International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR)

ANATOMY OF A PAPER CLIP (Yamamori clip koujo no atari) by Ikeda Akira

The winners of International Film Festival Rotterdam’s 19th Hivos Tiger Awards Competition, as well as of the second Big Screen Award Competition and of the NETPAC, FIPRESCI, KNF, and Moviezone awards were announced at the award ceremony on Friday night.  The winners of the three Hivos Tiger Awards 2014 are ANATOMY OF A PAPER CLIP (Yamamori clip koujo no atari) by Ikeda Akira, SOMETHING MUST BREAK (Nånting måste gå sönder) by Ester Martin Bergsmark, and HAN GONG-JU by Lee Su-Jin.

Hivos Tiger Awards

The winners of the three equal Hivos Tiger Awards 2014 are:

ANATOMY OF A PAPER CLIP (Yamamori clip koujo no atari) by Ikeda Akira (Japan, 2013)

”Challenging narrative form with precision and economy, this film elevates observations of the absurd in human behavior, and brings it into the poetic domain.”

Ikeda Akira (1976, Japan) began to make his own short films while studying English literature at Bunkyo University. After being involved in various fields such as theatre, music and dance, he directed his first feature-length film The Blue Monkey in 2006. Anatomy of a Paper Clip is his second feature.

SOMETHING MUST BREAK (Nånting måste gå sönder) by Ester Martin Bergsmark (Sweden, 2014)

Something Must Break (Nånting måste gå sönder) by Ester Martin Bergsmark

”A free-floating personal voyage traces the pains and pleasures of intimacy, recounted in a tender depiction of characters, with a sincere and playful use of cinematographic language.”

Ester Martin Bergsmark (1982, Sweden) trained at the Swedish University College of Arts, Crafts and Design. Together with Mark Hammarberg he made the award-winning documentary Maggie in Wonderland (2008). In 2010, he made Fruitcake as part of the experimental feminist porn suite Dirty Diaries. She Male Snails (2012) won several awards at the Gothenburg International Film Festival.Fifteen first or second films by talented filmmakers from around the globe competed in the 2014 Hivos Tiger Awards Competition

. HAN GONG-JU by Lee Su-Jin (South Korea, 2013)

HAN GONG-JU by Lee Su-Jin

”A skilfully crafted and highly accomplished debut – deviating from classicist structure, this film lures the spectator to participate in the pleasures of storytelling through an extraordinary and intricate narrative puzzle.”

Lee Su-Jin (South-Korea) is a screenwriter and director. He made several award-winning short films in his homeland. His roll of honour continues with his debut feature Han Gong-Ju, which won two awards at Busan, plus the top prize at the film festival of Marrakech. 

Hivos director Edwin Huizing: ”Hivos aims to give young filmmakers a voice. To inspire us; to push boundaries. Their work has the potential to break open societies, so thoughts and creativity can flow more freely. The Hivos Tiger Awards give them the recognition they deserve.”

THE BIG SCREEN AWARD

IFFR introduced a new competition in 2013: The Big Screen Award Competition, aimed at supporting the distribution of films in Dutch cinemas. Ten very recent films with no Benelux distributor confirmed were nominated for this prize.

The winner of The Big Screen Award 2014 is:

ANOTHER YEAR (Yeshche odin god) by Oxana Bychkova (Russia, 2014)

ANOTHER YEAR (Yeshche odin god) by Oxana Bychkova

”At a time when Dutch media abound with negative news about Russia, Another Year takes us straight into the daily lives of the young people who will shape its future and makes us open up our hearts to them. More than just a simple love story, it shows us how globalization meets tradition in present-day Russia, how they clash, and how they might be reconciled. Pitch perfect, beautifully acted and choreographed, modest, subtle and utterly convincing.”

Oxana Bychkova (1972, Ukraine) is a screenwriter and director. She studied journalism in Rostov-on-Don, Russia, graduating in 1995. After a career as a radio journalist, Bychkova began studying directing in 2000, focusing on filmmaking. Another Year is her first feature film.

NETPAC Award

The NETPAC Jury (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) awards the best Asian film in the IFFR 2014 Official Selection.

The winner of the NETPAC Award 2014 is:

28 by Prasanna Jayakody (Sri Lanka, 2014)

28 by Prasanna Jayakody

”A well-measured and crafted film that emotionally engages the audience through poetic storytelling of a critical subject.”

