Films awarded or selected at the most important festivals of 2024–2025 (Cannes, Karlovy Vary, Venice, San Sebastián, Sundance, and Berlin) will have their Romanian premieres at the 24th edition of the Transilvania International Film Festival (Cluj-Napoca, June 13–22, 2025). The organizers have also announced the start of TIFF Cards sales – festival passes available online at https://tiff.eventbook.ro/.
The Norwegian film Dreams (Sex Love), directed by Dag Johan Haugerud, won the Golden Bear at the 75th Berlinale in 2025, marking a first for Norwegian cinema. Described as “a meditation on love” (Todd Haynes, Berlinale jury president), Dreams follows the emotional maturation of Johanne, a teenage girl who falls in love with her French teacher. The story unfolds through a manuscript written by Johanne, later discovered by her mother and grandmother, whose reactions shift from shock to admiration for its literary quality. The film concludes a trilogy about emotions and human relationships: Sex (2024) – also awarded at Berlin – and Love (2024), which premiered in Venice and won in Göteborg. All three films will screen at TIFF.24.
Jessica Chastain stars in Dreams, the latest film by Michel Franco, which also competed at Berlinale this year. The provocative drama explores power dynamics and social divides through the story of a young Mexican dancer who illegally crosses into the U.S. to reunite with his wealthy, art-loving girlfriend. His arrival causes tension and triggers a cruel chain of betrayals and revenge. Franco, a Mexican director, was a member of the TIFF competition jury in 2023.
Hard Truths marks the return of acclaimed British filmmaker Mike Leigh after a six-year hiatus. Nominated for an Oscar for Topsy-Turvy (1999) and Another Year (2010), and winner of top prizes at Cannes, Venice, and the BAFTAs, Leigh reunites with actress Marianne Jean-Baptiste in a contemporary drama about depression, rage, and reconciliation. The film follows the complex relationship between Pansy (Jean-Baptiste), an impulsive and unhappy woman, and her cheerful sister Chantelle (Michele Austin). Jean-Baptiste delivers one of the most powerful performances of the year, earning 15 acting awards.
A standout debut that captivated Venice in 2024, Familiar Touch (USA) subtly explores intergenerational relationships and latent trauma. The film follows an elderly woman (Kathleen Chalfant) struggling with memory loss as she adjusts to life in a nursing home. Directed with maturity and sensitivity by Sarah Friedland, Familiar Touch earned four Venice awards, including Best Director and Best Actress in the Orizzonti section.
Also awarded in Venice’s Orizzonti section for Best Screenplay, Happy Holidays (Palestine, Germany) is the latest film by Oscar-nominated director Scandar Copti (Ajami). This intricate family drama explores identity and conflict through intertwined stories where personal choices, social pressures, and moral dilemmas challenge both traditional norms and familial bonds.
A bittersweet comedy about solidarity, music, and personal reinvention, The Marching Band (dir. Emmanuel Courcol, France) tells the story of a renowned conductor diagnosed with leukemia who discovers he has a brother just when he needs one most. Despite being complete opposites, their reunion sparks a charming adventure set to the music of Charles Aznavour and Ravel’s Bolero. Premiered at Cannes, the film won the Audience Award at San Sebastián and received seven César nominations.
A chilling psychological thriller, Undercover (Spain, 2024) highlights the artistic maturity and feminist perspective of director Arantxa Echevarría (Carmen y Lola). Based on an incredible true story, the film details the risky seven-year undercover mission of a young female officer infiltrating the ETA terrorist group. Undercover won two top Goya Awards: Best Film and Best Actress (Carolina Yuste).
When the Light Breaks (2024) is a visually poetic elegy about loss, hope, and the delicate process of healing. Icelandic director Rúnar Rúnarsson (Sparrows, Volcano) follows a young woman immediately after a tragic event, capturing grief with raw intimacy. Shown at Cannes in the Un Certain Regard section, the film is paired with the short O, a black-and-white drama about addiction and family ruptures that later competed in Venice. Both earned Rúnarsson double wins at Göteborg, where they were named Best Nordic Films.
Marco, the Invented Truth (dir. Aitor Arregi, Jon Garaño, Spain, 2024) is a gripping tale based on real events about a man who reconstructs his identity through lies and self-deception, reinventing himself as a Holocaust survivor. The Basque directors, known for historical and social dramas, deliver a sharp introspection on how truth can be reshaped by those searching for meaning in personal chaos. Premiered in Venice’s Orizzonti competition, the film won two Goya Awards, including Best Actor (Eduard Fernández).
Winner of the Audience Award at Karlovy Vary 2024, Waves (dir. Jiří Mádl, Czech Republic) is an epic drama with a political thriller rhythm, set during the Velvet Revolution. A local box office hit (second most-watched Czech film ever) and Czech Republic’s Oscar submission, Waves pays tribute to press freedom through the heroic efforts of journalists at Prague’s international radio channel who risked their lives to report the 1968 Soviet invasion.
The Things You Kill (dir. Alireza Khatami, France, 2025) is a Lynchian revenge tale exploring the dark recesses of the human soul. Haunted by the suspicious death of his ailing mother, a university professor hires his enigmatic gardener to commit a cold-blooded act of vengeance. Premiered at Sundance, the film won the Best Director Award.
Maldoror (dir. Fabrice Du Welz, Belgium, 2024) is a gripping thriller inspired by the Dutroux case that shocked Belgium in the 1990s. Assigned to investigate the disappearance of two girls, an idealistic and impulsive young detective becomes obsessed with solving the case himself after judicial system failures. Compared to David Fincher’s Zodiac, the film premiered at Venice.
The full TIFF.24 program will be announced soon and will include over 200 films, cine-concerts, and events.