The 22nd edition of the Tirana International Film Festival (TIFF), held from September 22-28, showcased the latest films from around the world in the Albanian capital. Over 200 films were screened at various cinemas in Tirana, many making their national and world premieres.

In a poignant ceremony, the coveted “Golden Owl” award was presented to director Mika Gustafson for his film ‘Paradise is Burning’, a 108-minute co-production between Sweden, Denmark, Finland, and Italy.

The jury’s motivation for the award reads: “We were captivated by the characters in this film. The direction skillfully guided us through every emotional turn, unveiling the delicate nuances of wounded souls searching for identity, survival, joy, and their will to live.”

In the PerspecTIFF section, ‘Goodbye Julia’ by Mohamed Kordofani was selected. The film deeply explores human emotions, teaching us how to overcome hatred and intolerance, finding peace within ourselves. ‘Goodbye Julia’ is a Sudanese production.

The award for Best Director went to Dorka Vermes from Hungary, while the Best Screenplay award was given to Isa Qosja for his film ‘The Stork’, which was also presented at TIFF.

The Best Short Film, which qualifies for competition at the Oscars, was awarded to ‘Dreams Like Paper Boats’ by Haitian director Samuel Suffren.

The Best European Short Film award went to ‘On the Way’ by Samir Karadoha, a 15-minute Kosovar production. With this victory, the film qualifies as a candidate for the 2024 European Film Awards.

As in previous editions, TIFF was supported by the Albanian Telegraphic Agency, which served as the media partner. The Tirana International Film Festival is an independent festival that promotes non-commercial films, which would otherwise struggle to break into the cinematic market and distribution networks.

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