49th International Film Festival Rotterdam

The 49th International Film Festival Rotterdam, the 2020 installment of the International Film Festival Rotterdam, took place on 22 January–2 February 2020.[1]

49thInternational Film Festival Rotterdam
Opening filmMosquito by João Nuno Pinto
Closing filmA Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood by Marielle Heller
LocationRotterdam, Netherlands
Founded1972
AwardsThe Cloud In Her Room (Tiger Award)
Festival date22 January–2 February 2020
Websiteiffr.com
IFFR chronology

The Cloud In Her Room by Zheng Lu Xinyuan won the Tiger Award, the top prize.[2]

Juries

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Ammodo Tiger Short

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  • Nathanja van Dijk, filmmaker
  • Safia Benhaim, filmmaker
  • Greg de Cuir Jr., film curator and writer

Bright Future

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  • Beatriz Navas, director of ICAA Spain
  • Zsuzsanna Király, head of development at Komplizen Film
  • Michel Lipkes, Mexican filmmaker and director of Festival Internacional de Cine Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México

Official selection

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Bright Future

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The section highlighted work of young and emerging filmmakers, consisted of the Tiger competition, Ammodo Tiger Short competition, Bright Future competition, main, mid-length and short programmes.[3]

Tiger

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The following films were selected to compete for the Tiger Award. The line-up was announced on 18 December 2019.[4]

Title Director(s) Production countrie(s)
El año del descubrimiento Luis López Carrasco Spain, Switzerland
Beasts Clawing at Straws Kim Yong-hoon South Korea
The Cloud In Her Room Zheng Lu Xinyuan Hong Kong
Desterro Maria Clara Escobar Brazil, Portugal, Argentina
Drama Girl Vincent Boy Kars Netherlands
La fortaleza Jorge Thielen Armand Venezuela, France, Netherlands, Colombia
Kala azar Janis Rafailidou Netherlands, Greece
Nasir Arun Karthick India, Netherlands
Piedra sola Alejandro Telemaco Tarraf Argentina, Mexico, Qatar, United Kingdom
Si yo fuera el invierno mismo Jazmín López Argentina

Ammodo Tiger Short

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The following films were selected to compete for the Ammodo Tiger Short Competition. The line-up was announced on 4 December 2019.[5]

Title Director(s) Production countrie(s)
3 Logical Exits Mahdi Fleifel Denmark, United Kingdom, Lebanon
Aggregate States of Matters Rosa Barba Peru, Germany
Apiyemiyekî? Ana Vaz France, Netherlands
Apparition Ismaïl Bahri France
Aquí y allá Melisa Liebenthal France, Argentina
Becoming Alluvium Thao Nguyen Phan Vietnam, Spain
Beer Erik van Lieshout Netherlands
A Bright Summer Diary Lei Lei United States
A chuva acalanta a dor Leonardo Mouramateus Portugal, Brazil
Communicating Vessels Maïder Fortuné, Annie MacDonell Canada
The Eyes of Summer Rajee Samarasinghe Sri Lanka, United States
Look Then Below Ben Rivers United Kingdom
The Lost Procession Bani Abidi United Arab Emirates, Germany, Pakistan
the names have changed, including my own and truths have been altered Onyeka Igwe United Kingdom
Progressive Touch Michael Portnoy Austria, Netherlands, United States
Sayōnara William Andreas Wivel Denmark
Sun Dog Dorian Jespers Belgium
Tendre Isabel Pagliai France
They Parlaient Idéale Laure Prouvost France, Belgium, Italy
Tyrant Star Diane Severin Nguyen Vietnam, United States
Wong Ping's Fables 2 Wong Ping Hong Kong

Bright Future

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The programme highlighted first feature films by aspiring filmmakers.[6]

In competition

The following films were selected to compete for the Bright Future Award. The line-up was announced on 18 December 2019.[7]

