer; Dea Duplancic, makeup; Amadea Lasic, makeup; Ana Kurobasa, model; Ivica Šuljak, hair stylist; Antonia Bekavac, fashion stylist; Vladimir Cvetkovic Sever, editor & translator.

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