With an emotional and genuine portrayal by the main character, this film weaves a multi-layered social-realist narrative. Its cinematography, perpetually reflecting the underlying conflict, guides us through a journey from ignorance to love, from fear to hope, and from irresponsibility to a profound care for others. The film reminds us that the "other" is always by our side.
23rd Transilvania International Film Festival
14.06.2024 to 24.06.2024
Cluj-Napoca
The Award Ceremony in the National Theatre of Cluj-Napoca (photo: © Vakarcs Lorand)
The first Ecumenical Jury at the Transilvania International Film Festival has awarded its Prize to "Zomervacht" (Summer Brothers), directed by Joren Molter (Netherlands, Belgium, 2023), which also won the Audience Award, and a Commendation to "Where Elephants Go", directed by Cătălin Rotaru and Gabi Virginia Șarga (Romania 2024). The main award of the festival, the Transilvania Trophy, went to "Girls Will Be Girls", directed by Shuchi Talati (India, 2024), and the Best Director Award to Sebastián Quebrada for his film "The Other Son" (El otro hijo, Argentina, 2023). The jury of the international film critics' organisation (FIPRESCI) who watches the films of the section Romanian Days awarded the documentary "Alice On & Off" by Isabela von Tent (Romania, 2024).
The 23rd Transilvania International Film Festival in Cluj-Napoca opened on 14 June 2024 with "Dogman" by Luc Besson. This year, for the first time, an Ecumenical Jury awarded a prize. The award is endowed with 1.000 € and will be given to a film of the international competition.
The festival is dedicated to discovering young talent in international cinema and shows first and second films by up-and-coming directors. This also applies to the festival's second competition section, "What's Up, Doc", in which documentary films by young filmmakers are shown.
New Romanian productions (feature films and short films) are shown in other competition sections.
One focus of this year's festival was dedicated to contemporary and historical Japanese cinema ("Focus Japan"). It was complemented by three films by Ryusuke Hamaguchi in the "3x3" section, in which three films each by Claude Sautet and Daniele Lucchetti were presented as well. The latter was also honoured with a special prize for his contribution to world cinema. A second country focus of the festival was the cinema of Hungary, to which the festival's "Hungarian Day" was dedicated.
The Ecumenical Jury, from left: Piet Halma, Timea Kókai-Nagy, Ileana Bîrsan (President of the Jury) and Edgar Octavio Rubio Hernandez
Auszeichnungen
Summer Brother
Directed by:
2023
Directed by:
2024
In this brave cinematic meta fairy tale, the essential details and necessary nuances that we otherwise ignore in everyday life are seen more clearly. Attentive and open to the unpredictable, we are invited to be aware of the traces we leave in the lives of others and to enjoy the present.
More about the festival
The Dutch feature film "Zomervacht" (Summer Brother) won many prizes last Saturday at the 23rd Transilvania International Film Festival in Cluj in Romania. In this film directed by Joren Molter the main characters are two brothers, one of whom is physically and mentally disabled.
