Tirana film festival preparing to host ninth edition

TIRANA, Nov. 2 – This year’s ninth edition of the Tirana International Film Festival (TIFF), the first and only international cinema festival of its kind in Albania brings several important changes to its previous years. TIFF organizers have announced a feature film competition along with its prestigious shorts program. TIFF also extends its program to six days, December 5 – 10 in order to encompass not only the competing shorts and features but to allow for retrospectives, seminars, classes, press events and special presentations at theatres all over the Albanian capital.
It is the intention of TIFF to bring filmmakers and cinema enthusiasts from all around the world to Tirana, Albania in the hopes of fostering future co-operation in this extraordinarily scenic area.
By bringing together these distinct voices and their work, the Tirana International Film Festival commits itself to introducing audiences to alternative visions of extraordinary diversity.
Although TIFF has not announced the short-listed films yet, more than 70 movies from around the world will compete in the competition’s categories feature films, short fiction, short experimental, short documentary and short animation. Two awards will also be dedicated to the Albanian cinema for the Best Albanian short film and best Albanian Student.
TIFF’s daily agenda also includes master classes with professionals in the motion picture industry geared for Albanian students of the cinema and emerging filmmakers.
Created in 2003, this extraordinary cultural event takes place under the auspices of the Albanian National Center for Cinematography (QKK).
Last year, Czech Republic’s “Woman in temptation” directed by Jiri Vejdelek was announced the best film of the eighth edition of the Tirana International Film Festival held from December 13 to 18.
With a logo resembling a biometric passport, a celebration of Albanians’ new freedom to travel to the EU without visas, the TIFF 2010 was held in two venues, at the Armed Forces Centre for Culture and at the Central State Film Archive premises.
TIFF and the Durres Film Festival which has held only four editions, are the only two international cinema events in Albania.