Rada Rassimov to receive 2026 Tabernas de Cine Award

The Almería Western Film Festival (AWFF) has announced that Italian actress Rada Rassimov will receive the 2026 Tabernas de Cine Award. The honor recognizes her significant contributions to the history of the ‘spaghetti western’ and her long-standing connection to the Tabernas Desert as a cinematic location.

Rassimov is set to receive the award during the opening gala of the festival's 16th edition on October 8 at the Tabernas Theater. As part of the tribute, a chair in her honor will be unveiled at the local Paseo de Cine, adding her name to the permanent memorial dedicated to major film figures linked to the municipality.

Born in Trieste, Rassimov’s career is deeply intertwined with the region. Sixty years ago, she played the role of Maria in Sergio Leone’s masterpiece ‘The Good, the Bad and the Ugly’ (1966), which was filmed in the Tabernas Desert. She also starred in several other genre films shot in the area, including ‘For Love and Gold’ (1966), ‘Don't Wait for Django, Shoot!’ (1967), and ‘Django the Bastard’ (1969).