The films made by first- and second-time directors represent 16 countries: France, Tunisia, Belgium, Iceland, Denmark, Australia, India, Bulgaria, Romania, Great Britain, Germany, Israel, France, Cambodia, Spain and, for the first time in the history of the festival, Vanuatu.

The Competition Jury is composed of Wieland Speck, curator of the Berlinale Panorama section; Bill Guentzler, artistic director of the Cleveland International Film Festival; Bulgarian actress Margita Gosheva, recipient of the Acting Award for The Lesson (by Kristina Grozeva and Petar Valchanov produced by Abraxas Film) at TIFF 2015; and Polish director Tomasz Wasilewski, recipient of the Best Director Award for Floating Skyscrapers (Alter Ego Pictures) at TIFF 2014, and also present this year out of competition with United States of Love (Manana ).

TIFF, presented by Romanian Film Promotion, is the first and the largest international feature film festival in Romania. In 2015 the festival sold 73,000 tickets and screened 223 films from 60 countries.

Competition Films:

As I Open my Eyes / À peine j’ouvre mes yeux (France, Tunisia, Belgium, United Arab Emirates)
Directed by Lyla Bouzid

Dogs / Câini (France, Romania, Bulgaria)
Directed by Bogdan Mirică
Produced by EZ Films 14
Coproduced by 42Km Film, Argo Film
Supported by the Romanian National Film Centre, Bulgarian National Film Centre

Fado (Germany)
Directed by Jonas Rothlaender

Remainder (UK)
Directed by Omer Fast

Thirst / Jajda (Bulgaria)
Directed by Svetla Tsotsorkova
Produced by Front Film
Supported by Bulgarian National Film Centre

Shelley (Denmark)
Directed by Ali Abbasi

Tanna (Australia, Vanuatu)
Directed by Bentley Dean, Martin Butler

Tikkun (Israel)
Directed by Avishai Sivan

Island City (India)
Directed by Ruchika Oberoi

Where there is Shade / De l’ombre il y a (France, Cambodia)
Directed by Nathan Nicholovitch

The Open Door / La Puerta Abierta (Spain)
Directed by Marina Seresesky

Sparrows (Island, Denmark)
Directed by Rúnar Rúnarsson