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TRANSILVANIA 2017

A record opening for the 16th edition of the Transilvania International Film Festival

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- 3,200 cinemagoers watched the opening film, King of the Belgians, in the main square of Cluj-Napoca

A record opening for the 16th  edition of the Transilvania International Film Festival
(© Chris Nemes)

A record number of film lovers gathered on 2 June in the Unirii Square in Cluj-Napoca to attend the opening gala of the 16th edition of the Transilvania International Film Festival (2-11 June). 3,200 viewers amassed in front of the biggest screen in the history of the festival, attracted by the good weather and the Balkan feel of Jessica Woodworth and Peter Brosens’ King of the Belgians [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jessica Woodworth, Peter Br…
film profile
]

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Besides the record opening, the organisers can brag about the impressive increase in advance ticket sales. The numbers for the opening gala almost doubled in comparison to the advance sales for the previous edition’s gala, but the increase is also obvious for all of the screenings at the festival. For example, the final showing of this year’s Golden Bear winner, On Body and Soul [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ildiko Enyedi
interview: Ildiko Enyedi
interview: Réka Tenki
film profile
]
, is already sold out three days before the screening. The film will be released in Romanian cinemas later this June by newly founded distribution company Bad Unicorn.

In terms of the overall feel, the 16th edition of the festival seems more eager to satisfy the needs of a wider audience. Besides the Unirii Open Air venue, which screens extremely popular productions like Lisa Azuelos’ Dalida [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
Radu Mihăileanu’s The History of Love [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile
]
 (which was partly shot in Cluj-Napoca and the surrounding area) and Paolo Virzi’s Like Crazy [+see also:
film review
trailer
Q&A: Paolo Virzì
film profile
]
, all to be released in Romania over the next few months, the festival has prepared a new open-air venue, Someş Open Air, with a compelling thriller programmed every evening. 

Moreover, the festival has selected ten alternative romantic comedies in the Alt.Rom.Com sidebar, with all ten in the running for the FIPRESCI Award. Given these conditions, steep increases in attendance are expected to be announced on Sunday, when the edition ends.

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