Nevena Kokanova
Nevena Kokanova (12 December 1938 – 3 June 2000) was a Bulgarian film actress. She was known as the "first lady of Bulgarian cinema."
Nevena Kokanova

Historical Museum, Dupnitsa · History museum, Dupnitsa · CC BY-SA 4.0
- Name
- Невена Коканова Nevena Kokanova
- Born
- 12 December 1938
- Birthplace
- Dupnitsa, Bulgaria
- Died
- 3 June 2000
- Place of death
- Sofia, Bulgaria
- Full name
- Невена Богданова Коканова.
- Nationality
- Bulgaria.
- Occupation
- film director, actress and politician.
- Honours
- Order of Saints Cyril and Methodius Equal-to-apostles, People's Artist of Bulgaria, Dimitrov Prize medal, Order of Stara Planina, Order of Cyril and Methodius and 1st Class.
- Languages
- Bulgarian.
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Documentary summary
Nevena Kokanova (12 December 1938 – 3 June 2000) was a Bulgarian film actress. She was known as the "first lady of Bulgarian cinema."
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Note VALÉORINE
Nevena Kokanova (1938–2000) was a Bulgarian actor, actress and film actor, among other activities. Born Невена Богданова Коканова in Dupnitsa, the actor died in Sofia. Nevena Kokanova held the position of member of the Bulgarian National Assembly and lived in Sofia.
Languages used include Bulgarian. The actor received Dimitrov Prize medal, Order of Cyril and Methodius, 1st Class and Order of Saints Cyril and Methodius Equal-to-apostles, among others.
Composed from admitted, traceable facts · 26 September 2026
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wikidata · Q7003844 · wikipedia · Nevena Kokanova
In this article
Biography
Biography
The recorded working language is Bulgarian. Residence is recorded at Sofia. Positions recorded include member of the Bulgarian National Assembly. Distinctions recorded are Order of Saints Cyril and Methodius Equal-to-apostles, People's Artist of Bulgaria, Dimitrov Prize medal and Order of Stara Planina.

This photo is provided by the Historical Museum in Dupnitsa and is included in the album "Dupnitsa through the centuries" („Дупница през вековете“). Dupnitsa Municipality, Historical Museum - Dupnitsa. ISBN 978-954-8187-89-3.
Historical Museum, Dupnitsa · History museum, Dupnitsa
Key facts
Key facts
• Name — Невена Коканова Nevena Kokanova • Born — 12 December 1938 • Birthplace — Dupnitsa, Bulgaria • Died — 3 June 2000 • Place of death — Sofia, Bulgaria
Early life
Early life
Her mother was from a well-known Austrian aristocratic family, and her father was a political prisoner. Kokanova was born in Dupnitsa, Bulgaria and is most renowned for her role as Lisa in The Peach Thief. She started her career at age 18 as an apprentice actor with the Yambol Theater in Yambol, Bulgaria.
Career
Career
In 1975 she was a member of the jury at the 9th Moscow International Film Festival. In 1980 she starred in and co-directed Three Deadly Sins with Lyubomir Sharlandzhiev. She died in Sofia, Bulgaria from cancer.
Filmography
Filmography
• Title English Title — Title Original Language — Year — Director • The Canary Season — Сезонът на канарчетата — 1993 — Yevgeni Mikhailov • I want America — Искам Америка — 1991 — Kiran Kolarov • The Village (TV series) — Селцето — 1990 — Ivan Terziev • Evenings in the Antim's Inn (TV series) — Вечери в Антимовския хан — 1988 — Pavel Pavlov • Home for Our Children (TV series) — Дом за нашите деца — 1987 — Nedelcho Chernev • Time for Traveling (TV series) — Време за път — 1987 — Nedelcho Chernev • Three Marias and Ivan — Три Марии и Иван — 1986 — Krasimir Atanasov • Transports of Death — Ешелоните на смъртта — 1986 — Borislav Punchev • Forest People — Горски хора — 1985 — Pavel Pavlov • This Fine Age of Maturity — Тази хубава зряла възраст — 1985 — Hacho Boyadzhiev • Salvation — Спасението — 1984 — Borislav Punchev • Dangerous Charm — Опасен чар — 1984 — Ivan Andonov • Constantine The Philosopher — Константин философ — 1983 — Georgi Stoyanov • The Warning — Предупреждението — 1982 — Juan Antonio Bardem • Crystals — Кристали — 1982 — Atanas Traikov • Autumn Sun — Есенно слънце — 1982 — Pavel Pavlov • The Badger — Язовецът — 1981 — Pavel Pavlov • Childhood Sun — Слънце на детството — 1981 — Yanko Dundakov • The Queen of Turnovo — Търновската царица — 1981 — Yanko Yankov • The Adventures of Avacum Zahov (TV series) — Приключенията на