“Girls Will Be Girls, an Indian Drama, Takes Home Top Prize at Transylvania Film Festival”
Indian cinema shines at the 23rd Transylvania International Film Festival, held from June 14-24 in Cluj-Napoca, Romania.
Shuchi Talati, a first-time director, clinched the Transylvania Trophy and a $11,7000 (€10,000) bursary for her film Girls Will Be Girls. The movie, which premiered at Sundance, explores a mother-daughter relationship set in a strict boarding school in the Himalayas.
Shuchi Talati expressed, “The story of this film is very rooted in India, but I always hoped that people outside this very specific space would resonate with it.”
Vinothraj Palani’s The Adamant Girl received the Special Jury Award, emphasizing gendered expectations in rural India. Sebastian Quebrada won the Best Director Award for The Other Son, a poignant drama about mourning.
Hassan Pourshirazi was recognized with the Best Performance Award for The Old Bachelor, and Summer Brother from Dutch-Belgian production gathered three accolades.
Alice On/Off, a Romanian documentary, received three honors at the festival.
Below is the full list of winners of the 2024 Transylvanian Film Festival.
Transylvania Trophy
Girls Will Be Girls, Shuchi Talati
Best Director Award
Sebastián Quebrada, The Other Son
Special Jury Award
The Adamant Girl, Vinothraj Palani
Best Performance Award
Hassan Pourshirazi, The Old Bachelor
Special Mention of the Jury
Jarne Heylen and Joël in ‘t Veld, Summer Brother
Audience Award
Summer Brother, Joren Molter
Romanian Days Award for Feature Film
Dismissed, Horia Cucută, George ve Ganæaard
Special Mention of the Jury for Romanian Days Feature Film
Family Weekend, Mihnea Toma
Romanian Days Award for Debut
Alice On & Off, Isabela Tent
Romanian Days Award for Short Film
Truth or Dare, Simona Borcea
“What’s Up, Doc?” Award
Kix, Dávid Mikulán, Bálint Révész
Special Mention of the Jury “What’s Up, Doc?”
Alice On & Off, Isabela Tent
La Reine, Nikola Klinger
Most Popular Romanian Film in the Festival
Moromeții 3, Stere Gulea
Ecumenical Jury Award
Summer Brother, Joren Molter
Special Mention of the Ecumenical Jury
Where Elephants Go, Cătălin Rotaru, Gabi Virginia Șarga