The festival had also a short film competition for domestic films. Vanessa Redgrave was the special guest of the festival. All the feature films screened at the festival had their Romanian premiere and will not be distributed in domestic cinemas afterwards.

BIFF 2017 was organised by Fundația CHARTA with the support of the Bucharest City Hall through ARCUB, the Ministry of Culture and National Identity, the Romanian Cultural Institute, the Romanian Film Centre (CNC) and Dacin Sara.

The festival took place under the high patronage of Radu, Prince of Romania.

WINNERS:

Best Film (given by the Romanian Cultural Institute):
Closeness (Russia)
Directed by Kantemir Balagov

Best Director (given by the Romanian Cultural Institute):
Daouda Coulibaly for Zulu (France, Senegal)

Best Script (given by Dacin Sara):
Kantemir Balagov and Anton Yarush for Closeness (Russia)

Best Romanian Short Film:
Chers amis
Directed by Valeriu Andriuță

Critics’ Award:
Gabriel and the Mountain (Brazil, France)
Directed by Fellipe Barbosa

Honorary Award for Short Film (given by the Hyperion University):
Actress and film director Kristina Cepraga for Tamara Echelon