International Film Festival Rotterdam is known for its highbrow programming, but that’s not all it offers viewers, argues festival director Vanja Kaludjercic.
“The perception of IFFR as an event with edgy and unconventional cinema isn’t wrong. But it’s just one part of a much bigger truth,” she tells Variety ahead of 55th edition.
“You’re going to find the most avant-garde and the most popular films – two sides of everything. Tiger films [shown in the Tiger Competition] don’t immediately speak to many people, but then we show Kleber Mendonça Filho’s ‘The Secret Agent,’ which does.”
“The Secret Agent” has been making waves during awards season, emerging as an Oscar contender.
“We need to support a wide variety of films. We need to be there for all of them.”
She states there’s a “responsibility” that comes with being the biggest cinema-related event in the country.
“You want to engage with a different audience and be there for those who might be just starting their adventure with us, also because of their age. But even if you’re a six-month-old baby, we have Baby Film Club [a selection of shorts for children ages 0 to 3].”
Also this year, there’re many audience-friendly films and initiatives for children and students.
“Thanks to IFFR Education, we’re catering to thousands and thousands of kids. If you’re in the main square around 9 a.m., you’ll see buses of children entering different venues,” she laughs. “We really want to be accessible to as many people we can.”
Managing director Clare Stewart adds: “Our IFFR Education team just went to a pre-festival event at a hospital. It really goes that far. We’re working in a very collaborative way with different communities, from skaters to refugees.”
In an effort to mirror the realities of Rotterdam, “the most diverse city in the Netherlands,” Stewart says “it’s all about ‘placemaking.’ “We think about how this event fits into the fabric of the city.”
The launch of the Displacement Film Fund and this year’s introduction of CineMart’s market program Safe Harbour fits within that strategy, too. The latter will focus on projects in development from emerging filmmakers who have experienced displacement or forced migration.
“It’ll create more opportunities, but also hopefully raise awareness. We want to make everyone feel fully embedded in the ecosystem that we can offer,” notes Kaludjercic. Stewart agrees: “We have a role to play in supporting cinema from places without easy access or where the line to funding is not straightforward because of political conditions or lack of infrastructure.”
Apart from trying to grow with its audience and opening up to disadvantaged filmmakers, IFFR continues to rely on surprising encounters. Its Big Talks usually feature unexpected pairings. This year, that includes Mendonça Filho and Carla Simón, Marwan Hamed – also celebrating his retrospective – and Yousry Nasrallah or Valeria Golino and Palestinian actor and “Succession” alumnus Hiam Abbass.
The idea originated with the book “25 Encounters,” which celebrated the festival during the pandemic era through conversations with 50 people.
“We thought: What makes a film festival a film festival? It’s all these amazing figures. Engaging in a dialogue with someone you might not even know but who you find intriguing raises curiosity and opens up new perspectives,” Kaludjercic says.
“Carla Simón and Kleber Mendonça Filho actually have a lot in common: they’re both attached to the places they come from, and that fuels their storytelling. Or take Hiam Abbass, known for her incredible contribution to Arab cinema and her international career, and Valeria Golino. I first saw her in ‘Rain Man,’ not in an Italian film. She’s this big, mesmerizing figure. I already know they’re going to deliver something special.”
It’s all about discovery – also in its selection.
“It’s a programmers’ festival, too. They’re looking for gems, which becomes even more important as the independent film sector faces more challenges,” observes Stewart. But here is good news, too. Last year’s winner, ‘Fiume o Morte!’ by Igor Bezinović, broke decades-long records for documentary admissions in Croatia.
Another challenge that the IFFR continues to address is finding space for art.
“Exploding Cinema has gradually evolved into commissioned works by high-profile artists like Steve McQueen. Now, we’re celebrating 30 years of Art Directions, which speaks beautifully to the film program,” says Kaludjercic, also mentioning “very immersive film piece” “Krakatoa,” accompanied by an installation, as well as this year’s Reality Check conference dedicated to immersive works.
“There are no borders; they just seep into one another. The freedom of formats and forms we can offer to artists is something I really cherish.”
English (US) ·