The Transilvania International Film Festival continues its tradition of promoting and awarding local film production, and, as every year, it organizes a Local Competition dedicated to films made by professionals or amateurs originating from Cluj or who live, study, or work in the geographical area of the county. This year, 7 out of the 39 submitted short films were selected....

Whether you're a fan of Ilie Năstase or not, the main character in the documentary "Nasty" will seduce you. My parents didn't even know each other when Ilie Năstase began conquering the tennis world, along with his fans and the nickname Nasty. Therefore, I didn't have any connection with the Great Sportsman, as everyone calls him, but only with the public figure we all know....

American-born actress Jojo T. Gibbs filmed her role in Luc Besson's "Dogman" almost concurrently with her role in Alex Garland's "Civil War." This leap forward came after years of hard work and trials. During our brief interview, I discovered a lively and confident woman who speaks with just as much enthusiasm about her experiences as an actress, but also as a spectator, creato...

1. Where did the idea for the documentary come from and what motivated you to get involved in the project? I started in 2019 and spent a lot of time watching all the documentaries about Ceaușescu, one of the most controversial dictators of the 20th century. The films seem to fall into two categories: about the actual revolution and, secondly, various interpretations of who d...

The Empire of the Senses offers an innovative experience even today, proposing an exploration of prejudice and sexual obsession that surpasses love. Attraction has never looked more real than this. Even nearly 50 years after its release in 1976, The Empire of the Senses (In the Realm of the Senses), Nagisa Ōshima's masterpiece, remains a benchmark for eroticism in cinema. In...

Considered an unmissable classic and one of the most important achievements in film history, Metropolis profoundly marked the evolution of cinema and elevated the aesthetics of the sci-fi genre. Blending innovative visuals with a layered story on capitalist society, Metropolis continues to inspire and hold relevance to this day. The Transilvania International Film Festival i...

Join the Most Fascinating Story You've Never Heard: The First Women's World Cup, Contested by FIFA, Held in Mexico in 1971 Football is contradictory. I learned this from a young age, experiencing the strongest emotions it evoked. I was ecstatic at Totti’s goals and Del Piero’s dribbles, and I gritted my teeth when Gigi Buffon conceded a goal. The joy of watching them on TV w...

After its release, The First Slam Dunk quickly reached number one at the Japanese box office and secured the fifth spot among the highest-grossing anime films in history. The film is an adaptation of one of the most popular manga series of all time. The 31 volumes of Slam Dunk were published between 1990 and 1996, and the anime series began airing in 1993. Twenty years later...

Focus Japan will be completed at Transilvania IFF by a series of experiences supported by the Center for Romanian Japanese Studies: a MANGA workshop presented by illustrator Anca Toma Noctis Art, an Origami workshop by artist Alexandra Baranyi, and an IKEBANA workshop by Andreea Georgescu. Demmers will demonstrate the Tea Ceremony. NEZUMI by Nemira, the first MANGA imprint i...

In random order: The Old Bachelor, the Iranian film in the Competition – a tragedy of Shakespearean proportions (and I'm not talking here about its mammoth 195-minute duration, which I swear you do not feel), with a pulverizing ending; Seven Hills Seven Seas – a visual feast of rare inventiveness, in which the rat’s fate will have you bawling even if your heart is made of...

I tend to remain equally reserved in relation to Romanian cinema as a whole. More and more films are being produced (which is very good), but the percentage of success and recognition of value remain the same as when much fewer was being produced. What I find commendable is that independent films are being made, especially in the documentary field. I really liked what Alexan...

I've been stalking Claude Sautet ever since the retrospective dedicated to him at last year's San Sebastian festival, and I took advantage of the fact that 2024 marks the centenary of his birth. He may not be as coddled a filmmaker as Godard, Rohmer, Truffaut or Chabrol, but his work is solid and has a distinctiveness and musicality worth discovering. Plus, if you're a Lea Seyd...

Let's make it clear from the start: this is the theme of this year's image campaign, not necessarily the theme of the festival selection. Although, probably, if I were to close my eyes and randomly put my finger on one of the almost 200 films in the program, there’s an 85% chance I'd land on a film about relationships (whether they're platonic, amorous, familial, couples’ or ho...