Rotterdam Festival Unveils 2021 Line Up

Rotterdam Film Festival — The International Film Festival Rotterdam Credit: IFFR

The International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) has unveiled the full program for its 50th celebratory edition, with Mona Fastvold’s same-sex period drama The World to Come, starring Katherine Waterston and Vanessa Kirby, set to open the event on June 2.

Poupelle of Chimney Town, an animated feature from Japanese director Hirota Yusuke, will close the 2021 IFFR on June 6.

Among the festival titles previously announced for Rotterdam 2021 are the world premiere of Dune Dreams, a Dubai-set feature from French filmmaker Samuel Doux, the international premiere of The Blue Danube by former Rotterdam Tiger Award winner Ikeda Akira, and the Portuguese documentary drama Amor fati from Rotterdam regular Cláudia Varejao, all of which will screen in Rotterdam’s main Harbour section.

The festival’s Bright Future sidebar for new directors includes six world premieres, among them Damascus Dreams by Montreal-based visual artist and filmmaker Émilie Serri, Leri Matehha’s German tragicomedy Thomas der Hochspringer, and All About My Sisters, a seven-years-in-the-making autobiographical project from Chinese documentary filmmaker and photographer Wang Qiong.

Rotterdam is planning to mix in-person and online screenings across the Netherlands for its 50th jubilee after an online-only event for the international industry in January.

The IFFR will also hold a series of director Q&As, including with Fastvold, Germany director Dominik Graf — whose latest, the 1930s-set Fabian—Going to the Dogs —will screen in Rotterdam’s Harbour sidebar — and Bosnian Oscar-nominee Jasmila Zbanic (Quo vadis, Aida?).

Other highlights include a retrospective of four iconic titles from IFFR history, including Jane Campion’s debut Sweetie, which screened at IFFR 1990, Jim Jarmusch’s Night on Earth from IFFR 1992, Nanni Moretti’s IFFR 1995 title Caro diario, and Japanese director Fukasaku Kinji’s Battle Royale from IFFR 2001.

“I am extremely proud to share all we have in store for the closing chapter of our 50th jubilee edition,” said Rotterdam festival director Vanja Kaludjercic. “From the rediscovery of arthouse classics to celebrate IFFR’s history to the latest futuristic genre-bending TV series, there will be a wide range to choose from. All this in a way that captures the energy and excitement that has long been at the heart of IFFR, while adhering to the latest governmental regulations. We are raring to go and look forward to celebrating our 50th anniversary with audiences at home and in cinemas in Rotterdam.”

The Netherlands remains in the midst of the coronavirus pandemic but, as COVID-19 infection rates slowly fall and vaccination rates increase, the country has begun to emerge from lockdown. This week saw the start of the second stage of the government’s reopening plan, which allows open-air theaters and amusement parks to operate again, and extends operating hours for outdoor areas at restaurants, bars, and cafés. The government’s plan would see cinemas begin to re-open June 1 but with restricted capacity limits of up to 30 people.