Craiova actor Alex Calangiu won the Gopo award for the best actor in a leading role

The Craiova actor Alex Calangiu was awarded the Gopo award on Monday for the best actor in a leading role, for the role of Viorel Stănese in the film Libertate – The Film.

Libertate, directed by Tudor Giurgiu, was also declared the best film of the year.

Alex Calangiu graduated from the Theater department of the University of Craiova in 2008 and has been employed at the “Marin Sorescu” National Theater in Craiova since 2015.

The movie Freedom is inspired by the little-known story of the events of December 1989 in Sibiu, when, in the chaos generated by the change of power, more than 500 militiamen, security guards and civilians were held captive in a disused swimming pool and accused of terrorism. The film won the Art Cinemas Award at the Sarajevo Festival and the Audience Award for Most Popular Romanian Film at TIFF 2023.

The impressive cast includes Iulian Postelnicu, who won the Gopo award for best supporting actor, Alexandru Papadopol, Andi Vasluianu, Cuzin Toma, Alex Bogdan, Marius Manole, Leonid Doni, Mirela Oprișor, Cătălin Herlo or Ionuț Caras.