TIFF 2025 OPENING GALA: CHRISTY

The 24th edition of the Transilvania International Film Festival (Cluj-Napoca, June 13–22, 2025) will open with Christy (dir. Brendan Canty, Ireland/UK, 2025), a hopeful coming-of-age story about resilience and the power to start over, recently awarded at the Berlinale. The screening will take place on the grand outdoor screen in Unirii Square on Friday, June 13, at 8:45 PM, as part of a special event preceded by a tribute to legendary actor Florin Piersic, who will be honored with a Excellence Award. It’s just the beginning of the extraordinary cinematic marathon that TIFF has delivered to audiences for the past 24 years.

Titl: Christy
Director: Brendan Canty
Cast: Danny Power, Diarmuid Noies, Emma Willis
Country: Republic of Ireland
Year: 2025
Duration: 1h 34m

Christy follows a teenage boy from an Irish suburb, on the verge of turning 18—an age that means he will soon age out of the care system. He ends up in the custody of his estranged half-brother, a man trying to build the kind of family he never had. Though initially worlds apart, the two slowly begin to confront and reconcile the traumas of their past in this moving slice-of-life drama populated by vivid, life-filled characters.

The Opening Gala of TIFF.24 will also include a special tribute to one of Romania’s most beloved actors – Florin Piersic. The Cluj-born icon of Romanian cinema and theatre will attend the event alongside family, friends, and fellow stars, receiving a Excellence Award. With his unmistakable charm, warm voice, and magnetic presence, Piersic has captivated generations of audiences over a career spanning more than six decades. He brought to life countless legendary characters and became a cultural reference for millions. In 2010, Florin Piersic was also featured in TIFF’s official festival campaign, alongside his son, Florin Piersic Jr.