The poster for this edition, created by Péter Árpád Loránt, envisions a film screening in Cluj’s Union Square (Piața Unirii) in a highly futuristic, ultra-technologized setting where robots watch over TIFF audiences. The visual campaign anticipates an eclectic and generous retrospective — Tomorrow is Fear — made up of films that either imagine the future, mostly through a sc...
In a world where what seemed like science fiction in the last century is now (increasingly close to) reality, the Transilvania International Film Festival (June 13–22, 2025, Cluj-Napoca) not only offers a thematically curated retrospective, but also dares to imagine a future dominated by technology. Advances in the field and the explosion of Artificial Intelligence across virtu...
Estonian cinema takes center stage at the 24th edition of the Transilvania International Film Festival (June 13–22, Cluj-Napoca) through the Focus Estonia program — a curated selection featuring both recent releases and rediscovered classics, screened in restored versions. Focus Estonia is made possible with the support of the Embassy of Estonia in Bucharest and the Estonian...
Poetic, absurd, yet deeply anchored in the social realities of his country, Kazakh director Adilkhan Yerzhanov is the author of a compact body of work filled with references and cinematic homages, and will have a mini-retrospective at TIFF.24 featuring three of his most recent films. Moor (2024) is an urban drama with thriller accents and moments of visual poetry, in which a...
Known for his unique cinematic vision, at the intersection of magical realism, Baltic folklore, and visual experimentation, Rainer Sarnet is one of the most interesting voices in contemporary Eastern European cinema. On the occasion of the extensive focus dedicated to Estonia, TIFF.24 offers a comprehensive portrait of him in the 3x3 section, giving the audience the rare opport...
Rodrigo Cortés' cinematic adventure began in his teenage years, after borrowing a Super 8 camera from his uncle and, together with his best friend, began to play at making films. After a series of award-winning short films, he made his feature film debut with The Contestant (2007), a dark comedy about a university professor who wins the lottery, only to discover that, after pay...
The Opening Gala of TIFF.24 will also include a special tribute to one of Romania’s most beloved actors – Florin Piersic. The Cluj-born icon of Romanian cinema and theatre will attend the event alongside family, friends, and fellow stars, receiving a Excellence Award. With his unmistakable charm, warm voice, and magnetic presence, Piersic has captivated generations of audiences...
Christy follows a teenage boy from an Irish suburb, on the verge of turning 18—an age that means he will soon age out of the care system. He ends up in the custody of his estranged half-brother, a man trying to build the kind of family he never had. Though initially worlds apart, the two slowly begin to confront and reconcile the traumas of their past in this moving slice-of-li...
Sunday, June 15, starting at 19:30, the evening will kick off with Vágtázó Halottkémek (VHK), the legendary psychedelic rock and punk band from Central Europe. Founded in 1975 in Budapest, the band blends tribal rhythms with progressive rock and improvisation, creating an intense and hypnotic sonic experience. With lyrics steeped in mysticism and explosive energy on stage, VHK...
Saturday, June 14, from 19:30, the stage at Bonțida will be taken over by The KVB. A British post-punk duo formed by Nicholas Wood and Kat Day, The KVB are known for their hypnotic fusion of cold analog synths, dark guitar riffs, and a psychedelic dream-pop atmosphere. Their music blends influences from classic post-punk, shoegaze, krautrock, and industrial electronic music, cr...
Łukasz L.U.C. Rostkowski is one of Poland’s most innovative musicians, known for compositions that combine jazz, electronic music, hip-hop, and traditional rhythms. His shows deliver an eclectic, high-energy musical mix layered over film footage or animated paintings. In 2023, alongside the Rebel Babel Film Orchestra, Rostkowski composed the original score for The Peasants (În...
Directed in 1928 by Charles Reisner, Steamboat Bill, Jr. is an exceptional example of Buster Keaton’s talent for physical comedy and daring stunts. The story follows William Canfield Jr. (Buster Keaton), a frail and awkward young man who returns to his hometown to join his father’s steamboat business. His father, Steamboat Bill Sr., is disappointed in his son, whom he sees as u...
Aurora (Sunrise: A Song of Two Humans, 1927), directed by F.W. Murnau, is considered one of the greatest masterpieces of early cinema. The story follows a farmer (George O'Brien) who falls in love with a femme fatale from the city (Janet Gaynor), who convinces him to kill his wife. However, the film evolves into a profound meditation on love, remorse, and redemption. Its innova...