REGULATIONS TIFF.26

Transilvania International Film Festival

26th edition | 11-21 June 2027 | Cluj-Napoca

General issues

Transilvania International Film Festival (TIFF) is organized by the Romanian Film Promotion and the Transilvania Film Festival Association and is the first and most prestigious competitive feature film festival in Romania.

The primary objective of TIFF is to promote cinema as an art form by presenting some of the most significant films of the moment - films endowed with originality and free expression, exhibiting unconventional uses of cinematic language, or expressing emerging cutting-edge currents.

TIFF is an annual event whose 26th edition will take place in Cluj-Napoca, Transylvania, between the 11th and 21st of June 2027. Each selected film will be screened at least twice. The screenings take place both in traditional movie theaters and in unconventional venues. A representative selection from the 2027 Transilvania IFF program will be subsequently shown in Bucharest, Sibiu, Timișoara, Oradea and other selected cities during TIFF Unlimited Caravan.

Sections

Official Competition

Showcasing some of the most recent works in world cinema, this competitive section is open exclusively to a director’s first or second fiction feature film. Only national premieres are considered.

Romanian Days

This national platform includes a competitive section for Romanian shorts and features produced in 2026 and 2027; Romanian shorts and features shown out of competition; gala screenings; and minority co-productions with Romania, shown out of competition.

What's Up, Doc?

Competitive section dedicated to documentaries and hybrid films, open exclusively to a director’s first or second documentary feature, regardless of any fiction features previously directed. Only national premieres are considered. The minimum running time is 60 minutes.

Supernova

Non-competitive showcase of the most significant features and documentaries of the year, including titles awarded in major international festivals, works by renowned auteurs, national box-office leaders, and audience hits meant for open-air screenings.

Full Moon

Non-competitive showcase for fantasy, thriller, and horror genre features.

No Limit

Non-competitive section dedicated to features and documentaries that are provocative, controversial, experimental, transgressive, and innovating in both form and content.

In addition to the sections above, Transilvania IFF’s 26th edition includes special events, conferences, workshops, master classes, non-competitive sections (national showcases, best-of selections, auteur retrospectives, etc.), media education and cinematic arts programs for children and teenagers, concerts, photo exhibits, book launches, etc.

TEEN Spirit

Competitive section featuring fiction films and documentaries that explore the experiences, concerns and culture of young people, aimed primarily at teenage and young adult audiences. The section’s Youth Award is presented by a jury composed entirely of young film enthusiasts.

Awards

Main awards in the official competition:

The Transilvania Trophy for best film in the Official Competition (EUR 10.000, divided 50-50 between director and majority producer; cannot be awarded ex-aequo).

Best Director in the Official Competition (EUR 3500, going towards the director).

Special Jury Prize (EUR 1500, going towards the director).

Best Performance (EUR 1000, going towards a male or female actor or ensemble).

The Official Competition Jury may award two special mentions.

Other TIFF awards:

What’s Up, Doc? Award, for the best film in What's Up, Doc? section. (EUR 2000 divided 50-50 between director and majority producer; cannot be awarded ex-aequo)

FIPRESCI Award, offered by a jury of members of the International Federation of Film Critics (FIPRESCI) to a feature film in the Romanian Days section.

Audience Award, decided by audience vote among the films in the Official Competition (EUR 2000 going towards the director).

The Youth Award, offered by the Teen Spirit Jury for the best film in TEEN Spirit Section. (EUR 1500, going towards the director)

Excellence Award, dedicated to an outstanding figure of Romanian cinema.

Lifetime Achievement Award, dedicated to an outstanding figure of world cinema.

Romanian Days Award: Feature Film (EUR 2000 divided 50-50 between director and majority producer).

Romanian Days Award: Short (EUR 1500 going towards the director).

Romanian Days Award: Debut (EUR 1500 going towards the director).

Eligibility

1. World premiere dates for films selected in the competitive programs of the festival must be after May 1st, 2026.

2. Foreign and Romanian entries in the Official Competition and What’s Up, Doc? competition must not have been screened in Romania.

3. National premieres have priority in the Romanian Days section.

4. Screening materials must be on DCP or HD digital files (unless requested otherwise).

5. As films are presented in the original language with Romanian and English subtitling as necessary, selected films must provide an English dialogue list in a customary electronic format (.srt, .stl, .sub, .ass, .xml etc, but not .pdf or .xls) which includes time codes.

6. The festival does not provide screening fees for films selected in the main competitive sections of Transilvania IFF (the Official Competition, What's Up, Doc?) and in the Romanian Days.

Submissions

Screening rights-holders (producers or distributors) must fill in the submission form on the Eventival platform. Transilvania IFF regulations and submission forms can be found at: https://vp.eventival.com/tiff/2027. Online screener links including usernames or passwords can be inserted in the submission forms.

Please note that national Romanian premieres are given priority in the selection process in all sections.

Applying producers or distributors are responsible for the information provided in the submission form.

Deadlines

The submission deadline for all films is February 1st, 2027.

Submission fees

The following submission fees apply to international feature films:
• EUR 30 for submissions made from October 19th to December 1st, 2026, inclusive (early bird);
• EUR 50 for submissions made from December 2nd, 2026 to February 1st, 2027, inclusive.

Romanian films are exempt from submission fees.

Selection

The official selection for Transilvania IFF will be announced one month before the festival opening.

The official program (scheduling and locations) will be set by the festival organizers.

The festival is open to the public as well as to the large number of accredited journalists and distributors attending the festival.

The winners of the Official Competition and What’s Up, Doc? will have an additional screening on the last festival day, for no screening fee.

Producers or distributors holding the screening rights to short films selected in the Romanian Days section will grant TIFF permission to screen these films, without payment of screening fees, at events organized under the TIFF banner during 2027.

Producers and distributors who hold screening rights for features selected in the Romanian Days section will grant TIFF priority to screen their films at the satellite events organized by Transilvania IFF in 2027.

Acceptance to participate in the festival implies compliance with the regulations herein.

Print traffic & press kits

If selected for the festival, the right-holders of each film will be contacted by the festival team regarding participation in the festival and the full list of needed materials.

Physical screening materials (such as DCP) for each film must be received by May 25th, 2027 to Romanian Film Promotion (Str. Popa Soare, nr. 52, et.1, ap.4, Sector 2, Bucharest 023984) or online to the address indicated by the festival print traffic department via e-mail.

Transport costs will be covered by the film distributor or producer.

While the screening materials are in TIFF custody, TIFF shall take on all responsibility for damages relating to storing and exploiting said materials and shall take on insurance covering the unlikely eventuality of such damages.

Along with the screening materials, press kits and publicity materials for all selected films must be sent electronically to [email protected] or to the address suggested by the print traffic department by May 25th, 2027.

Press kits and publicity materials must contain:

  • press notes
  • film stills
  • photos of the director and main cast members
  • director’s filmography
  • dialogue list (in English, in a customary electronic format with time codes like .srt, .stl, .sub, .ssa, etc, but not .pdf or .xls)
  • film trailer
  • official poster
    technical specifications