Romanian actress Anda Onesa to receive the Excellence Award at TIFF.25
A defining name and face of Romanian cinema of the ’80s, actress Anda Onesa is set to receive the Excellence Award at the 25th edition of the Transilvania International Film Festival (June 12–21, 2026, Cluj-Napoca). The actress will take the stage at the TIFF.25 Closing Gala, and audiences will also have the chance to meet her at the special screening of Septembrie (dir. Timotei Ursu, 1978), in which she starred when she was only 17.
Anda Onesa made her screen debut at a very young age, appearing as an extra in E atât de aproape fericirea (dir. Andrei Cătălin Băleanu, 1978), and quickly stood out for her sensitivity and natural ease. Her role as Anișoara in Septembrie, a modest, dreamy young waitress who accompanies the rebellious leather-jacketed hero played by Geo Costiniu, thrust her into the public eye. The film itself stands apart in the ideologically saturated landscape of the era, breathing freedom and an almost anti-establishment spirit through every frame. The dialogue feels natural, the love story — intense and fleeting — carries a disarming sincerity, and the chemistry between the leads lights up the screen.
Shortly after appearing alongside Mircea Diaconu in Vacanță tragică (dir. Constantin Vaeni, 1979), the actress earned international recognition for her performance in Duios Anastasia trecea (dir. Alexandru Tatos, 1980), opposite Amza Pellea. For this role, Onesa received the Best Actress Award at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival. The film is set in 1944 in a village on the border with Yugoslavia, against the backdrop of the struggle by Romanian and Yugoslav partisans against the Nazi armies. Anastasia’s character is swept up in the turbulent history of those years. Of the film, director Alexandru Tatos said: “What interested me above all was the question of Power — of totalitarian power, which takes hold partly due to the cowardice and complicity of those who will ultimately suffer under it.”
Over the years, Anda Onesa worked with some of the most important directors in Romanian cinema, delivering memorable performances in landmark films of the ’80s and ’90s. In Paso Doble (dir. Dan Pița, 1985), she starred alongside Claudiu Bleonț in a drama about ambition and compromise, and in Noi, cei din linia întâi (1986), one of Sergiu Nicolaescu’s celebrated war films, she was part of the cast of a sweeping historical production.
In the early 1990s, after a brief career in television, Anda Onesa emigrated to America, settling in New York — but not before appearing in The Oak (1992), playing the Securitate-agent sister of the heroine portrayed by Maia Morgenstern. Lucian Pintilie’s film became one of the defining works of post-communist Romanian cinema and was screened out of competition at the Cannes Film Festival.
In presenting the Excellence Award at TIFF.25, the festival celebrates the grace, talent, and remarkable contribution to cinema of the actress whom critic Alex. Leo Șerban once called “a female Dan Nuțu.”
The Excellence Award at TIFF.25 is offered by Nova Power & Gas.
More details about the TIFF.25 programme will be announced soon. Festival passes are now on sale online — https://tiff.ro/abonamente
***
Follow us on:
tiff.ro | Facebook | Instagram | Youtube | TikTok
***
The Transilvania International Film Festival is organized by the Association for the Promotion of Romanian Film and the Transilvania Film Festival Association.
With the support of: Ministry of Culture, National Film Centre, Cluj-Napoca City Hall and Local Council, Romanian Cultural Institute, Dacin Sara, UCIN, Dept. of Interethnic Relations – DRI, Florești Municipality, Creative Europe – MEDIA
Under the auspices of: UNESCO City of Film
Presented by: Banca Transilvania
Sponsors: Mastercard, Vodafone, LIDL Romania, Ursus, Regina Maria, Audi & Autoworld, MOL Romania, Jidvei, Pepsi, DeLonghi, Adrem, Alstom, Nova Power & Gas, Nikon, Emerson, E-On, Compania de Apa Somes, Transgaz, McDonalds, Farmec, Aqua Carpatica, Radisson Blu, Iulius Mall, Conceptual Lab by Theo Nissim, MSG, Teilor, ECCO, Linde, CSI, Bolt
Official coffee: Nespresso
Official beauty partner: Armani Beauty
Official insurer: Groupama
Official airline partner: AnimaWings
Technology partner: Reea
Hospitality partner: Eximtur
Partners: PMA, Promelek, Intend, Lecom, Luna Cleaning, Carturesti, Mobexpert, Supercom, Goto Parking
Main media partner: VOYO & Pro Cinema
Recommended by: ROCK FM
Monitoring partner: MediaTRUST
Media partners: Radio Romania Cultural, TV5, Adevarul de Weekend, A LIST, TVR Cluj, Hotnews, Liternet, Observator Cultural, Revista FILM, Zile si Nopti
Local media partners: afaceri.news, Radio Cluj, Monitorul de Cluj
International media partners: Variety, Screen International
With the support of: Trend PR
