Sports legend Nadia Comăneci was a guest yesterday at TIFF Talks, where she spoke about her professional journey, and later attended the opening of the exhibition Nadia, Between Perfection, Magic and Mystery at the Art Museum, sharing stories behind the photographs on display.
The celebration of the 25th edition of TIFF provided the perfect opportunity to also mark 50 years since the Summer Olympic Games in Montreal, where Nadia Comăneci received the first perfect 10 in the history of gymnastics. The champion met an enthusiastic audience in the courtyard of Da Pino restaurant during the traditional TIFF Talks event. The discussion was moderated by Tudor Giurgiu, festival director and filmmaker of the upcoming documentary NADIA.
"For what you've achieved, I can give you a perfect 10, and I'm happy to have had the opportunity to come, see, and collaborate together," the gymnast said, referring to the scale of TIFF, the atmosphere of the festival's opening gala, and the twenty minutes of the documentary that were screened in a world premiere. She added that although such events require a great deal of energy, they are worthwhile because they encourage meaningful conversations: "Every time I meet new people, I try to give everything I have and a little bit more."
Asked why she had never accepted any proposal for a film about her life—not even from renowned directors and producers—Comăneci offered a thoughtful answer: "Someone from outside will never truly understand how people lived and what Romanians felt in their hearts during that period. No matter how much you explain it, it cannot fully convey what you experienced." The documentary Nasty ultimately helped her make her decision: "I couldn't have made a better choice than a filmmaker who understands the pulse and joy of Romanians."
Speaking about Oklahoma, where she currently lives with her family, she described it as the place where she can enjoy an ordinary life: "It's nice to have a normal life somewhere, where you can recharge your batteries, because we're constantly traveling." She also recalled her first interaction with her future husband, Bart Conner, in 1976, when both won gold medals at the America Cup. "At the awards ceremony, someone from The New York Times told Bart, 'Give her a little kiss on the cheek—she's a cute little girl.' That photo ended up on the front page." Today, the couple runs a gymnastics academy together.
"Even though it's an individual sport, none of it would have been possible without a team of girls you could trust and who would support you every step of the way." The gymnast spoke warmly and nostalgically about her teammates from Onești, her late coach Béla Károlyi, and how she balanced sports with her studies. "At one point, Béla told our teachers that we had to do well in school, because if we weren't good students, we wouldn't be able to sustain this level of performance."
After the Q&A session and autograph signing, Nadia Comăneci headed to the Cluj-Napoca Art Museum to attend the opening of the exhibition Nadia, Between Perfection, Magic and Mystery alongside her mother. The exhibition features photographs from her personal archive and pages from international publications. At the end of the event, she personally guided visitors through the exhibition, sharing stories and context behind the images.
The exhibition can be visited throughout the festival at the Cluj-Napoca Art Museum between 10:00 AM and 6:00 PM, and admission is free.