26/08/2025 - Running from 5-10 September, the Albanian event has rapidly become a platform for emerging European voices and bold cinematic visions

The Tirana European Youth Film Festival (TEYFF) will celebrate its third edition from 5-10 September, continuing its mission to bring European cinema rarely seen in Albania to local audiences. Founded three years ago by young film enthusiasts, TEYFF has quickly established itself as a platform for fresh voices and new perspectives.

At the heart of the festival lies the European competition, featuring eight debut and second feature films from across the continent. The line-up includes Silence of Sirens by Gazmend Nela (Kosovo), E se mio padre by Solange Tonnini (Italy), Another German Tank Story by Jannis Alexander Kiefer (Germany), Clearing by Magdalena Pieta (Poland), Forever Hold Your Peace [+see also:
film review
interview: Ivan Marinović
film profile] by Ivan Marinović (Montenegro), The House with No Address [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Hatice Aşkın (Turkey), Because I Love Bad Weather by Yana Lakarska (Bulgaria) and Nova & Alice by Emma Butch (Sweden). All features will have their Albanian premiere at TEYFF and will be followed by Q&As, with many helmers attending in person.

A jury of international and local professionals – Italian writer-director Edgardo Pistone, TEYFF co-founder and filmmaker Elkjana Gjipali, Albanian actor Nik Xhelilaj, and Albanian publisher Arlinda Dudaj – will award Best Picture, Best Director, Best Screenplay and Best Cinematography at the closing ceremony. Audiences will also vote for the winner of a separate award.

Meanwhile, TEYFF’s out-of-competition programme will revisit both film heritage and contemporary perspectives. Albanian post-communist works such as Albert Minga’s Une e dua erën (1991) and Ylli Pepo’s Ullka (2003) will be screened alongside Kosovar director Yll Çitaku’s Përtej Rrugës (2009) and Pistone’s latest feature, Ciao bambino [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Edgardo Pistone
film profile], winner of the Best First Feature Award at Rome and the Special Prize for Directing at Tallinn Black Nights. These outdoor screenings will also include open discussions, fostering dialogue between filmmakers and audiences.

The closing night will include a screening of the newly restored Albanian classic Death of a Horse, followed by a special meet-and-greet with its star, acclaimed actor Timo Flloko.

TEYFF will additionally host talks and industry events aimed at nurturing the next generation of film professionals. Sessions will cover topics from archival work and youth engagement, through book-to-screen adaptations with Arlinda Dudaj, to directing from a design perspective with acclaimed graphic designer Joreld Dhamo. An industry-focused event, The Film Industry Wants You!, led by Albanian National Filmography Centre chairman Jonid Jorgji alongside Albanian producers Dionis Papadhimitri and Ols Abazi, will introduce young cinephiles to the often-overlooked professions behind film production.

The festival, headed up by Malda Lika, relies heavily on its passionate team of volunteers, who support organisational efforts while actively engaging with visiting filmmakers, blending learning with practical experience.

Screenings will take place at the Agimi Art Center, Tirana’s revived downtown cinema and the home of the festival, as well as at Open Air Tirana, a starlit venue dedicated to out-of-competition films. Both venues, located in the city centre, reflect TEYFF’s mix of tradition and modernity. In line with the gathering’s inclusive philosophy, all screenings and events are free of charge.

This year’s edition carries the slogan “Every Filmmaker Remembers Their First Time in Tirana”, underlining TEYFF’s dual ambition to champion new European directors and to establish Tirana as a city of cultural curiosity and cinematic possibility.

The full programme is available to peruse here.