As many as 106 films will have their world premiere at the 2016 Rotterdam International Film Festival (27 January to 7 February), with more than 260 filmmakers from 50 countries attending. This year, Hivos is proud to once again be the main sponsor of the festival, which is known for its distinctive and innovative programming. A particularly interesting element is the Hivos Tiger Awards Competition for international film talent.
Eight festive premieres in the Hivos Tiger Awards Competition
A new nominee in the Hivos Tiger Awards Competition will be featured on each of the eight days of the festival. The competition aims to discover and publicise new international film talent, setting the filmmakers in the spotlight. After the films are screened, the directors will be received in the Rotterdam Schouwburg Foyer for a “Tiger Talk”, presented by Ludmilla Cvikova.
Please come to the festival if you are in the Netherlands. Hivos Tiger Award previews begin at 19:45 in the Pathé 4 cinema:
• Thursday, January 28 – History’s Future – present: Director Fiona Tan
• Friday, January 29 – Oscuro animal – present: Director Felipe Guerrero
• Saturday, January 30 – Mist Motel – present: Director Yoon Prabda
• Sunday, January 31 – A Woman, a Part – present: Director Elisabeth Subrin, actress Maggie Siff
• Monday, February 1 – Radio Dreams – present: Director Babak Jalali
• Tuesday, February 2 – The Land of the Enlightened – present: director Pieter-Jan De Pue
• Wednesday, February 3 – La última tierra – present: director Pablo Lamar
• Thursday, February 4 – Where I Grow Old – present: Director Marília Rocha; actresses Elizabete Francisca and Francisca Manuel
Hivos and the IFFR
Independent films do not have an easy time finding an audience, even though seeing films from other cultures broadens and enriches our perspective. In times of increasing polarisation and intolerance towards others, world cinema can contribute to promoting dialogue, understanding and respect.
Hivos and the IFFR’s shared mission provides the springboard for our successful sponsorship. The festival supports filmmakers in countries where the film industry is still in its infancy, where film programmes are lacking or restrictive regimes discourage alternative voices. From its very inception, the search for young talent and innovative cinema was part of the IFFR’s DNA. The festival provides emerging filmmakers with their own stamp, an audience and international attention. Thus, the Hivos Tiger Awards Competition has grown to become the heart of the festival and an international platform for budding filmmakers.
Innovative film projects
Besides being the main sponsor of the IFFR, Hivos is also a partner of the Hubert Bals Fund, which helps innovative filmmakers from Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Middle East and Eastern Europe to realise their projects. Hivos uses this support to contribute to the development of artistic film as a means of expressing social criticism.
Space for new voices
Freedom of speech is the main measure of openness in a society. Wherever there is room for dissent and new voices, there is space for people with all their differences. Hivos works with filmmakers, human rights defenders, artists, journalists and bloggers, offering them access to creative breeding grounds, broad networks and otherwise unreachable platforms. Especially in countries where freedom of expression is not a given, filmmakers should be able to make their voices heard.
