Danijela Štajnfeld (born May 6, 1984) is a Serbian film and television actress and director of Jewish-Russian origin. She gained the attention of domestic audiences in the first half of the 2000s, and later continued her career in the United States. She is best known for her roles in popular Serbian films and series (eg. “Iv’s glory”, 2005) and by documentary film “Heal me” (Hold Me Right, 2020), in which she opened up about her own experience of sexual abuse.
Early life and education
Danijela Štajnfeld was born in 1984 in Russian cruiser (Vojvodina, Serbia). He comes from a family of Jewish-Russian ethnic composition. She received her education at the Faculty of Dramatic Arts (FDU) in Belgrade – she graduated in acting in 2008 in the class of professor Dragan Petrović Pelet. During her studies, she already achieved her first theater and television roles. Danijela speaks English, Ruthenian and Hebrew fluently.
Theater career
Since the early 2000s, Štajnfeld was a member of the ensemble Belgrade Drama Theater (GDP). She has played in numerous plays. Some of the more significant roles were brought to her by awards: for example, in 2007, she was awarded the Year of Thanksgiving of the GDP for the role of Lena in the play “Disharmony”, and in 2010 she won the award for best actress at the 7th Joakimfest in Kragujevac for the role of painter Milena Pavlović Barili in the play “The Moon on Fire”.
- 2006 – The role of Constanta in the play “Amadeus” (BDP).
- 2007 – Roll of Lene in the play “Disharmony”, for which she received the GDP award.
- 2010 – The role of Milena Pavlović Barili in the play “The Moon on Fire”, for which she received an award at Joakimfest.
In addition to theater, Štajnfeld has also performed in numerous television dramas and series, and performed as a theater author and producers at festivals. In the fall of 2011, she made two premieres in GDP and the National Theater in Belgrade, and soon afterwards moved to New York.
Movie and TV career
Štajnfeld broke into the screen in the mid-2000s. She made her debut roles in 2005 in the darkly humorous continuation of comedy “We are not angels 2” (in role Zoran) and in the movie “Iv’s glory” (roll Mariola) ). After that, she performed in various Serbian feature and television projects:
- Movies: “We are not angels 2” (2005, Zorana) and “Iv’s glory” (2005, Mariola). She later acted in other domestic films and short American films; For example, in a crime thriller “Cash Only” (2015) has achieved a role bllerte.
- series: She appeared in popular domestic series. She played, for example. Ikica in the series “Our thing that used to be” (2007), Emanuel in the series “Come back” (2008) and Donka in the series “Wounded Eagle” (2008–09). Other TV roles include series “Premier”, “Forever” and “mixed meat” (2011).
After several years of role in domestic production, Štajnfeld left Serbia in 2012 and moved to New York. In the USA, she continued to act in smaller projects (support roles in short films and series) and turned to directing and production.
Documentary and media coverage
After moving to America, Štajnfeld designed and directed an author’s documentary film “heal me” (hold me right, 2020). The film premiered at the Sarajevo Film Festival in August 2020. In “Zaceli me”, Štajnfeld interviewed surviving victims of sexual violence and openly shared her own story about rape. It is the first time she has publicly admitted that she herself was a victim of sexual abuse. The film and her recognition attracted a lot of media attention in the region.
In the documentary film, she did not mention the name of the perpetrator, but in March 2021 she publicly stated that she was raped in 2012 by the famous Serbian actor Branislav Lečić. That claim has sparked widespread debate in the media. Later, the Higher Public Prosecutor’s Office in Belgrade rejected her criminal charges for rape, stating that “there are no grounds for suspicion” for further action.
In addition to film projects, Štajnfeld occasionally appears as a comedian – she performed stand-up comedy in some clubs in New York. He continues to actively participate in public discussions on victims’ rights and prevention of violence.
Other information and personal life
- Year of birth: 1984 (born May 6, 1984; age about 42).
- height: According to available data, it is 170 cm high.
- abode: He lives and works in New York City (USA).
- Marital status and family: There is no publicly available information about her marital status or family members. Štajnfeld strongly protects private life from media attention.
- Social networks: She is active on social networks; He promotes his film and public lectures via Instagram (username @danijelastajnfeld) and other channels.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)
- Who is Danijela Štajnfeld? Danijela Štajnfeld is a Serbian theater, film and television actress and documentarian. She received awards for acting in domestic plays and films, and later became known for a documentary film about sexual violence.
- How old is Danijela Štajnfeld? She was born on May 6, 1984, which means that in 2026 she is 41-42 years old (depending on the month).
- In which projects did she stand out? She stood out in movies “We are not angels 2” and “Iv’s glory” (both 2005), and in series like “Our thing that used to be”, “Come back” and “Wounded Eagle”. In recent times, her documentary has been attracted the most “heal me” (2020) on the consequences of sexual violence.
- Is she married and has children? There is no public information about her marital status, partner or children. Štajnfeld has privacy and such information is not available in the media.
- Did Danijela Štajnfeld discover the perpetrator of the rape? in the documentary “heal me” She did not name the perpetrator. However, on March 22, 2021, she publicly stated that she was allegedly raped by actor Branislav Lečić. Her report was later rejected by the prosecutor’s office due to lack of evidence.
- Where does Danijela Štajnfeld live today? Her permanent residence is in New York (USA), where she moved in 2012. He still works professionally in the U.S., but he keeps the connection to projects in the region.
Conclusion
Danijela Štajnfeld remains a visible name in regional culture thanks to her acting career and involvement in social issues. Although part of the information about her private life is unavailable to the public, it is known that she has obtained numerous awards for acting, and that in recent years she has been noticed primarily because of a documentary film about victims of rape. For the latest news about Danijela Štajnfeld, follow relevant media sources, cultural portals and her official social network channels.
Sources: The information in this article is supported by credible sources, including encyclopedia information and newspaper articles.