Award-winning films to premiere at 24th edition of Transylvania International Film Festival in Romania
<p>Award-winning films or selections from the most important festivals of 2024-2025 will be shown in premiere in Romania at the 24th edition of the Transylvania International Film Festival (TIFF) in Cluj-Napoca between June 13 and 22. Some of the productions were shown at festivals like the ones in Cannes, Karlovy Vary, Venice, San Sebastian, Sundance, and Berlin.</p>
<p>The organizers also announced the sale of festival passes, or TIFF Cards, which can be purchased online.</p>
<p>Among the screenings will be the Norwegian film <strong><em>Dreams (Sex Love)</em></strong>, directed by Dag Johan Haugerud, which won the Golden Bear at the 75th edition of the Berlinale in 2025, marking a first for Norwegian cinema. The movie explores the emotional maturation of teenager Johanne, who falls in love with her French teacher. The story is narrated through a manuscript written by Johanne, later discovered by her mother and grandmother, whose reactions evolve from shock to appreciation for the literary qualities of the text.</p>
<p>The film is the final part of a trilogy about feelings and human relationships. All three films will be screened at TIFF.24.</p>
<p>Also named <strong><em>Dreams</em></strong> is Michel Franco’s latest film, starring Jessica Chastain. The movie was presented this year in the Berlinale competition. It is a provocative drama about power games and social differences in which a young Mexican dancer crosses the US border illegally to reunite with his girlfriend, a wealthy, art-loving socialite. However, his arrival stirs things up, triggering a cruel chain of events in which egos give rise to betrayal and revenge.&nbsp;</p>
<p>The movie <strong><em>Hard Truths</em></strong> marks the return after a six-year break of British director and screenwriter Mike Leigh, previously nominated for an Oscar in 1999. The film follows the relationship between Pansy (Jean-Baptiste), an unhappy and impulsive woman, and her jovial sister Chantelle (played by Michele Austin). Jean-Baptiste gives one of the year’s best performances, being awarded no less than 15 acting prizes.</p>
<p>A debut that captivated Venice in 2024, <strong><em>Familiar Touch</em></strong> (USA) explores the dynamics of intergenerational relationships and latent trauma through the story of a woman (Kathleen Chalfant) who faces memory loss and must adapt to her new life in a nursing home. <em>Familiar Touch</em> won four awards in Venice, including Best Director and Best Actress in the Orizzonti section.</p>
<p>A bittersweet comedy about solidarity, music, and personal reinvention, <strong><em>The Marching Band</em></strong><strong> </strong>(dir. Emmanuel Courcol, France) tells the story of a famous conductor diagnosed with leukemia who discovers he has a brother precisely when he needs one most. Although completely different, their encounter triggers a charming adventure, set to the music of Charles Aznavour and Ravel’s Boléro. The film premiered at Cannes, won the Audience Award in San Sebastián, and received seven César nominations.</p>
<p><strong><em>When the Light Breaks</em></strong> (2024) is a visual elegy about loss, hope, and the fragile process of healing. Icelandic director Rúnar Rúnarsson (awarded at TIFF for Sparrows and Volcano) follows a young woman immediately after she experiences a tragedy, capturing the intimacy of grief in an authentic and moving way.&nbsp;</p>
<p>Winner of the Audience Award at Karlovy Vary 2024, <strong><em>Waves</em></strong> (dir. Jiří Mádl, Czech Republic) is an epic drama with a political thriller pace, set during the Velvet Revolution in Czechoslovakia. A local box-office champion (second most watched film of all time) and the Czech Republic’s Oscar submission, the movie is an ode to press freedom inspired by the heroism of journalists from Prague’s international broadcasting channel, who risked their lives reporting the truth about the 1968 Soviet invasion.</p>
<p><strong><em>The Things You Kill</em></strong> (dir. Alireza Khatami, France, 2025) is a Lynchian tale of revenge and the dark labyrinths of the human soul. Haunted by the suspicious death of his ill mother, a university professor turns to his enigmatic gardener to carry out an act of cold-blooded revenge. The film premiered at Sundance, where it won the Best Director award.</p>
<p>The full TIFF.24 program will be announced soon and will include over 200 films, cine-concerts, and events.</p>
<p><em><a href="mailto:radu@romania-insider.com">radu@romania-insider.com</a></em></p>
<p><em>(Photo source: TIFF)</em></p>