Prasanna Jayakody (1968, Sri Lanka) was born into an artistic family strongly rooted in traditional Sinhala values, and grew up in a Buddhist environment. This became a major inspiration for his productions. He made his debut at the age of 21 with the stage drama Shadows and Men, which was a critical success. He then started directing television dramas that were loved by the masses and won him numerous television awards. His earlier films Sankara (2006) and Karma (2010) have also screened at IFFR.

The winner of the Rotterdam FIPRESCI Award 2014 is:

THE SONGS OF RICE (Pleng khong kao) by Uruphong Raksasad (Thailand, 2014)

”Fully relying on its strong cinematography, it creates an immersive sensory experience that makes us part of a vivid community revolving around the cultivation of a tiny grain.”

Uruphong Raksasad (1977, Thailand) studied film and photography at Thammasat University. After graduating in 2004, he worked as an editor and post-production supervisor on several Thai feature films. Since 2004, he has focused on his own career, returning to the region where he was born and shooting his feature debut Stories from the North (2006). The Songs of Rice is his third feature.

KNF Award
For the KNF Award, The Dutch Circle of Film Critics (KNF) Jury chose the winner out of the ten films in The Big Screen Award Competition 2014. 

The winner of the KNF Award 2014 is:

TO KILL A MAN (Matar a un hombre) by Alejandro Fernández Almendras (Chile/France, 2013)

To Kill a Man (Matar a un hombre) by Alejandro Fernández Almendras

”A compelling film with great visual style, impressive acting, and exactly the right length. The story is both simple and challenging. We follow the humiliation of the protagonist step by step and are confronted with our own fears in the process. This unremitting psychological thriller deserves to be seen on the big screen.”

Alejandro Fernández Almendras (1971, Chile) has a degree in journalism and worked as a film critic, photographer an

MovieZone Award

The winner of the MovieZone Award 2014 is:

Jacky au royaume des filles (JACKY IN THE KINGDOM OF WOMEN) by Riad Sattouf (France, 2014)

Jacky au royaume des filles (JACKY IN THE KINGDOM OF WOMEN) by Riad Sattouf

”It was like a classical fairytale but with a completely different point of view. The makers of the film created a whole new world with the art direction and costume design and the film had a theme that everyone can relate to. The film was really funny but also had a great message.”

Riad Sattouf (1978, France) is a French writer, comic book artist and director with Syrian roots. He has successfully published various graphic novels and has a weekly comic in the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo. In 2009, he made his directing debut with the award-winning film Les beaux gosses. Jacky au royaume des filles is his second film.

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The three International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) Canon Tiger Awards for Short Films 2014 were awarded to Sebastian Buerkner’s THE CHIMERA OF M. (United Kingdom), Salla Tykkä’s GIANT (Finland/Romania) and LA ISLA by Dominga Sotomayor and Katarzyna Klimkiewicz (Chile/Poland/Denmark). THE CHIMERA OF M. was also nominated to compete in the short film category of the annual European Film Awards (EFA).

The jury statements

LA ISLA by Dominga Sotomayor and Katarzyna Klimkiewicz, Chile/Poland/Denmark, 2013

”An astonishingly strong, atmospheric film where temporality and space are captured in such a delicate and sensual way that the tension of drama haunts you deeply.”

GIANT by Salla Tykkä, Finland/Romania, 2014

”A very focused and pure portrait of a place and a political history in one. The brilliant editing and sound design push the seemingly distant observations to a thrilling friction between dehumanization and man’s quest for beauty and grace.”

THE CHIMERA OF M. by Sebastian Buerkner, United Kingdom, 2013

”Its visual language was astonishing and magical in its treatment of the third-person technique, and the combination with the heartfelt dialogue gave this film its hypnotic, poetic feel.”

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WE ARE THE BEST!

The 2014 International Film Festival Rotterdam will close on Saturday February 1st with the Dutch premiere of WE ARE THE BEST!, the latest film by Swedish director Lukas Moodysson (FUCKING ÅMÅL, MAMMOTH).  Based on his wife’s graphic novel, Moodysson (1969, Malmö) made what is described as a wonderfully anarchistic yet authentic portrait of three teenage girls wanting to start a punk band in Stockholm.

