The thriller Dogs by Romanian Bogdan Mirica, is the big winner of this year’s Transylvania International Film Festival (TIFF) organized in Cluj-Napoca between May 27 and June 5. The movie won the Transylvania Trophy and a cash prize of EUR 15,000.

The winners of the 15th edition of TIFF were announced on Saturday evening, 4 June, at the National Theatre in Cluj, during the closing ceremony of the festival.

The Best Directing Award went to Israeli Avishai Sivan for Tikkun with a EUR 1,500 check.

The Special Jury Award of EUR 1,500 was won by Icelandic director Rúnar Rúnarsson’s Sparrows, and the EUR 1,000 Best Performance Award went to David D’Ingeo for his role in the film Where there is Shade.

Neon Bull, directed by Brazilian Gabriel Mascaro, won the FIPRESCI Prize offered by The International Federation of Film Critics for a film in Animal section, and the film  The Open Door, directed by Argentinian Marina Seresesky, won the Audience Award.

Famous Italian actress Sophia Lauren received the Lifetime Achievement Award at this year’s TIFF. Orosz Lujza, a well-known actress of Cluj’s Hungarian State Theatre, also got a Lifetime Achievement Award while Romanian actress Carmen Galin received the Excellence Award. Moreover, the Special Award for the Contribution to the World Cinema went to British producer Iain Smith.

Romanian director Cristi Puiu, who also competed at this year’s Cannes Festival with his drama Sieranevada, won the Special award – Transylvania 15 Trophy.

The Last Day, by Gabriel Achim, won the Romanian Days Award for Best Feature Film, in amount of EUR 6.000 (in post-production services), and Ion Indolean got the Romanian Days Award for Best Debut, and a check of EUR 1,000. Also, A Night in Tokoriki, directed by Roxana Stroe won the Romanian Days Award for Best Short Film, cashing in EUR 1,500.

Transilvania Trophy, in amount of 15.000 euro, offered by Staropramen – Dogs by Bogdan Mirică

Best Directing Award, in amount of 5.000 euro –Avishai Sivan, for Tikkun (Israel)

Special Jury Award, in amount of 1.500 euro, offered by HBO –Sparrows by Rúnar Rúnarsson

Best Performance Award, in amount of 1.000 euro - David D’Ingeo for the film Where there is Shade (France/Cambodia)

Special Mention of the Jury - Monika Naydenova and Alexander Benev, for their performance in the film Thirst

FIPRESCI Prize, offered by The International Federation of Film Critics for a film in #Animal section – Neon Bull, directed by Gabriel Mascaro (Brazil/ Uruguay/ Netherlands/ Spain)

The Audience Award, offered by MasterCard - The Open Door by Marina Seresesky (Spain)

Lifetime Achievement Award– actress Sophia Loren

Excellence Award, offered by Mercedes-Benz – actress Carmen Galin

Lifetime Achievement Award - actress Orosz Lujza

Special Award for the Contribution to the World Cinema – producer Iain Smith

Special Award – Transilvania 15 Trophy – director Cristi Puiu

Romanian Days Award for Best Feature Film, in amount of 6.000 euro (in post-production services) offered by Cinelabs Romania – The Last Day by Gabriel Achim

Romanian Days Award for Best Debut, in amount of 1.000 euro, offered by Raiffeisen Bank – Discordia by Ion Indolean

Romanian Days Award for Best Short Film, in amount of 1.500 euro, offered by Jameson – A Night in Tokoriki by Roxana Stroe

Special Mention of the Romanian Days Short Film Jury- My Name is Costin  by Radu Potcoavă

Best Film Award in the Shadows Shorts Competition, in amount of 500 euro, offered by Shorts TV - Saint Frankenstein, directed by Scooter McCrae (USA)

Special Mention in the Shadows Shorts Competition - The Pond  by Jeroen Dumoulein ( Belgium), and Sister Hell by Fredrik S. Hana (Norway)

Let’s Go Digital! Award for Best Film produced in the LGD Workshop, offered by UPC – Today I Come  by Călin Boto, Andrada Băleanu & Agata Olteanu

Transilvania Pitch Stop Development Award in amount of 2000 euro cash award offered by TIFF – Tie  by Marius Olteanu

Transilvania Pitch Stop CoCo Award, offered by Connecting Cottbus Co-Production Market - Alive in Moscow by Grigore Becket

Local Competition Award, in amount of 1.500 euro, offered by Banca Transilvania - Perfect Investment by Ibolya Simó

Special Mention in the Local Competition, in amount of 300 euro, offered by Fabrica de Pensule - The Light that Memory Lends to Things by Ana Vijdea (Turkey)

The Young Francophone Jury Prize – offered by TV5 Monde, RFI Romania, Institut Francais – Death by Death by Xavier Seron (Belgium/ France)