Successful first festival puts Curaçao on the film map

The well-attended, first ever Curaçao International Film Festival Rotterdam has put Willemstad well and truly on the map in terms of film watching and film making. During the four days of the festival, 7,000 visitors made their way to The Cinemas in Otrobanda, a regional top result. Festival instigator Fundashon Bon Intenshon and co-organiser the International Film Festival Rotterdam aim to hold the film festival again next year. The second Curaçao IFFR will then take place from 28 to 31 March 2013.

Initiator Gregory Elias of Fundashon Bon Intenshon referred to the first Curaçao IFFR as ‘a great success': "Visitors have warmly embraced the film festival. We had expected a good turn-out, but the enthusiasm of locals and tourists alike, and the great interest generated in the media, took us by surprise. We have broadened the scope of films on offer in Curaçao and by doing so created a new audience for art house cinema."

Elias had the following to say about the continuation of the festival and ambitions for the future: "The meetings between local filmmakers and the international film professionals attending the festival were extremely fruitful. The first steps have been taken towards allowing the Curaçao IFFR to become a meeting place for the development and support of local, Caribbean and Latin American film talent. This provides the energy to organise a fantastic festival again next  year."

During the Curaçao IFFR nearly two thousand students saw Brazilian movie Antonia by Tata Amaral. The story, about four hip-hop girls from the slums of São Paulo, was received with great enthusiasm.

Director Kevin Macdonald, principal guest of the film festival, personally introduced his film Marley, which deals with the life, work and lasting significance of the legendary reggae musician. Macdonald choose Curaçao as the venue for the American and Caribbean premiere of his documentary.

Festival website: http://www.curacaoiffr.com/