Title Director(s) Production countrie(s)
Babai Artem Aisagaliev Russia, United States
Chaco Diego Mondaca Bolivia, Argentina
Los fantasmas Sebastián Lojo Guatemala, Argentina
Fellwechselzeit Sabrina Mertens Germany
For the Time Being Salka Tiziana Germany, Spain, Switzerland
I Blame Society Gillian Wallace Horvat United States
Moving On Yoon Dan-bin South Korea
My Mexican Bretzel Nuria Giménez Lorang Spain
Ofrenda Juan María Mónaco Cagni Argentina
Panquiaco Ana Elena Tejera Panama
A Rifle and a Bag Cristina Hanes, Isabella Rinaldi, Arya Rothe India
Sebastian springt über Geländer Ceylan-Alejandro Ataman-Checa Germany
The Trouble with Nature Illum Jacobi Denmark, France
Truth or Consequences Hannah Jayanti United States
Wisdow Teeth Liang Ming China
Main programme

The programme highlighted cutting-edge work of contemporary filmmakers and a selection of emerging talent.[8]

Title Director(s) Production countrie(s)
AIDOL Lawrence Lek United Kingdom
Air Condition Fradique Angola
Cenote Oda Kaori Japan
Damp Season Gao Ming China
Death Inhabits at Night Eduardo Morotó Brazil
La dosis Martín Kraut Argentina
Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains Gu Xiaogang China
En medio del laberinto Salomón Pérez Peru
The Fever Maya Da-Rin Brazil
L'île aux oiseaux Maya Kosa, Sérgio da Costa Switzerland
The Invitation Saurav Rai India
Longa noite Eloy Enciso Spain
A Love Unknown John Clang Singapore
Lusala Mugambi Nthiga Kenya
The Magic Mountain Eitan Efrat, Daniel Mann Belgium
Make Up Claire Oakley United Kingdom
Merry Christmas, Yiwu Mladen Kovacevic Sweden
Le miracle du Saint Inconnu Alaa Eddine Aljem Morocco
My Morning Laughter Marko Đorđević Serbia
Nafi's Father Mamadou Dia Senegal
Non c'è nessuna Dark Side (atto uno 2007-2019) Erik Negro Italy
The Painter and the Thief Benjamin Ree Norway
Phases of Matter Deniz Tortum Turkey
The Pregnant Tree and the Goblin Kim Dongryung, Park Kyoungtae South Korea
Shell and Joint Hirabayashi Isamu Japan
Slow Machine Paul Felten, Joe DeNardo United States
Some Kind of Heaven Lance Oppenheim United States
Suzanne Daveau Luísa Homem Portugal
This Is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese Lesotho
Tierra adentro Mauro Colombo Panama
Tlamess Ala Eddine Slim Tunisia
The Tree House Truong Minh Quý Singapore
VHYes Jack Henry Robbins United States
We Are From There Wissam Tanios Lebanon

Voices

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The section consisted of:[9]

  • Big Screen Competition
  • Voices main programme, which showcased the work of future in arthouse cinema,
  • Limelight, which showcased international award-winners and festival favourites,
  • Rotterdämmerung, which showcased the work in hardcore film genres,
  • Scopitone, which showcased music documentaries, and
  • Voices Short.

Big Screen Competition

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The following films were selected to compete for the VPRO Big Screen Award. The line-up was announced on 18 December 2019.[10]

Title Director(s) Production countrie(s)
El cazador Marco Berger Argentina
Eden Ágnes Kocsis Hungary, Romania
Énorme Sophie Letourneur France
The Evening Hour Braden King United States
Fanny Lye Deliver'd Thomas Clay United Kingdom, Germany
Mosquito João Nuno Pinto Portugal, France, Brazil
A Perfectly Normal Family Malou Reymann Denmark
Synapses Chang Tso-chi Taiwan
A Yellow Animal Felipe Bragança Brazil, Portugal, Mozambique

Voices Main Programme

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The programme highlighted the work of future in arthouse cinema.[11]

