The 24th edition of the Transilvania International Film Festival (TIFF), scheduled from 13 to 22 June 2025, in Cluj-Napoca, spotlights documentary cinema through its «What’s Up, Doc?» competition. Now in its fourth year as a competitive section, this program features ten films that challenge traditional documentary boundaries, embracing hybrid forms and even fiction.
Curated by #Crăița Nanu#, the selection explores themes of distance—physical, emotional, social, and ethical—through diverse narratives and innovative storytelling techniques. Nanu describes the lineup as a collection of «perfectly incompatible pairings» that remain resonant regardless of the viewer’s perspective.
Highlights from the «What’s Up, Doc?» Selection:
- Mistress Dispeller (dir. Elizabeth Lo) – This acclaimed documentary offers an eye-opening look into a real Chinese business that assists women in removing their husbands’ mistresses.
- Letters from Wolf Street (dir. Arjun Talwar) – A poetic exploration of home and belonging, this Indian documentary reflects on life in a Warsaw neighbourhood.
- Endless Cookie (dir. Seth & Peter Scriver) – An animated tribute to love, chance, and heritage within a Canadian Indigenous family, blending personal anecdotes with cultural reflection.
- Loss Adjustment (dir. Miguel Calderón) – A Mexican docu-fiction that intertwines art and insurance fraud, presenting a surreal narrative on societal norms and deception.
- Invention (dir. Courtney Stephens) – A stylised fiction debut shot on 16mm film, reframing archival footage to delve into a father’s legacy and a peculiar healing device.
- The Flamenco Guitar of Yerai Cortes (dir. Antón Álvarez) – A vibrant journey into musical roots and maternal love, culminating in the revelation of a family secret
- Saturn (dir. Daniel Tornero) – A claustrophobic portrayal of a family unravelling amidst dark revelations, rendered with intense cinematic force.
- The Return of the Projectionist (dir. Orkhan Aghazadeh) – A fable-like tale set in rural Azerbaijan, where repairing an old film projector stirs nostalgia and confronts censorship.
- ILOVERUSS (dir. Tova Mozard) – A Lynchian documentary chronicling two decades of hope, friendship, and heartbreak experienced by a failed Hollywood actor.
- Make It Look Real (dir. Danial Shah) – A subtle examination of Pakistan’s beauty illusion industry, where Photoshop challenges perceptions of authenticity.
