28/01/2005

After last year's great success, the European Film Promotion (EFP) and the Rotterdam Film Festival decided to renew in 2005 their interesting scheme, Passions & Promises, designed to draw attention on young European directors. Every night from Friday 1/28 to Friday 2/4, one young director is invited to a Late Show, that is, a public debate animated by Wilfried De Jong, in the course of which the director gets to show extracts from his films as well as one film which he considers to have had a major influence on his work. The eight directors who have been invited to participate in this year's Late Shows are : Pascale Breton (Illumination / France), Fow Pyng Hu (Paradise Girls / Netherlands), Maria Blom (Dalecarlians / Sweden), Erik Poppe (Hawaii, Oslo / Norway), Joachim Lafosse (Folie Privée / Belgium), Romed Wyder (Absolut / Switzerland), Daniele Gaglianone (Nemmeno il destino / Italy), and Thomas Durchschlag (Allein /Germany).

" Rotterdam really allows interaction between film-makers, says Sandra den Hamer, director of the film festival. Each session of our scheme Passions & Promises gives these young and talented directors an opportunity to share their passion for cinema with fellow-filmmakers and with the public. To everybody,their experiences and ideas are really inspiring. "

Late Shows start every day at 10.30pm in the Schouwburg room. A live broadcast of each debate can be found online at www.filmfestivalrotterdam.com.

(Translated from French)