TIFF 2023

This year's edition of TIFF brings to Cluj a record number of world cinematographers, including Oscar award winners.

Daniela Budu, 09.06.2023, 14:00

The city of Cluj, in north-western Romania is, as of Friday, when a new edition of the Transylvania International Film Festival (TIFF) kicks off, the capital of international cinema. For ten days, moviegoers can enjoy films from various countries, dinner-concerts with international artists, special events, creative workshops and films for children. The organizers promise outdoor screenings in five different locations in the city, world premieres, and films awarded at prestigious festivals such as Berlin, Cannes, Venice and San Sebastián. Famous actors and directors from Romania and abroad have announced their participation. Among them is the acclaimed American director Oliver Stone, who made the film Born on 4th of July.

Almost 200 films from 45 countries will be screened, most of them feature films, of which 12 are in the official competition. Also at TIFF the public will have the opportunity to meet Oscar winners such as actor Geoffrey Rush, who played in Pirates of the Caribbean. His career of over 40 years will be celebrated in Cluj, where he will be honored with the Lifetime Achievement Award. Actors from the Harry Potter film series will also participate.

Inspired by real events that happened in Sibiu (central Romania) in December 1989, Liberty, the latest film directed by Tudor Giurgiu, will have its world premiere at TIFF. Spectators will also have the opportunity to meet renowned Romanian actors. One of them is Horatiu Mălăele, who will perform on stage and receive an Excellency award in Cluj. Malaele has been directing theatre performances since 1982, while in TV theatre he has played over 150 roles.

Festival organizers have also announced that the most successful Moldovan film, Carbon, directed by Ion Borş, will be screened at TIFF on June 14 and 16. It is a captivating and profound film that explores with subtlety themes such as the human conflict, dehumanization and propaganda, offering a provocative perspective on Moldovan society. After the festival, the film will be on a promotional tour around the country, and from July 7 it will be screened in Romanian cinemas.

During the festival in Cluj, the French Institute in Romania will screen 32 French productions and co-productions. 18 French directors, producers and journalists will be present at TIFF. Founder of the French New Wave, film critic and director Jean-Luc Godard (1930 – 2022) will be celebrated at the 22nd edition of TIFF with a retrospective that includes eight of his most acclaimed films. Among them are “With the soul in your mouth, “Contempt, “Alphaville and “Pierrot the fool”. The institute also recommends the public not to miss the thriller Kompromat (dir. Jerome Salle, 2022) based on real facts and The crime is mine, the latest production of the acclaimed director Francois Ozon.

A Jay-Jay Johanson concert, Swedish-British singer and composer, one of the most influential artists of his generation, will also be held during the festival. On June 15, there will be a concert by Tangerine Dream, seen as the pioneers of electronic music, with seven Grammy Award nominations and more than 60 film soundtracks composed. (EE)