Irena Ristich, an actress and an activist, was born and raised in Ohrid, Macedonia. She is known for her roles in "Three Days in September" (2015), "Bal-Can-Can" (2005) and "Goodbye, 20th Century" (1998). She attended the Faculty of Dramatic Arts at the University St. Cyril and Methodius in Skopje where she graduated with the role of Yasuko Rokujo from Yukio Mishima's "Five Modern Noh Plays". She is a lead actress at the Drama Theatre in Skopje (Dramski Teatar) where she has worked since 1999.

Her most recent roles include Eva in "Strangers" for the Drama Theatre in Skopje in 2018, Paolina Salas in Dorfman's "Death and the Maiden" for the Wonderland Theatre Skopje in 2017, Cate in "Old Times" by Harold Pinter for the Ohrid Theatre (2016) and the remake of Eve Ensler's "The Vagina Monologues". She has also appeared in the TV series "Insajder" (2017) and "Prespav" (2018). In "Insajder" (Insider), she weaves the character of Natalia, a newspaper editor burdened by personal and professional conflicts and consequences of exposing corruption, injustice and violence. As a guest actress in the comedy serial "Prespav", she stole the show in the role of Lenka (Lenche Burence), a sanitary inspector and former fiancee of the lead character.