IFFR announces opening and closing films from Tom Harper and J.C. Chandor

44ste International Film Festival Rotterdam
21 januari – 1 februari 2015

IFFR ANNOUNCES OPENING AND CLOSING FILMS FROM TOM HARPER AND J.C. CHANDOR
‘WAR BOOK’ AND ‘A MOST VIOLENT YEAR’ TO OPEN AND CLOSE IFFR 2015

Rotterdam, 5 January 2015
International Film Festival Rotterdam will open on January 21st with the International Premiere of Tom Harper’s (THE WOMAN IN BLACK 2: ANGEL OF DEATH, THE SCOUTING BOOK FOR BOYS) and Jack Thorne's (SCOUTING BOOK FOR BOYS, THE FADES) political thriller WAR BOOK, the story of a chilling war game between a group of government officials which reaches boiling point and, as their hypothetical global crisis escalates, the fragility of everyday life and those who govern it is brutally exposed. The film stars Ben Chaplin (THE THIN RED LINE, DORIAN GRAY), Sophie Okonedo (HOTEL RWANDA, SCENES OF A SEXUAL NATURE), Phoebe Fox (SWITCH, THE MUSKETEERS) and Shaun Evans (DREAD, SILK). Tom Harper and writer Jack Thorne will be in Rotterdam to present the film. The Festival will screen the Dutch Premiere of J.C. Chandor’s A MOST VIOLENT YEAR as Closing Night Film on January 31st. Set in New York City 1981, the film revolves around an ambitious immigrant who fights to protect his business and family during the most dangerous year in the city's history and stars Oscar Isaac (INSIDE LLEWYN DAVIS, STAR WARS: EPISODE VII – THE FORCE AWAKENS) and Jessica Chastain (ZERO DARK THIRTY, INTERSTELLAR).

On making the announcement Festival director Rutger Wolfson commented "WAR BOOK is a topical and relevant film that fits perfectly with the contemporary issues we are exploring and debating at IFFR 2015, an ideal film to open the Festival and the reason why we have also included it in our Everyday Propaganda programme. J.C. Chandor’s A MOST VIOLENT YEAR is a beautiful film made by a hugely talented and ambitious auteur. Both films boast brilliant performances and we could not be more thrilled to have these films opening and closing IFFR 2015."

WAR BOOK takes place over three days as nine civil servants gather in a government building to take part in a policy shaping scenario. They are there to take decisions on Britain’s reaction to an international nuclear attack. At first the participants are casual, playing out the scenario against a backdrop of their own petty squabbles and personal ambitions. Only two participants know the truth - that the country is secretly facing a real nuclear threat, and that their theoretical responses may become reality sooner than they can know. As the scenario escalates and the group begins to address the breakdown of civil order, the reality that they are deciding our futures dawns. When personal politics crash irrevocably into the room, each is forced to look closely at what they really believe, and how much their decisions are actually worth.

A MOST VIOLENT YEAR is a searing crime drama set in New York City during the winter of 1981, statistically the most dangerous year in the city’s history. From acclaimed writer/director J.C. Chandor, and starring Oscar Isaac and Jessica Chastain this gripping story plays out within a maze of rampant political and industry corruption plaguing the streets of a city in decay. J.C. Chandor’s third feature examines one immigrant’s determined climb up a morally crooked ladder, where simmering rivalries and unprovoked attacks threaten his business, family, and––above all––his unwavering belief in the righteousness of his own path.

International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) offers a high quality line-up of carefully selected fiction and documentary feature films, short films and media art. The festival's Tiger Awards Competitions, Bright Future, Spectrum and Limelight sections contain new work by auteurs from all over the world only including many World Premieres. In the Signals section, IFFR presents retrospectives and themed programmes. IFFR actively supports new and adventurous filmmaking talent through numerous industry initiatives including co-production market CineMart, its Hubert Bals Fund and Rotterdam Lab.

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