Bobo, Klara en Hedvig decide to form a punk band in the early eighties to air their grievances against society, with meaningful songtitles like Brezhnev and Reagan, Fuck Off!. Moodysson portrays the turbulent punk era with lots of humor and energy. People of all ages can identify with these girls, who insist on not being a girl band, connected by their insecurities, embarrassing parents, unrequited love and feeling left out.

Director and writer Lukas Moodysson made his writing debut at at the age of seventeen with an anthology of poetry. In 1999 he made his very successful first feature film Fucking Åmål, which screened at IFFR. Rotterdam also showed Together (2000), Lilya 4-Ever (2002), A Hole in my Heart (2004) and Container(2006).

http://youtu.be/TfPytPjV1xc

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JACKY IN WOMEN’S KINGDOM – Riad Sattouf

The 43rd International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) which runs 22 January to 2 February 2014, unveiled the ten nominees in The Big Screen Award Competition. In The Big Screen Award Competition, ten fresh discoveries from the festival’s main sections Spectrum and Bright Future compete for two prizes.

ANOTHER YEAR – Oxana Bychkova
He’s an unemployed guy who earns some money by giving lifts to strangers. She’s a graphic designer who just got her first job. The film tracks their relationship – and the way it gradually melts away – throughout a year. A subtle, moving portrait of an immature love that breaks down easily.

THE DISTANCE – Sergio Caballero 
A performance artist is being held in a deserted Siberian power station following the unexpected death of his oligarch patron. Dryly comic surrealism (with an attractive soundtrack and three telepathic dwarves) from Tiger Award winner Caballero.

IT’S US – Nick Reding
Convincing proof that an educational, political film made in Africa (Kenya) can also be good fun. Even comical. A nonchalant mix of film and theatre, inspired by the election riots of 2007: on mistrust in a fragile community. 

JACKY IN WOMEN’S KINGDOM – Riad Sattouf
In the Kingdom of the ‘Bubunnes’, women are in power while men wear veils and do domestic tasks. Jacky, a lovely young man who dreams of marrying the colonel (Charlotte Gainsbourg) has to struggle like a Cinderella to realize his dreams. Delightful satire on gender, power and veggies.

THE MILITANT – Manolo Nieto 
Endearing second film from Uruguayan Tiger Award winner Nieto. During a strike at the university, Ariel (uniquely played by Felipe Dieste) hears that his father has died. He is forced to return to the provinces to put financial affairs at his father’s ranch in order. 

OBVIOUS CHILD – Gillian Robespierre
Stand-up comedian Donna is dumped by her cheating boyfriend, loses her job, gets blind drunk and becomes pregnant from a one-night stand. She considers an abortion, and then gets to know the father. Romance, quirky humour and irresistible characters.

R100 – Matsumoto Hitoshi 
Games can be dangerous. Director Matsumoto (Dainipponjin/Symbol) has certainly proven he can go further with Japanese absurdism, but can he stay unflappable when the game gets out of control? Find out that SM involves more than latex and whips. 

REIMON – Rodrigo Moreno
Her days consist of commuting and cleaning all over Buenos Aires. While Reimon vacuums, her wealthy clients read to each other, fascinated, from Marx’s Capital. The latest film from the maker of The Minder is sober and socially committed. 

SEE NO EVIL – Jos de Putter
Poetic, painful documentary about three retired apes: a film star, a scientist and a cripple. They look back at their lives and the intriguing relationship between humans and apes. Who watches whom, and who learns from this?

TO KILL A MAN – Alejandro Fernández Almendras 
In their poor neighbourhood, hardworking, well-intentioned Jorge and his family are terrorised by local criminal Kalule’s clan. Exciting, disturbing film confronts viewers with universal questions of vigilantism and the value of a life. 

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The European premiere of QISSA by Indian director Anup Singh will officially open the 43rd International Film Festival Rotterdam on Wednesday 22 January, 2014. Set in post-colonial India, QISSA tells the story of Umber Singh, a Sikh, who is forced to flee his village due to ethnic cleansing at the time of partition in 1947. Umber decides to fight fate and builds a new home for his family. When Umber marries his youngest child Kanwar to Neeli, a girl of lower caste, the family is faced with the truth of their identities; where individual ambitions and destinies collide in a struggle with eternity. 

