IFFR announces first three themed programmes for its 42nd edition

42nd International Film Festival Rotterdam
23 January – 3 February 2013

PRESS RELEASE 12 November 2013

IFFR announces first three themed programmes for its 42nd edition

At the upcoming festival, the International Film Festival Rotterdam will be devoting particular attention to the oeuvre of German director Dominik Graf, as well as to current Iranian filmmaking and to film as an auditory experience. These three programmes – entitled Dominik Graf, Inside Iran and Sound Stages – make up part of the IFFR’s main section, Signals. More of the themed programmes from Signals will be announced shortly. The 42nd IFFR opens on 23 January 2013.

Signals: Dominik Graf
Dominik Graf is the best hidden secret of German-language cinema, most probably because the vast majority of his massive as well as varied œuvre was produced for television. Graf (1952, Munich) directed over 60 works of various lengths and genres - feature films, TV-movies, episodes for various series such as Der Fahnder and Tatort as well as omnibus endeavours -, of which but nine were made for cinema. His contributions to German television redefined not only their genres and slots but invariably broke new ground in terms of aesthetics as well as content. The International Film Festival Rotterdam is proud to present the world's first extensive retrospective of this master outside his native nation.

Signals: Inside Iran
For decades now, the IFFR has followed a number of exponents of Iranian cinema, supporting them with contributions from the Hubert Bals Fund and screening many of their films at the festival. The current situation for filmmakers in Iran is extremely delicate. As almost every Iranian filmmaker or artist has to be extremely cautious, a lively culture of screenings in informal gallery spaces has grown up. Under the title Inside Iran, IFFR will be presenting new work by filmmakers from Iran, such as the feature films PARVIZ by Majid Barzegar and MODEST RECEPTION by Mani Haghighi, as well as by Iranian filmmakers working outside of Iran. During the festival, a special location will be opened for meetings, discussions, conferences and screenings of video art and short films from the informal circuit in Teheran.

Signals: Sound Stages
With Sound Stages, the IFFR is devoting attention to film as a unique, one-off event, and in particular the uniqueness of the auditory experience – the particular acoustics of the screening venue. Music and sound generally play an essential role in drawing us into the cinematic experience. Sound stimulates the senses, often even more so than images. Sound Stages offers a unique sonic experience, historic resonances and up-to-the-minute expertise. We move from the screening auditorium to several specific sonic locations throughout the centre of Rotterdam. Every experience promises to be unique: from films with live music, through installations by the likes of Mika Taanila, John Akomfrah and Tony Cokes to presentations and performances.

The International Film Festival Rotterdam has three main sections: Bright Future (for first or second films, including the Hivos Tiger Awards Competition); Spectrum (new work by experienced filmmakers, including short films) and Signals. In Signals, the IFFR presents themed programmes and retrospectives on current or timeless aspects of film art.

The International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) offers a high quality line-up of carefully selected fiction and documentary feature films, shorts films and media art. The festival’s Competitions, Bright Future and Spectrum sections contain recent work only, among which many world premieres. In its Signals section, IFFR presents retrospectives and themed programs. The IFFR actively supports new and adventurous filmmaking talent through its co-production market CineMart, its Hubert Bals Fund, Rotterdam Lab and Industry Office activities.

IFFR is one of the largest audience and industry driven film festivals in the world. During twelve festival days, hundreds of filmmakers and other artists present their work to a large audience (2012: 274,000 admissions) and 2,700 film professionals. The festival’s Official Selection includes some 220 feature films and 320 short films out of 60 countries. The 42nd edition of the International Film Festival Rotterdam takes place from Wednesday January 23 up to and including Sunday February 3, 2013.

(End of press release)

Press information:
IFFR Press Office, Bert-Jan Zoet / Nancy van Oorschot, [email protected], +31 10 8909090