Running from 29 January-8 February, International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) returns with a line-up that strikes a balance between political urgency, formal playfulness and a strong commitment to underrepresented voices (see the news). We spoke with festival director Vanja Kaludjercic, who appeared visibly happy and energised as she looked ahead to the new edition. That optimism is further fuelled by a symbolic milestone: last year’s Tiger Competition winner, Fiume o Morte! [+leggi anche:
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intervista: Igor Bezinović
intervista: Igor Bezinović
scheda film], was crowned Best Documentary at the European Film Awards just days ago (see the news) – a timely confirmation of IFFR’s shrewd curatorial compass.

Cineuropa: IFFR opens with Providence and the Guitar and closes with Bazaar. What do these movies reveal about the overall tone or editorial direction you envisioned for this edition?
Vanja Kaludjercic: Opening and closing films act as the festival’s bookends. For the opening, we were immediately drawn to João Nicolau’s new work, adapted from Robert Louis Stevenson’s novel of the same name. What struck us most was the tone: the joy of artistic creation and the resilience required to sustain it. At its core, the film speaks about staying committed to making art under harsh or precarious circumstances. That felt closely aligned with IFFR’s values. Artistic creation is essential because it allows us to reflect, to be informed and perhaps even to become better human beings. For us, it was a powerful way to open the festival.

For the closing film, we wanted something accessible and celebratory – it’s always wonderful to end on a joyful note. Bazaar offers a clever reworking of Alfred Hitchcock’s Rear Window, while weaving in Shakespearean references. The interplay between cinema, literature and theatre is central: a novelist played by Gilles Lellouche, his wife – a Sorbonne professor teaching cinema, portrayed by Laetitia Casta – and a suspicious neighbour who is staging Hamlet. In a very French way, the film places relationships and couple dynamics at the centre, while reflecting on art itself. It felt like a beautiful, intelligent and generous way to wrap IFFR.

Looking at this year’s line-up, particularly the Tiger Competition, how would you describe it? Did any patterns emerge?
One striking aspect is the broader territorial spread. Last year, we saw a strong presence from former Yugoslav countries; this year, films from several African nations – including Mozambique, Angola and South Africa – stand out. These territories are rarely represented in major competitions, which feels significant.

Thematically, many movies revisit personal and political histories with remarkable clarity and emotional directness, especially considering how many of them are debut features. Family, national memory and social legacy actively shape identity and choices within the films. What I admire is their maturity: many embrace ambiguity, rather than offering easy resolutions. Cinema becomes a space to think through responsibility, belonging and what dominant narratives tend to obscure, while formal diversity remains central to the selection.

The Harbour and Bright Future sidebars feel particularly rich this year, with titles such as Far From Maine set to spark debate. What stood out while programming these sections?
Yes, you’re right: both programmes foreground national histories and stories that often remain marginal. Harbour, in particular, creates space for nuance and difficult, sometimes politically charged conversations. For example, the Korean documentary The Seoul Guardians, shot in real time during the attempted declaration of martial law, unfolds almost like a thriller, capturing citizens mobilising to protect democratic processes. Films like this show cinema’s power to document history as it happens.

Bright Future offers space for more fragile, contemplative works that ask existential questions about care, belonging and artistic expression, and which require time and generosity from audiences. We also include formally exuberant films, such as Wolfgang, an unconventional operatic portrait of Mozart that reflects on artistic freedom and displacement.

IFFR has long supported filmmakers from underrepresented regions. Is the growing presence of such films the result of active scouting, increased submissions, or both?
It’s both, but it also reflects IFFR’s legacy. The festival was founded to offer an alternative to dominant distribution systems, and that ethos remains central. The Hubert Bals Fund emerged from the realisation that many filmmakers lack the infrastructure they need to complete their work. Over several decades, that support has helped entire film cultures develop. Initiatives like the Displacement Film Fund or human rights-focused programmes are a natural continuation of that history. Our responsibility is to remain attentive to the present world: identifying regions producing films but lacking visibility, and voices still being excluded from the global conversation. This all requires active research and outreach.

How would you describe Dutch cinema at this year’s festival?
We’re very happy with the Dutch presence. In the Tiger Competition, we’re presenting A Messy Tribute to Motherly Love by Dan Geesin, a bold, satirical film that grows from a surreal premise into something much larger. We’re also welcoming back filmmakers with long-standing ties to IFFR, such as David Verbeek and Nanouk Leopold. Nanouk presents both a feature and an installation in Art Directions, which celebrates cinematic expression beyond traditional screening formats. This year also marks the 30th edition of Art Directions, which feels significant.

RTM Day will celebrate Rotterdam filmmaking through shorts, features and RTM Pitch-supported projects, highlighting the city’s diversity and creative energy.

How do the talks and guests extend the spirit of the programme beyond the screenings?
We’re living in a time of profound uncertainty. When we ask what a festival can do in moments of crisis, the answer lies in what we’ve always done best: remaining open, welcoming spaces where people meet, exchange ideas and occasionally shift perspectives. Our programme doesn’t simply mirror reality as framed by existing power structures; it proposes other, fairer and more imaginative ways of living.

Our guests come out of a genuine love for cinema. From Cate Blanchett presenting the Displacement Film Fund shorts by Maryna Er Gorbach, Mo Harawe, Hasan Kattan, Mohammad Rasoulof and Shahrbanoo Sadat to Cynthia Beatt’s world premiere of Heart of Light, starring Tilda Swinton, and major talks, the idea is always the same: to create meaningful encounters between films, filmmakers and audiences.