Title Director(s) Production countrie(s)
All This Victory Ahmad Ghossein Lebanon
Antigone Sophie Deraspe Canada
BattleScar – Punk Was Invented by Girls Nico Casavecchia, Martin Allais France
Birds (Or How to Be One) Babis Makridis Greece
Bitter Chestnut Gurvinder Singh India
Black Bag Shao Qing China
Children of the Sea Ayumu Watanabe Japan
Il colpo del cane Fulvio Risuleo Italy
Cook, F**k, Kill Mira Fornay Czech Republic
A Dark, Dark Man Adilkhan Yerzhanov Kazakhstan
Emilia César Sodero Argentina
Fidelity Nigina Sayfullaeva Russia
Gaadi Prasanna Vithanage Sri Lanka
Happy Old Year Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit Thailand
A linha Ricardo Laganaro Brazil
The Longest Day Jonas Selberg Augustsén Sweden
Los que vuelven Laura Casabé Argentina
The Making of [5x1] Midi Z Taiwan
Moffie Oliver Hermanus South Africa
The Moneychanger Federico Veiroj Uruguay
Mother Kristof Bilsen Belgium
Not in This World Park Jungbum South Korea
O [5x1] Qiu Yang Taiwan
Only You Alone Zhou Zhou China
The Orphanage Shahrbanoo Sadat Denmark
Parasite (B&W Version) Bong Joon-ho South Korea
Passenger Isobel Knowles, Van Sowerwine Australia
Rose Stone Star Marcello Sannino Italy
The Science of Fictions Yosep Anggi Noen Indonesia
South Terminal Rabah Ameur-Zaïmeche France
Tenzo Tomita Katsuya Japan
Valley of Souls Nicólas Rincón Gille Colombia
Vendrá la muerte y tendrá tus ojos José Luis Torres Leiva Chile
White on White Théo Court Spain
A Witness Out of the Blue Andrew Fung Hong Kong
You Know Him Ercan Kesal Turkey
You Will Die at Twenty Amjad Abu Alala Sudan
Zombi Child Bertrand Bonello France

Limelight

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The programme showcased international award-winners and festival favourites.[12]

Title Director(s) Production countrie(s)
Adam Maryam Touzani Morocco
Adoration Fabrice Du Welz Belgium
Atlantics Mati Diop Senegal
Atlantis Valentyn Vasyanovych Ukraine
Babyteeth Shannon Murphy Australia
Bacurau Kleber Mendonça Filho, Juliano Dornelles Brazil
Balloon Pema Tseden China
The Barefoot Emperor Jessica Woodworth, Peter Brosens Belgium
Beanpole Kantemir Balagov Russia
A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood Marielle Heller United States
Corpus Christi Jan Komasa Poland
Deux Filippo Meneghetti France
Ema Pablo Larraín Chile
Farewell Paradise Sonja Wyss Netherlands
Fire Will Come Oliver Laxe Spain
Ghost Tropic Bas Devos Belgium
A Girl Missing Kōji Fukada Japan
Goud Rogier Hesp Netherlands
Just 6.5 Saeed Roustayi Iran
The Lighthouse Robert Eggers Canada
Little Women Greta Gerwig United States
Marona's Fantastic Tale Anca Damian France
Matthias & Maxime Xavier Dolan Canada
Les Misérables Ladj Ly France
Muidhond Patrice Toye Belgium
Paradise Drifters Mees Peijnenburg Netherlands
The Perfect Candidate Haifaa al-Mansour Saudi Arabia
Proxima Alice Winocour France
Sibyl Justine Triet France
A Son Mehdi M. Barsaoui Tunisia
Sound of Metal Darius Marder United States
True History of the Kelly Gang Justin Kurzel Australia
Uncut Gems Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie United States
The Whistlers Corneliu Porumboiu Romania
The Wild Goose Lake Diao Yinan China
Working Girls Frédéric Fonteyne, Anne Paulicevich Belgium

Rotterdämmerung

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The programme showcased the work in hardcore film genres.[13]

Title Director(s) Production countrie(s)
Boyz in the Wood Ninian Doff United States
Bring Me Home Kim Seung-woo South Korea
ColOZio Artemio Narro Mexico
Detention John Hsu Taiwan
L'état sauvage David Perrault France
First Love Takashi Miike Japan
Gutterbee Ulrich Thomsen Denmark
Impetigore Joko Anwar Indonesia
Jallikattu Lijo Jose Pellissery India
The Long Walk Mattie Do Laos
Saint Maud Rose Glass United Kingdom
Special Actors Ueda Shinichiro Japan