 

http://youtu.be/iSkDtN2AE7c

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HER, the new film by Spike Jonze will open the 43rd International Film Festival Rotterdam taking place January 22 to February 2, 2014.  Set in Los Angeles in the slight future, HER follows Theodore (Joaquin Phoenix), a complex, soulful man who makes his living writing touching, personal letters for other people. Heartbroken after the end of a long relationship, he becomes intrigued with a new, advanced operating system, which promises to be an intuitive and unique entity in its own right. Upon initiating it, he is delighted to meet ‘Samantha’, a bright, female voice (Scarlett Johansson) who is insightful, sensitive and surprisingly funny. As her needs and desires grow, in tandem with his own, their friendship deepens into an eventual love for each other.

http://youtu.be/ne6p6MfLBxc 

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[caption id="attachment_3170" align="alignnone" width="550"]MATTERHORN[/caption]

MATTERHORN by Diederik Ebbinge took the UPC Audience Award and Haifaa Al Mansour’s WADJDA was awarded with the Dioraphte Award for best Hubert Bals Fund-supported film at the 2013 International Film Festival Rotterdam. Both awards come with 10,000 Euro prize money.

MATTERHORN tells the tragicomical story of widower Fred (Ton Kas) who leads a lonely life after his wife passed away. His life takes an unexpected turn when a stranger (René van ’t Hof) calls at his doorstep.  MATTERHORN is the feature film debut of director Dutch director, Diederik Ebbinge.

The film WADJDA is the story of Wadjda who is 10 years old, lives in Saudi Arabia and wants a green bicycle. Her conservative surroundings think that a girl should not be on a bicycle, but she perseveres. Wadjda stands for many girls and women from Saudi Arabia. The drama offers a glimpse of a society that is otherwise closed, with universal and familiar themes such as hope, courage and perseverance. WADJDA is directed by “taboo-breaking” Haifaa Al Mansour, regarded as the first female filmmaker from Saudi Arabia. 

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My Dog Killer (Môj pes Killer) by Mira Fornay, Soldier Jane (Soldate Jeannette) by Daniel Hoesl, and Fat Shaker (Larzanandeye charbi) by Mohammad Shirvani were announced as the three-way winners of the Hivos Tiger Awards at the 2013 International Film Festival Rotterdam, in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. The directors win a prize of €15.000.

My Dog Killer (Môj pes Killer) by Mira Fornay (Slovakia/Czech Republic, 2013). An unflinching study of a troubled teen in small-town Slovakia, the film was praised by its jury for ‘showing a very strong subject from the inside’

Soldier Jane (Soldate Jeannette) by Daniel Hoesl (Austria, 2012). A provocative portrait of two women from different ends of the social spectrum, Hoesl’s debut feature was commended for it ‘strong imagery and visual power.’

Fat Shaker (Larzanandeye charbi) by Mohammad Shirvani (Iran, 2013). Shirvani’s drama about a stern patriarch was, the jury stated, ‘a fascinating story with superb characters.’

What They Don’t Talk About When They Talk About Love (Indonesia, 2013) is the winner of NETPAC (Network for the Promotion of Asian Cinema) Award 2013.

The other winners of 2013 International Film Festival Rotterdam.

The winner of the Rotterdam FIPRESCI (Fédération Internationale de la Presse Cinématographique) Award 2013 is The Fifth Gospel of Kaspar Hauser by Alberto Gracia (Spain, 2013).

Pretty Butterflies (Bellas mariposas) by Salvatore Mereu (Italy, 2012) is the winner of the festival’s new Big Screen Award Competition. The film follows a day in the life of a young Sardinian girl. 

The Dutch Circle of Film Critics (KNF) Jury award – chosen from the ten films in The Big Screen Award Competition – went to The Future (Il futuro) by Alicia Scherson (Chile/Germany/Italy/Spain, 2013).

Canon Tiger Awards for Short Films:
THE TIGER’S MIND by Beatrice Gibson, UK, 2012
UNSUPPORTED TRANSIT by Zachary Formwalt, Netherlands, 2011
JANUS by Erik van Lieshout, Netherlands, 2012

Rotterdam Short Film Nominee European Film Awards 2013:
THOUGH I KNOW THE RIVER IS DRY by Omar Robert Hamilton, Egypt/Palestine/UK, 2013

Moviezone Award of the young people’s jury:
LES CHEVAUX DE DIEU (GOD’S HORSES) by Nabil Ayouch (Morocco/France/Belgium, 2012)

