100 Years Since the Birth of a Superstar: Marilyn Monroe Photographed by Sam Shaw at Transilvania IFF.25
Marking 100 years since the birth of the iconic actress, a collection of rare photographs of Marilyn Monroe taken by Sam Shaw—renowned American photographer and one of the most important visual chroniclers of 1950s Hollywood—will be presented in a unique exhibition at Transilvania IFF.25: Dear Marilyn. The festival thus joins a long list of global initiatives dedicated to Monroe’s centenary, alongside the Cinematheque Française, the British Film Institute, the National Portrait Gallery, MoMA, and the Turin Film Festival.
The Dear Marilyn exhibition will be open to the public at the Cluj-Napoca Art Museum from June 4 to 21, with free admission.
At the heart of the exhibition is the famous photograph taken during the filming of The Seven Year Itch (dir. Billy Wilder, 1955)—the scene with the white dress billowing above a subway grate, a moment conceived by Sam Shaw himself and now one of the most recognizable images in pop culture history. In contrast, the exhibition also features a series of intimate shots: Marilyn on the beach, in her apartment, on the streets of New York, and behind the scenes. The selection is also inspired by the posthumously published volume Dear Marilyn: The Unseen Letters and Photographs, which brings to light previously unseen images, as well as correspondence and excerpts from Shaw’s journals. The book will be available for purchase at the Transilvania IFF Shop throughout the festival.
In addition, audiences will have the chance to see Marilyn Monroe on the big screen at Transilvania IFF.25, with Some Like It Hot (dir. Billy Wilder, 1959) included in the program as a one-time special screening of its latest 4K digital restoration. Few films have remained as vibrant and irresistible in cinema history, thanks in no small part to an unforgettable trio—Marilyn Monroe, Tony Curtis, and Jack Lemmon. Monroe is simply magnetic in this iconic film: fragile and sensual, effortlessly funny, with a presence that lights up every frame.
Sam Shaw (1912–1999) was one of the most influential American photographers of the 20th century, known for capturing Hollywood from the inside in a direct, unvarnished style. Trained in photojournalism and a contributor to publications such as Life, Shaw rejected the rigid aesthetics of studio photography in favor of spontaneous images shaped by natural light and genuine proximity to his subjects. His privileged access to film sets and personal relationships with artists allowed him to capture not just stars, but people in moments of vulnerability and authenticity. His photographs offer a remarkable record of Hollywood’s golden age, playing a decisive role in shaping how it endures in collective memory today.
More details about the Transilvania IFF.25 program will be announced soon. Festival passes are already available online: https://tiff.ro/abonamente
All Photos by Sam Shaw (c) Shaw Family Archives Ltd.
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Transilvania International Film Festival is organized by the Association for the Promotion of Romanian Film and the Transilvania Film Festival Association.
