Actor Marin Moraru – Excellence Award

Marin Moraru, one of the most beloved Romanian actors, with an ongoing career in film and theatre which spans over six decades, is the recipient of the Excellence Awards during the 14th edition of Transilvania International Film Festival (May 29 – June 7). The trophy will be awarded on Satuday, June 6, during the Closing Ceremony at the Cluj National Theatre.

The audience will have the occasion to enjoy the great actor alongside Toma Caragiu and Octavian Cotescu in one of his most famous parts, in the comedy Operațiunea Monstrul / Operation Monster (1976), directed by Manole Marcus after a screenplay by Titus Popovici. In the film, a group of five men leave for an expedition in the Danube Delta where, fishing and hunting, they end up in a series of unexpected situations. The special screening, in the presence of the actor, takes play on Saturday, June 6, from 2:15pm, at Cinema Arta.

Marin Moraru, born on January 31, 1937, in Bucharest, gratuated the Institute of Theatric and Cinematographic Arts “I.L. Caragiale” in 1961, under the guidance of Dinu Cocea. He acted on the stage of the Youth Theatre for three years, then moving on to the Comedy Theatre and Bulandra. His screen career began in 1966, with Haiducii / The Outlaws, alongside Ion Besoiu, Toma Caragiu, Amza Pellea and Colea Răutu. He became very popular in Romania during the 60s and the 80s, when he received key parts in films directed by Manole Marcus (Actorul și sălbaticii / The Actor and the Savages), Dan Pița (Concurs / Contest, Faleze de nisip / Sand Cliffs, Filip ce bun / Filip the Kind), Mircea Drăgan (Chirița în Iași / Ma’am Chiritza Goes to Jassy) or Horea Popescu (Cuibul de viespi / The Wasps’ Nest).

From 1971, Marin Moraru has been an actor for the National Theatre in Bucharest, and simultaneously appeared in over 20 films. For six years, he has been an acting professor in the same university he graduated from, but he abandoned this pursuit in 1980 to devote himself to his on-stage career at TNB – where he’s been an honorary member since 2002 – and to his film career. He had long-appreciated roles in renowned plays directed by Mihai Măniuțiu, Lucian Pintilie, Liviu Ciulei, Ion Cojar, Alexandru Dabija, Sanda Manu, Radu Beligan.

In 2002, Marin Moraru appeared alongside Mathieu Kassovitz, Marcel Iureș and Horațiu Mălăele in Amen., directed by Costa Gavras. The movie competed for the Golden Bear in Berlin and won a César award for its screenplay. In 2009, the actor received the Lifetime Gopo Award, the recognition of Romania’s film industry for his impressive career.

Once again, this year’s Excellent Award at Transilvania IFF is offered by Mercedes-Benz Romania.