Lions Film Award of the Rotterdam Lions Club L’Esprit du Temps:
PENUMBRA by Eduardo Villanueva (Mexico), Hubert Bals Fund-supported film

Eurimages Award, best European CineMart Project 2013:
JÄTTEN (THE GIANT) by Johannes Nyholm (Sweden)

ARTE International Prize for best CineMart Project 2013:
THE LOBSTER by Yorgos Lanthimos (Ireland/UK/Greece)

WorldView New Genres Fund Development Award, best CineMart Project 2013:
ZAMA by Lucrecia Martel (Argentina/Spain)

The 42nd International Film Festival Rotterdam runs January 23 thru February 3, 2013.

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The international premiere of Stoker, the English debut of South Korean filmmaker Park Chan-Wook (Oldboy, Thirst, Sympathy for Mr. Vengeance), will close the 2013 International Film Festival Rotterdam on Saturday February 2. 

Park has won many awards, including the Alfred Bauer Award of the Berlin film festival (for I’m a Cyborg) and the jury prize of the Cannes film festival (for Oldboy and Thirst).

The closing film is a psychological drama/thriller starring Mia Wasikowska (Alice in Wonderland, Jane Eyre), Matthew Goode (A Single Man, Watchmen) and Nicole Kidman (The Hours, The Others). Stoker is the script writing debut of actor Wentworth Miller (Prison Break).

Stoker is about the girl India (Wasikowska), whose father dies in an auto accident. Her Uncle Charlie (Goode), who she never knew existed, comes to live with her and her emotionally unstable mother Evelyn (Kidman). Soon after his arrival, she comes to suspect this mysterious, charming man has ulterior motives, but instead of feeling outrage or horror, this friendless girl becomes increasingly infatuated with him.

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[caption id="attachment_3083" align="alignnone" width="550"]It Felt Like Love[/caption]

The International Film Festival Rotterdam announced the sixteen nominees and the jury of the Hivos Tiger Awards Competition. The three winners of the Hivos Tiger Awards will be chosen by a jury of five, among them artist Ai Weiwei.

The winning films will be selected by Iranian actress Fatemeh Motamedarya – who has been banned from acting in film, theatre and television for the past two years, by Russian screenwriter and filmmaker Sergei Loznitsa (The Revue, My Joy), Dutch director Kees Hin (Shadowland) and artistic director of the Seville European Film Festival José Luis Cienfuegos. Chinese visual artist and filmmaker Ai Weiwei (Fairytale, One Recluse) will not be able to attend the festival and will join the jury from his home in Beijing. 

The nominees 

 

36, Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit, Thailand, European premiere
Silent Ones, Ricky Rijneke, Netherlands/Hungary, World premiere
Chunmeng (Longing for the Rain), Yang Lina, Hong Kong, World premiere
Dummy Jim, Matt Hulse, United Kingdom, World premiere
Eles voltam (They’ll Come Back), Marcelo Lordello, Brazil, International premiere
Gozetleme Kulesi (Watchtower), Pelin Esmer, Turkey, European premiere
Halley, Sebastián Hofmann, Mexico, European premiere
It Felt Like Love, Eliza Hittman, USA, International premiere
Larzanandeye charbi (Fat Shaker), Mohammad Shirvani, Iran, European premiere
Môj pes Killer (My Dog Killer), Mira Fornay, Slovakia/Czech Republic, World premiere
Noche (Night), Leonardo Brzezicki, Argentina, World premiere
Penumbra, Eduardo Villanueva Jiménez, Mexico, World premiere
Sao karaoke (Karaoke Girl), Visra Vichit Vadakan, Thailand, World premiere
Soldate Jeannette (Soldier Jane), Daniel Hoesl, Austria, European premiere
Su Re (The King), Giovanni Columbu, Italy, International premiere
De wederopstanding van een klootzak (The Resurrection of a Bastard), Guido van Driel, Netherlands, World premiere

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[caption id="attachment_3077" align="alignnone" width="550"]Grenzgänger, Florian Flicker[/caption]

The first selections for the 2013 International Film Festival Rotterdam‘s main sections Bright Future and Spectrum were released and among the many world and international premieres are new works by famous directors Bernardo Bertolucci, Ulrich Seidl, Olivier Assayas, Nakata Hideo and by numerous young talents. 