Авакум Захов — 1980 — Yordan Jumaliev, Milen Getov • Ladies' Choice — Дами канят — 1980 — Ivan Andonov • Уони — 1980 — Vlachislav Ikonomov • Three Deadly Sins — Трите смъртни гряха — 1980 — Nevena Kokanova, Lyubomir Sharlandzhiev • Alone Among Wolves (TV series) — Сами сред вълци — 1979 — Zako Heskija • Hark to the Cock — Чуй петела — 1978 — Stefan Dimitrov • Sunstroke — Слънчев удар — 1977 — Irina Aktasheva, Khristo Piskov • Matriarchate — Матриархат — 1977 — Lyubomir Kirkov • Cyclops — Циклопът — 1976 — Christo Christov • Memory of the Twin Sister — Спомен за близначката — 1976 — Lyubomir Sharlandzhiev • Burn to Be a Light — Изгори, за да светиш — 1976 — Nedelcho Chernev • Don't Go Away — Не си отивай! — 1976 — Lyudmil Kirkov • The Weddings of King Ioan Assen — Сватбите на Йоан Асен — 1975 — Vili Tsankov • Life or Death — На живот и смърт — 1974 — Nedelcho Chernev • The Last Bachelor — Последният ерген — 1974 — Vladimir Yanchev • A Tree Without Roots — Дърво без корен — 1974 — Christo Christov • My Father the House-Painter — Баща ми, бояджията — 1974 — Stefan Dimitrov • Children Play Out of Doors — Деца играят вън — 1973 — Ivanka Grybcheva • The Kindest Person I Know — Най-добрият човек, когото познавам — 1973 — Lyubomir Sharlandzhiev • Little Tiger — Тигърчето — 1973 — Mariana Evstatieva-Biolcheva • Affection — Обич — 1972 — Ludmil Staikov • The Boy Turns Man — Момчето си отива — 1972 — Lyudmil Kirkov • A Human Heart — Сърце човешко — 1972 — Ivan Nichev • Circles Of Love — Кръгове на обичта — 1972 — Kiril Ilinchev • The Strange Duel — Странен двубой — 1971 — Todor Stoyanov • Messages Don't Murder 3-part TV movie — Botschafter morden nicht — 1970 — Georg Leopold, Werner Toelcke • Men on a Business Trip — Мъже в командировка — 1969 — Grisha Ostrovski, Todor Stoyanov • Tango — Танго — 1969 — Vasil Mirchev • Galileo Galilei — Галилео Галилей — 1969 — Liliana Cavani • Perilous Flight — Опасен полет — 1968 — Dimiter Petrov • The Death of Alexander the Great — Гибелта на Александър Велики — 1968 — Vladislav Ikonomov • Taste of Almonds — С дъх на бадеми — 1967 — Lyubomir Sharlandzhiev • Detour/Sidetracked — Отклонение — 1967 — Grisha Ostrovski, Todor Stoyanov • The Longest Night — Най-дългата нощ — 1967 — Vulo Radev • Crack-Up — Карамбол — 1966 — Lyubomir Sharlandzhiev • Before and After the Victory — Do pobedata i po nea — 1966 — Zhivorad (Zhika) Mitrovich • The Peach-Garden Trespasser — Крадецът на праскови — 1964 — Vulo Radev • The Inspector And The Night — Инспекторът и нощта — 1963 — Rangel Vulchanov • Midnight Meeting — Среднощна среща — 1963 — Nikola Minchev • Tobacco — Тютюн — 1962 — Nikola Korabov • The Steep Path — Стръмната пътека — 1961 — Yanko Yankov • Be Happy, Ani! — Бъди щастлива, Ани! — 1961 — Vladimir Yanchev • On a Quiet Evening — В тиха вечер — 1960 — Borislav Sharaliev • Years of Love — Години за любов — 1957 — Yanko Yankov
Identity and origins
Identity and origins
Nevena Kokanova was recorded at birth as Невена Богданова Коканова. Her recorded language was Bulgarian. She married Lyubomir Sharlandzhiev.
Career and activity
Career and activity
Recorded position is member of the Bulgarian National Assembly. She worked at Sofia.
Life and career
Dated record
Life and career
The full dated record · 1 entries
2000
Nevena Kokanova died at Sofia.
Places
Named by the record
Places
Only places the record itself states, plotted where the house gazetteer settles their coordinates. Nothing is inferred from a name or a nationality.
Sofia.
Residences
Dupnitsa.
Birth place
Where the work is held
Recognition and collections
Nevena Kokanova received Order of Saints Cyril and Methodius Equal-to-apostles, People's Artist of Bulgaria, Dimitrov Prize medal, Order of Stara Planina and Order of Cyril and Methodius, 1st Class.
Notes from the source article
Cited by Wikipedia
Notes from the source article
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References
Citations
References
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Secondary witness
Further particulars
Held on the record
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The Encyclopedia exists whether or not anything is for sale. Corrections are recorded rather than overwritten, and every version of this record is kept. Published 14 August 2026.
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