TIRANA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL (TIFF) is the first and only international cinema festival of its kind in Albania. This extraordinary cultural event created in 2003 is the most important cinematic event in Albania.

TIFF aims to create in Albania, as well as in the Balkans, 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.

Above all, it is the aim of the TIRANA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL to create a meeting point 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 extraordinary scenic area.

By bringing together these distinct voices and their work, TIRANA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL commits itself to introducing audiences to alternative visions of extraordinary diversity.

"Think Different, See Alike" is the slogan and motto of TIFF.

Since its inception, TIFF receives over 15,000 short films and 4,000 feature films from over 112 countries around the world. Out of all these applications more than hundred films can be chosen each year for the competition program.

The Festival yearly getting thousands of submissions from submitting online in our website and other online platforms as: FilmFreeway, WithoutaBox, Reelport, Festhome, Click4Festivals, FilmFestivalLife from around 120 countries around the world which applies for being selected. TIFF Festival is a national 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.

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.

A. COMPETITION PROGRAM

Competition features those distinct sections:

• Feature Film Competition

• Short Film Competition

• In Albanian Film Competition

• Student Film Competition

• Video Art

All the daily programs of the TIFF festival combine features and short films in all formats and genres: fiction, documentary, animation and experimental.  Open to any filmmaker from around the world, TIFF showcases new cinematic work by established directors with international reputations as well as work by talented students and young artists.

TIFF provides time in its daily schedule for classes and seminars with professionals in the motion picture industry geared for Albanian students of the cinema and emerging filmmakers, special programs & screenings, retrospectives, homage, tributes and international guests.

This 14th edition of TIFF 2016 announces a feature film competition along with its prestigious international shorts program. During the nine days of TIFF's program, from November 3rd to November 11th, in addition to competition shorts and features screenings, many retrospectives, seminars, master classes, press events and special presentations at theaters all over the Albanian capital will take place.

In this edition it has been increased into 200 the number of films, that will be shown to our public and foreign one. Besides a quality program in competition for feature, short, student, in Albanian and Video Art, we have opened two special sections.

FOCUS is a special program dedicated to the famous filmmaker Abbas Kiarostami, homage for this phenomenon of world cinema, who passed away just two months ago.

Another special program will be dedicated to the great Italian master director Ettore Scola. Also in this section, we will be focused on short feature films from Italy, Spain and Romania.

PANORAMA is the section dedicated to films with thematic programs for children, women, immigration, integration of persons with disabilities, LGBT, etc.

For the first time in Tirana, we are organizing TIFForum in collaboration with the Torino Film Lab and Balkan Cinema Cities, a regional approach to promote cinematographic production in Albania and co-productions in the region. 8 projects films were selected films from Albania, Kosovo, Greece, Macedonia, Serbia, Bulgaria, Montenegro, Bosnia will undergo expertise of well-known professionals in Europe that suggested Torino Film Lab and distributors present, which will make possible the successful realization of these regional projects.

For the first time in Tirana will be present FIPRESCI - The International Federation of Film Critics, who will appreciate our selections with special prizes, that will echo TIFF and most important sites and film magazines in the world.

TIFF this year is scheduled to show films and develop its parallel activities into two halls of Imperial Cinema, Open Air at the terrace of Sheraton Tirana Hotel, (room Illyria 1 for the opening and closing ceremony of awards, Illyria 2 TIFForum), COD, The Clowd, Mediterranean University of Albania and Tulla Culture Center.

JURY | AWARDS

On the occasion of this 14th edition of TIFF, seven 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

Best Director

Best Screenplay

Best Cinematography

Best Editing “Luc Barnier”

Best European Feature Film

Best SHORT Film

Best Short Fiction

Best Short Animation

Best Short Documentary

Best Short Experimental

Best European Short Film

Best Film in Albanian

Best Video Art

Best Student Film

Best Balkan Film

Best Debut Film “Ron Holloway” Award

Media Award

Audience Choice Award

Internet Vote

Official awards consist of a statue and a diploma. 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.

B. NEW FEATURES – PARALLEL SCREENINGS

TIRANA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL has the pleasure to announce four major new services available for applicants:  TIFF.TV Competition, TIFF Online Library, TIFF Market Corner and TIFF on Tour.

With these four new services, Tirana IFF offers the opportunity to many films to be shown in alternative ways (TV, online, market, special programs) in a wider audience and experts.

The applicants must apply clearly for each one of these new services. Fill the appropriate field in the entry form.

• TIFF.TV Competition

With our media TV partners we offer the possibility to directors screening their films (selected for the official competitive program or not) to the Albanian audience and win the TV audience awards.

• TIFF Online Library

TIFF offer the online presentation of each film, in a dedicated page, as a part of a film library, with all related information and with the possibility to receive comments from the international Internet audience and industry.  The screening of films is open to anyone without charges. The films will be available for viewing in the film library as long as director/producer wishes.

• TIFF Market Corner

TIRANA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL will create a market corner during the nine days, where potential buyers can watch all films and make their selection. Tirana IFF will also act as a festival promoter and distributor. In case of financial contract with a distributor, Tirana IFF will receive a fee of 5%.

• TIFF on Tour

Tirana IFF will act as ambassador for the submitted films and will travel with a selection to other Albanian cities during the year. TIFF will also propose special screenings to other regional festivals in accordance to a specific subject or theme of each collaborative festival.

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