The festival will screen the world premiere of The Complex by Nakata Hideo, director of horror movies (The Ring). Also from Japan comes Japan’s Tragedy by Kobayashi Masahiro, a family drama dedicated to the victims of the 2011 tsunami. Indonesian director Garin Nugroho presents Soegija, a large-scale historical drama that focuses on the life of the first native Indonesian bishop Soegijapranata. Also from Indonesia, Kusuma Widjaja Putu presents his first feature film On Mother’s Head, picturing daily life on the island of Bali. 

Bright Future
In Bright Future, the section consists of first or second feature films only. The complete lineup of Bright Future is to be announced 9 January. The first selections are: 

World premieres

DEAD BODY WELCOME, Kees Brienen, Netherlands
Fahrtwind – Aufzeichnungen einer Reisenden, Bernadette Weigel, Austria
Foudre, Manuela Morgaine, France
Frankenstein’s Army, Richard Raaphorst, Netherlands/Czech Republic/USA
Matterhorn, Diederik Ebbinge, Netherlands
Of Good Report, Jahmil XT Qubeka, South Africa
On Mother’s Head, Kusuma Widjaja Putu, Indonesia, Hubert Bals Fund-supported film
Toegetakeld door de liefde, Ari Deelder, Netherlands
Towheads, Shannon Plumb, USA

International premieres

A floresta de Jonathas, Sérgio Andrade, Brazil
Big Boy, Shireen Seno, Philippines
GFP Bunny, Tsuchiya Yutaka, Japan
Ma belle gosse, Shalimar Preuss, France
Sunshine Boys, Kim Tae-Gon, South Korea
Une histoire d’amour, Hélène Fillières, France

European premieres

De ontmaagding van Eva van End, Michiel ten Horn, Netherlands
Die Welt, Alex Pitstra, Netherlands
Four Ways to Die in My Hometown, Chai Chunya, China
Poor Folk, Midi Z, Taiwan, Myanmar, Hubert Bals Fund-supported film
Ziba, Bani Khoshnoudi, Iran, France

Also selected in Bright Future:

90 Minutes, Eva Sørhaug, Norway
Avanti Popolo, Michael Wahrmann, Brazil
Bassa marea, Roberto Minervini, USA, Italy, Belgium
Blancanieves, Pablo Berger, Spain/France
Carne de perro, Fernando Guzzoni, Chile/France/Germany
Errors of the Human Body, Eron Sheean, Germany, Australia
Kern, Veronika Franz, Severin Fiala, Austria
La playa D.C., Juan Andrés Arango, Colombia, Hubert Bals Fund-supported film
Leones, Jazmín López, Argentina/France/Netherlands, Hubert Bals Fund-supported film
L’étoile du jour, Sophie Blondy, France
Los salvajes, Alejandro Fadel, Argentina, Hubert Bals Fund-supported film
Mai Morire, Enrique Rivero Huerta, Mexico, Hubert Bals Fund-supported film
Memories Look at Me, Song Fang, China, Hubert Bals Fund-supported film
Miss Lovely, Ashim Ahluwalia, India
Nairobi Half Life, David ‘Tosh’ Gitonga, Kenya/Germany
Oh Boy, Jan Ole Gerster, Germany
Peculiar Vacation and Other Illnesses, Yosep Anggi Noen, Indonesia, Hubert Bals Fund-supported film
Rengaine, Rachid Djaïdani, France
Roland Hassel, Måns Månsson, Sweden
Ship of Theseus, Anand Gandhi, India
Simon Killer, Antonio Campos, USA
Sleepless Night, Jang Kun-Jae, South Korea
Tall as the Baobab Tree, Jeremy Teicher, Senegal
The Boy Is Eating the Bird’s Food, Ektoras Lygizos, Greece
The Patience Stone, Atiq Rahimi, France
The Radiant, The Otolith Group, United Kingdom
Vergiss mein nicht, David Sieveking, Germany
Wadjda, Haifaa Al Mansour, Saudi Arabia, Germany, Hubert Bals Fund-supported film
Wasteland, Rowan Athale, United Kingdom

Spectrum
Spectrum shows new and recent feature-length work by experienced film makers and artists who provide, in the opinion of IFFR, an essential contribution to international film culture.

