Rotterdam Film Festival

Broadband netcasting of feature films is no longer an idea of the future.
Tony Pemberton’s Beyond the Ocean, Andrew Shea’s The Corndog Man, Les Bernstien’s Night Train, Nicolas Klotz’s Paria, Jeremy Stein’s The Photographer, and Lucia Rikaki’s Dancing Soul.

News

Rotterdam Bestows VPRO Tiger Awards

During the closing ceremony on Saturday night in the Rotterdam Cruise Terminal the winning films of the 30th International Film Festival were announced. The winners in the VPRO Tiger Award Competition for first or second features are Bad Company (Mabudachi) by Furumaya Tomoyuki - Japan (also won the FIPRESCI prize), In Den Tag Hinein (The Days Between) by Maria Speth - Germany, and 25 Watts by Juan Pablo Rebella & Pablo Stoll - Uruguay.

Vitality and Diversity, Rotterdam Fest Closes

"Vitality" and "diversity" were the key words of the 30th International Film Festival Rotterdam, which celebrated its 30th anniversary with over 500 short and feature length films from over 60 countries. World cinema is alive and kicking might be the conclusion drawn at this growing film festival, that not only attracts the attention of a larger number of international film professionals, but also the Dutch audience - more than 345,000 admissions this year.

Last Buzz before Awards

Film From Uruguay Wins Youth Jury Prize

For the fourth year, the Rotterdam Film Festival in conjunction with Movie Zone, a promotion initiative that tries to build interest in international art films among teenagers and young adults, awarded the Movie Zone Prize to a film created by young people for a youth audience. The Youth Jury was made up of 6 young people from Holland who screened over 40 films that are being presented at the Festival that deal with children or young people. Their unanimous, if unexpected, choice was 25 Watts, a free-wheeling black-and-white film co-directed by Uruguyan debut directors Juan Pablo Rebella and Pablo Stollan.

Film Buzz: Dutch Film Tipped For Cannes??

Rumors circulating around Rotterdam are that the newest film of actor/director Jeroen Krabbe, The Discovery of Heaven, is a strong contender for the Competition Section at the Cannes Film Festival in May. Krabbe, who is a cult star in Holland and a familiar face in Hollywood (The Fugitive) has transformed his career by taking a definite turn to film direction. His first effort, Lost Luggage, in which he starred opposite Isabella Rosellini, was widely released around the world and the winner of several festival awards, including Audience Favorite at the Palm Springs Film Festival. His newest film is shot in English but still has a particularly dry and witty Dutch air about it. This time, Krabbe is pure director. He is not in the film.

Mid-fest Report Focuses on German Cinema

While the CineMart buyers and sellers spent a late night partying and getting reved up for some serious project discussions, the locals were still filling up theatres, every last seat. Such was the case for The Princess and the Warrior shown in the Main Programme, while the film's director, Tom Tykwer, was warmly received for a Q & A at 1 am by at least a third of the viewers remaining in the room. He may have only been in town for a day, but held a special feeling for the Dutch public, having screened all of his films at Rotterdam (two shorts - Because and Epilog, Die todliche Maria (1993), Winterschlafer (1997) and Run, Lola, Run in 1998).

Rotterdam Weekend Report: Gray Skies Make for Full Theatres

Screened in the Main Feature Program among 7 other Korean films, Memento Mori is the first feature of young directing duo Kim Tae-yong and Min Kyu-dong who graduated from the Korean Academy of Film Arts, the biggest national film school. The subject of the movie is a beautiful, tragic love story between two girls which ends in suicide and ghostly vengeance (the fantasy and horror elements were unwillingly added on the producer's request to capitalize on the success of the high school horror Whispering Corridors). Visually impressive without any gory excesses, Memento Mori has just won a Best Cinematography Award at Sundance 2001. Review and full interview will soon be available on the site.