Deep Focus

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The section highlighted work of compilations, retrospectives and other formats in cinema.[14] The section consisted of:

  • Frameworks, which highlighted art films by emerging artists,
  • Signatures, which showcased new work of established filmmakers,
  • Regained, which showed restored classic films, films about filmmakers, experimental works and installations,
  • Beth B: War Is Never Over, which showcased the selection of work about female identity, power and sexuality, curated by Beth B,
  • Marion Hänsel, à la vie, which showcased the work of Marion Hänsel, and
  • Deep Focus Short, which paid tribute to Kiluanji Kia Henda and Leonardo Mouramateus.

Signatures

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The programme showcased new work of established filmmakers.[15]

Title Director(s) Production countrie(s)
Bring Down the Walls Phil Collins United States
Il diario di Angela – Noi due cineasti. Capitolo secondo Yervant Gianikian Italy
Les enfants d'Isadora Damien Manivel France
Un film dramatique Éric Baudelaire France
The Halt Lav Diaz Philippines
A Hidden Life Terrence Malick Germany
How to Overthrow the US Government (Legally) Caveh Zahedi United States
Jeanne d'Arc Bruno Dumont France
Krabi, 2562 Ben Rivers, Anocha Suwichakornpong Thailand
Liberté Albert Serra France
Little Joe Jessica Hausner Austria
No.7 Cherry Lane Yonfan Hong Kong
Las poetas visitan a Juana Bignozzi Laura Citarella, Mercedes Halfon Argentina
Sandlines Francis Alÿs Iraq
Vitalina Varela Pedro Costa Portugal

Perspectives

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The section presented the IFFR's thematic programme and showcased the relevant social and political issues in cinema. The section consisted of:[16]

  • The Tyger Burns, which presented the contemporary work of old filmmakers,
  • Synergetic, which showcased the alternative histories of mainstream narrative in cinema,
  • Ordinary Heroes: Made in Hong Kong, which presented the political, social and economic tensions in Hong Kong,
  • Sacred Beings, which presented the notion of queer culture, gender fluidity and spiritualities outside the Western perspective, and
  • Wait and See, which showcased the work about patience.

Awards

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The following awards were presented at the 49th edition:[17]

Awards and competition

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Audience Awards

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  • BankGiro Loterij Audience Award: Parasite (B&W Version) by Bong Joon-ho
  • Voices Short Award: Tabaski by Laurence Attali

Critics Awards

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References

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  1. ^ Dalton, Ben (23 January 2020). "Rotterdam festival opens with speech championing sustainability, power of film in 2020". Screendaily. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  2. ^ Rosser, Michael (1 February 2020). "Rotterdam Film Festival 2020 winners revealed". Screendaily. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  3. ^ "Bright Future". International Film Festival Rotterdam. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  4. ^ "Tiger Competition 2020 selection". International Film Festival Rotterdam. 18 December 2019. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  5. ^ "Ammodo Tiger Short Competition 2020". International Film Festival Rotterdam. 4 December 2019. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  6. ^ "Bright Future Competition". International Film Festival Rotterdam. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  7. ^ "Competing for a Bright Future". International Film Festival Rotterdam. 18 December 2019. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  8. ^ "Bright Future Main Programme". International Film Festival Rotterdam. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  9. ^ "Voices". International Film Festival Rotterdam. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  10. ^ "IFFR reveals full film lineup 2020". International Film Festival Rotterdam. 18 December 2019. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  11. ^ "Voices Main Programme". International Film Festival Rotterdam. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  12. ^ "Limelight". International Film Festival Rotterdam. Retrieved 19 August 2021.
  13. ^ "Rotterdämmerung". International Film Festival Rotterdam. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  14. ^ "Deep Focus 2020". International Film Festival Rotterdam. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  15. ^ "Signatures". International Film Festival Rotterdam. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  16. ^ "Perspectives 2020". International Film Festival Rotterdam. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
  17. ^ Rosser, Michael (1 February 2020). "Rotterdam Film Festival 2020 winners revealed". Screendaily. Retrieved 20 August 2021.
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