World premieres

Hill of Pleasures, Maria Ramos, Netherlands/Brazil
La tendresse, Marion Hänsel, Belgium/France/Germany
Lee Towers: The Voice of Rotterdam, Hans Heijnen, Netherlands
One Day When the Rain Falls, Ifa Isfansyah, Indonesia, Hubert Bals Fund-supported film
Rio Belongs to Us, Ricardo Pretti, Brazil, Hubert Bals Fund-supported film
The Complex, Nakata Hideo, Japan
Harmonica’s Howl, Bruno Safadi, Brazil, Hubert Bals Fund-supported film
Touch, Shelly Silver, USA
How to Describe a Cloud, David Verbeek, Netherlands

International premieres

Avant que mon coeur bascule, Sébastien Rose, Canada
Éden, Bruno Safadi, Brazil
La souris est sous la table, Cristi Puiu, Romania/France
Le chat est sur la chaise, Cristi Puiu, Romania/France
Le singe est sur la branche, Cristi Puiu, Romania/France
The Russian Novel, Shin Yeon-Shick, South Korea

European premieres

Atambua 39° Celsius, Riri Riza, Indonesia, Hubert Bals Fund-supported film
First Comes Love, Nina Davenport, USA
Il futuro, Alicia Scherson, Chile/Germany/Italy/Spain
Japan’s Tragedy, Kobayashi Masahiro, Japan
Lasting, Jacek Borcuch, Poland/Spain
Odayaka, Uchida Nobuteru, Japan/USA
Soegija, Garin Nugroho, Indonesia

Also selected in Spectrum:

11.25 The Day Mishima Chose His Own Fate, Wakamatsu Koji, Japan
Alone, Wang Bing, France/Hong Kong
Après mai, Olivier Assayas, France
Centro Histórico, Aki Kaurismäki, Pedro Costa, Victor Erice, Manoel de Oliveira, Portugal
Cherchez Hortense, Pascal Bonitzer, France
Comrade Kim Goes Flying, Anja Daelemans, Nicholas Bonner, Kim Gwang Hun, Belgium/North Korea/United Kingdom
El muerto y ser feliz, Javier Rebollo, Spain/Argentina/France
For Love’s Sake, Miike Takashi, Japan
Gegenwart, Thomas Heise, Germany
Ginger and Rosa, Sally Potter, United Kingdom
Grenzgänger, Florian Flicker, Austria
Inori, Pedro González-Rubio, Japan
Jiseul, O Muel, South Korea
Kalayaan, Adolfo B. Alix Jr., Philippines, Hubert Bals Fund-supported film
Kid, Fien Troch, Belgium
La fille de nulle part, Jean-Claude Brisseau, France
La noche de enfrente, Raúl Ruiz, France/Chile
L’enclos du temps, Jean-Charles Fitoussi, France
Les chevaux de Dieu, Nabil Ayouch, Morocco/France/Belgium
Lesson of the Evil, Miike Takashi, Japan
Lore, Cate Shortland, Australia/Germany/United Kingdom
Me and You, Bernardo Bertolucci, Italy
Me Too, Alexey Balabanov, Russia
No, Pablo Larraín, Chile/France/USA
Paradies: Glaube, Ulrich Seidl, Austria/France/Germany
Pearblossom Hwy, Mike Ott, USA/Greece
Post tenebras lux, Carlos Reygadas, Mexico
Reality, Matteo Garrone, Italy
Sightseers, Ben Wheatley, United Kingdom
Spring Breakers, Harmony Korine, USA
The Master, Paul Thomas Anderson, USA
Vulgaria, Pang Ho-cheung, Hong Kong
When Night Falls, Ying Liang, South Korea/China
White Epilepsy, Philippe Grandrieux, France

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The world premiere of De wederopstanding van een klootzak (The Resurrection of a Bastard) by Guido van Driel will open the 42nd International Film Festival Rotterdam on Wednesday 23 January. The film stars Yorick van Wageningen (The Girl with the Dragon Tattoo), Juda Goslinga and Goua Robert Grovogui. Recently deceased Dutch actor Jeroen Willems plays in one of the smaller roles. 

The Resurrection of a Bastard, Van Driel’s fiction feature début, is also selected for the festival’s Hivos Tiger Awards Competition.

The Resurrection of a Bastard
An old Frisian farmer bent on revenge. A criminal from Amsterdam barely surviving a liquidation. An illegal immigrant with uncertain prospects. Eventually, they meet under an ancient oak tree. Beyond the last town.

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