Tirana International Film Festival

Tirana International Film Festival

September 22nd | 28th 2024

22nd Edition

TIRANA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL is the first international film festival and the only of its kind in Albania. This extraordinary cultural event created in 2003 is one of the most important cinematic event in Balkans. TIFF aims to create in Albania, as well as in the region, a cultural center of worldwide alternative and independent cinema. Albania is a solar, enthusiastic and friendly country and besides the “strong competition” TIFF aims at the same time to be a meeting point of cultures, where people of Tirana, the guests and all those who love films will have a cinema-language-communication week. TIFF aims to create a friendly space for film artists and cinema enthusiasts from Albania, Europe and the entire world to come together and share their linked passion and knowledge of the motion picture art form. The intention of TIFF is to bring filmmakers, producers and distributors from all around the world to Tirana, in hopes of fostering future co-operation in this interesting scenic area. By bringing together these distinct voices and their work, TIFF commits itself to introducing audiences to alternative visions of extraordinary diversity. “Think Different, Watch Alike” is the slogan and motto of TIFF.

TIFF aims at demonstrating strong efficiency in audience development (especially toward young audience) by implementing activities before, during and after the event, including year-long activities and travelling to other cities with various smaller partner and smaller festivals in the country. Partnering with small organizations and youth centers around the country in order to use the existing facilities in each city will not only give to TIFF a large national impact, but will enhance on the other side the increase of values of small events in each respective city in which TIFF will be present.

The Festival yearly getting thousands of submissions from submitting online in our website and other online platforms which applies for being selected. TIFF is an international cinema event whose main objective is to enlarge the number of venues and time of screening of European and non-European films of all genres and durations in Albania as well as it is considered to be an event to develop new audiences around the country, combining film screenings with public debates and thematic debates approaching new and an increased Film Audience and focusing also on Film Literacy. Since its inception, TIFF receives over 40,000 short and feature films from over 120 countries around the world. Out of all these applications more than 200 films can be chosen each year for the competition and the special program. We are thrilled and honored to be approved as an official Academy Awards® qualifying festival, it’s truly a tremendous opportunity for our filmmakers and future Best Short Film Award winners and for Student Academy Awards (SAA).

Competition Program

Feature Film (all genres)
EYE on TIFF (debut feature film competition)
Documentary Film (all lengths)
Short Fiction films (Oscar® qualifying)
The daily program of TIFF combine national premieres of feature and short films in all formats and genres: fiction, documentary, animation, experimental and video art. Open to any filmmaker from around the world, TIFF showcases new cinematic work by established directors with international reputations as well as movies by talented students and young artists.
Besides the competition program TIFF reserves a large space to the special programs and screenings. PANORAMA has some thematic programs dedicated to the most sensitive social topics and problematic social groups as for children, women, immigration, integration of persons with disabilities, LGBT, etc. with those sections: DIVERGENT MINDS; GENERATIONs; NEW WORLD; PARADE.
FOCUS is a special program, which is based on tribute or homage to the cinema author and/or the filmography of a given country.
RetrospecTIFF brings to the new audience the most prominent national or international authors of the film history.
REFLECTING ALBANIA is the oldest program of the festival, dedicated to the foreign filmmakers who have produced their films in Albania or in Albanian speaking territory. MADE In ALBANIAn is a program with the most recent films in Albanian language. BALKANorama focused on newest Balkan films.
FesTIFFal is a special program with selected films by festival partners.
TIFF provides time in its daily schedule for masterclasses and seminars with professionals in the motion picture industry geared for Albanian students of the cinema and emerging filmmakers.

Awards & Prizes

On the occasion of this new  edition of TIFF, five international juries comprised of leading film writers, directors, producers and critics will evaluate and then select the best features & shorts with awards presented on the closing night ceremony. Awards will be presented in the following categories:

Best Feature Film – GOLDEN OWL
Best Director
Best Screenplay    
Best DOCUMENTARY – SILVER OWL
Best Documentary Short Film
Best BALKAN Film
Best Film in ALBANIAN – SILVER OWL
Best VIDEO ART & Experimental
Best DEBUT Short Film “Ron Holloway” Award

AUDIENCE Choice Award

Official awards consist of an Owl Trophy statue or Plaque Trophy and a Certificate. The cash prize in TIFF is determined by the available budget. Special awards can be given by organizers, Festival director, sponsors and partners, professional organizations, NGOs, media, etc. Recipients of the Tirana International Film Festival Best Short Film will be eligible for consideration in the Animated Short Film/ Live Action Short Film category of the Academy Awards® without the standard theatrical run, provided the fi¬lm otherwise complies with the Academy Rules.

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