TIFF GARDEN PARTY

USEFULL INFO

Bánffy Castle in Răscruci, a freshly renovated architectural gem, opens its gates wide for the 23rd edition of TIFF. The estate near Cluj-Napoca will host the Garden Party at the Castle, an event that combines film with music.

On Tuesday, June 18, after 18:00, guests are invited to an evening that will include a tour of the castle, a concert by the jazz band 7th SENSE, a concert by the PlaCello cello ensemble, and the screening of the latest film starring Sir Anthony Hopkins – One Life (dir. James Hawes, 2023, UK).

TRANSPORT

/ only for ticket holders / 

We recommend using the buses provided by the festival for ticket holders. The TIFF Garden Party is sold out, so there will be no tickets available for purchase at the venue. 

The event will start at 18:00. TIFF offers round-trip bus services for participants. The buses will depart from Iulius Mall (53B Alexandru Vaida Voevod Street) starting at 17:00. The buses will return from Răscruci starting at 23:35, after the screening ends. 

To register, please complete this form no later than Monday, June 17, at 14:00 - https://forms.gle/HfYQiqTQB4J9EbiC6 

The price for a round-trip journey is 40 lei, payable in cash to the driver. 

Individual Transport: Although we encourage using the buses provided by TIFF, there is also limited parking available at Bánffy Castle for personal vehicles. Entry and exit from the parking area are through the same point - https://maps.app.goo.gl/NJGnY4q7U3bhq7q57

HISTORY

The Bánffy family is one of the most important noble families in Transylvania, whose history begins in the 9th century in Hungary. They owned several estates, palaces, and castles. 

The village of Răscruci was first documented in 1325 and became the property of the family in 1405. The Bánffy Castle in Răscruci, in its current form, is the result of 19th-century construction works initiated in the 1850s and 1870s by Baron Albert Bánffy, but the most radical transformation of the building was undertaken between 1875 and 1887 by his son, Ádám Bánffy, with the help of the Cluj architect Lajos Horváth. He added the second floor to the building and handled the interior arrangements. Practically, the castle is an eclectic mix of styles: initially built in the Renaissance style, it was later modified in the Baroque style and subsequently renovated in the Romantic style. 

After the nationalization of the castle at the end of the 1960s, the building was repaired and modified by the introduction of a reinforced concrete staircase in the southern wing. The Bánffy Castle in Răscruci is now re-entering the tourist circuit after renovation works. 

The Land of the Blue Butterfly 

The Land of the Blue Butterfly is a regional brand project that brings together initiatives and people from 12 communes. It aims to discover the local specifics and create connections between the past and the future, increase the visibility of local products and services, and emphasize the unique character of the surrounding biodiversity. Its territory stretches along the Someșul Mic River, between the cities of Cluj-Napoca, Gherla, and Dej, containing the communes of: Aluniș, Apahida, Bobâlna, Bonțida, Borșa, Cornești, Dăbâca, Iclod, Jucu, Mintiu Gherlii, Sic, and Vultureni. In this area, as a result of the traditional agricultural activities of the inhabitants, there is a spectacular presence of protected blue butterflies from the genus Maculinea.

PROGRAME

The gates of the Castle will open starting at 18:00. The ground floor of the building can be visited without a guide. Guided tours take place at 18:30, 19:00, and 19:30. No prior registration is required; the guide will be waiting for you in front of the Castle at the specified times. Groups will be formed with a maximum of 20 people. Until 20:30, we will enjoy everything this historic monument has to offer. 

On the Castle lawn, you will find food and drinks from local producers. Payment by card is possible, but it's good to have cash as well. We have prepared playgrounds for both children and adults, and the lawn is perfect for relaxing on a blanket. So if you have blankets at home, we encourage you to bring them. We are ready with a stand offering mosquito repellent. Pets are allowed, but they are not permitted inside the castle. 

The event dress code is garden party chic, but remember that the park surrounding the castle has gravel paths and grassy lawns, so we recommend wearing appropriate footwear and not forgetting that the weather gets cooler in the evening. 

Performances 

Around 18:30, the band 7TH SENSE will welcome us on the dock for a sunset jazz concert. At 20:30, in front of the screen, the PlaCello concert will begin, followed by the screening of the film "One Life" (directed by James Hawes, 2023), the latest film starring Sir Anthony Hopkins. 

Exit 

At the end of the event, the exit will be through the secondary gates, separate for buses and personal cars. Please follow the signs.

Event supported by DeLonghi România

Hope and Homes for Children

Like in the past years, TIFF joins a charitable cause. The Garden Party event is thus associated with the mission of Hope and Homes for Children, which has been supporting the process of closing orphanages in Romania for over 25 years and finding alternative housing solutions for the children there—from returning them to their families to building family homes for them.

This year, the Ambassadors of Hope and Homes for Children — Amalia Enache, David Popovici, Mihai Morar, Marius Manole, and Alexandru Tomescu — have launched the most ambitious fundraising campaign yet for children in orphanages. They aim to gather the largest community of donors to build, from scratch, a family home for 12 children with moderate to severe special needs. The new home will provide a family-like environment where children receive care and education tailored to their needs for safety and sensory stimulation, through specially designed spaces. The campaign requires 450,000 Euros to create the Home they need: a house of over 300 square meters with all the amenities— a spacious living room, kitchen, welcoming terrace, four bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a large yard—adapted to the children's needs.

Guests at the Garden Party at the Castle will have the opportunity to interact with the swing-installation created by architect Federica Sala and built for the first time in Romania: the most beautiful metaphor of love and hope that no child will ever again experience the nightmare of institutionalization. 

A symbol of the unconditional love a parent has for their child, the swing-installation also draws attention to what a child in an orphanage misses the most: love, attention, care, and the warmth of a family. 

Make a donation for our most vulnerable children here: ambasadorpentruacasa.ro