Day Three: Welcome to Japan Day! (Friday, January 26)

Like Locarno, Rotterdam is heavily weighted with Asian features. Full of brooding yakuza, sword-wielding wizards, gun-toting lolitas and high voltage avengers, Friday the 26th was Japanese Day at the Rotterdam Film Festival, featuring 4 exciting films in the Main Programme: Another Battle by Junji Sakamoto, Battle Royale by Kinji Fukasaku, Ko-rei by Kiyoshi Kurosawa and Gojoe by Sogo Ishii.
One of the directors who did not eliminate women from his latest film is Kinji Fukasaku. This veteran of Japanese cinema has had a 60-title career covering all genres and is revered by filmmakers such as Quentin Tarantino and Oliver Stone.

Day Two: Guests Meet Filmmakers at The Late Show (Thursday, January 25)

When walking the streets in a Dutch city, one must be very careful to look in all directions at a crosswalk, not only for car traffic but also keep a watchful eye on cable cars and the bicycle lanes. It's a real art to not get run over. Once inside the Doelen Centre - the festival hub, one can navigate normally on the four floors by escalator. It is the ground floor that is the convivial center with restaurants and bars serving all day long, while at 10pm it becomes the stage of The Late Show, a spin-off of Johnny Carson's talk show including a jazz duo performing between guest appearances. Among them was Sandra den Hamer, co-director of the festival with Simon Field. She announced that business was good, she had just purchased the free festival paper, The Daily Tiger, from a homeless person.

Opening Night in the Port of Rotterdam (Wednesday Jan 24)

Brisk temperatures with the sun breaking through the clouds greeted festival-goers arriving in the biggest port in the world that is honored in the year 2001 as a European City of Culture. Rotterdam, whose urban waterfront borders the River Meuse, hosts the Rotterdam International Film Festival (RIFF) presently celebrating its 30th edition.The guest and press counters in the festival central hub - Doelen International Conference and Exhibition Centre - were very busy handling the crowds in anticipation of the opening films. Yes, films plural, the festival programmed 18 surprise films in 18 different theaters, a special treat that emphasizes the festivals intent to cater to the local folk and inspire them to discover the independent cinema that the festival is so reputed for promoting.

General Presentation

While Hollywood heads to Sundance, many indie film lovers and professionals head to the Netherlands -- more specifically, Rotterdam -- for the international film festival, considered one of the best launching pads for undiscovered talent. This year's 30th International Film Festival Rotterdam will feature twelve days of this largest cultural event of the Netherlands. Over 300,000 visitors will make their way in 18 venues through a programme consisting of over 300 feature films, shorts, videos, CD ROM's, expositions, theatre and other performances and festive dance parties.

more

Pre-fest news

Rotterdam to Open with Surprise Selection of Films (Jan 5, 2001)
None less than 18 theatres from which to choose your surprise film to view, that is how the 30th Rotterdam Festival edition running from January 24th through February 4th will mark its opening. According to Screen Daily, tickets will be free and a record 5,000 filmgoers are expected to partake. Another addition to this year's event is the lauching of CineMart online, a virtual meeting place for filmmakers and producers with project development in mind.

Rotterdam Rolls in Controversial Film (Dec 20, 2000)
The ultra-violent, ultra-popular, and ultra-controversial Japanese film Battle Royale will have its international premiere at the Film Festival Rotterdam in early 2001. The story follows two teenagers who are stranded on an island and forced to kill each other until only one survives. When it was released, Japanese politicians called for it to be banned from theaters. Nevertheless, the film grossed $5.5 million opening weekend.

The Goddess of 1967 Rotterdam Begins Lineup (Dec 8, 2000)
Although the final lineup won’t be announced until early next year, the International Film Festival Rotterdam has already confirmed some of the films to be screened at the fest. Among the titles on the program are: Clara Law’s The Goddess Of 1967, Ang Lee’s Crouching Tiger, Hidden Dragon and Sharunas Bartas' Freedom. In addition, ten filmmakers have been commissioned by the festival to produce a digital video diary. Rotterdam runs from January 24 through Feb 4 2001.