10/02/2025 - The Croatian helmer’s film also snagged the FIPRESCI Prize, whilst the two Special Jury Awards went to Sammy Baloji’s The Tree of Authenticity and Tim Ellrich’s In My Parents’ House

It’s a wrap for the 2025 edition of International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR), which unspooled in the Dutch city from 30 January-9 February.

This year’s Tiger Competition once again highlighted the bold and innovative spirit of emerging filmmakers, presenting 14 world premieres. The jury, composed of Yuki Aditya, Winnie Lau, Peter Strickland and Andrea Luka Zimmerman, had initially included Soheila Golestani, who was unable to attend owing to a travel ban.

The top honour, the Tiger Award, worth €40,000, was bestowed upon Igor Bezinović’s Fiume o morte! [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] (Croatia/Italy/Slovenia). The jury praised its playful yet incisive exploration of history and nationalism, blending staged reconstructions with reality to expose the past as an active force in contemporary Europe.

Two Special Jury Awards of €10,000 apiece went to The Tree of Authenticity [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Sammy Baloji (Belgium/DR Congo) and In My Parents’ House [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Tim Ellrich
film profile] by Tim Ellrich (Germany). Baloji’s film essay was lauded for its meditative and methodical approach to colonial history and environmental concerns, particularly its portrayal of a 3,000-year-old tree as a silent witness to exploitation. Ellrich’s drama, an intimate study of family and ageing, impressed with its deep emotional resonance, avoiding satire in favour of nuanced social observation.

Meanwhile, the Big Screen Competition, which bridges arthouse and popular cinema while supporting local distribution, also featured 14 world premieres. The jury, consisting of Bero Beyer, Dewi Reijs, Jia Zhao, Sara Rajaei and Digna Sinke, rewarded Raptures [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] by Jon Blåhed (Sweden/Finland) with the Big Screen Award and €15,000. They commended its layered exploration of morality, resilience and dogma, brought to life through a complex lead performance and striking cinematography. An additional €15,000 were offered to the Dutch distributor acquiring the film.

The FIPRESCI Award, handed out by an international jury of film journalists, also went to Fiume o morte!. Jury members Garance Hayat, Hossein Eidizadeh, Ossama Abdelfattah Rezk, Piotr Czerkawski and Tim Lindemann praised its use of archival footage and re-enactments to highlight a little-known historical episode while addressing contemporary political concerns, particularly the rise of the far right. Moreover, they applauded its seamless blend of experimentation and accessibility, enhanced by excellent editing.

Next, the recipient of the NETPAC Award, recognising outstanding films from Asia and the Pacific region, was decided upon by Mevlut Akkaya, Rainbow Fong and Rüdiger Tomczak. Bad Girl by Varsha Bharath (India) was celebrated for its inventive and cinematic coming-of-age narrative, offering an evocative visual style and unexpected storytelling choices.

Finally, the Youth Jury Award, given out by a panel of young critics, was awarded to The Visual Feminist Manifesto by Farida Baqi (Syria/Lebanon/Germany/Sweden/Netherlands). The jury highlighted its urgent exploration of womanhood, structured poetically and enhanced by striking cinematography. They commended Baqi for capturing both the struggles and the beauty of female experience, encouraging empathy, rebellion and solidarity.

Here is the full list of this year’s award winners:

Tiger Award
Fiume o morte! [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - Igor Bezinović (Croatia/Italy/Slovenia)

Tiger Special Jury Awards
The Tree of Authenticity [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - Sammy Baloji (Belgium/DR Congo)
In My Parents’ House [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Tim Ellrich
film profile] - Tim Ellrich (Germany)

Big Screen Award
Raptures [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] - Jon Blåhed (Sweden/Finland)

FIPRESCI Award
Fiume o morte! - Igor Bezinović

NETPAC Award
Bad Girl - Varsha Bharath (India)

Youth Jury Award
The Visual Feminist Manifesto - Farida Baqi (Syria/Lebanon/Germany/Sweden/Netherlands)

Tiger Short Competition

Short Competition winners
A Metamorphosis - Lin Htet Aung (Myanmar)
Temo Re - Anka Gujabidze (Georgia)
Merging Bodies – Adrian Paci (Italy)

European Short Film Award Nomination
La Durmiente - Maria Inês Gonçalves (Portugal/Spain)

KNF Award
Temo Re - Anka Gujabidze