46th International Film Festival Rotterdam

25 January - 5 February 2017

Rotterdam, 20 January 2016

Acclaimed filmmakers Olivier Assayas, Béla Tarr, Andrea Arnold and Barry Jenkins will be attending the 46th edition of International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR), where they will give masterclasses on their work and influences. These masterclasses are part of an extensive line-up of talks centred around IFFR’s themed programmes and unique, one-off film screenings.

French filmmaker Olivier Assayas (Irma Vep, Clouds of Sils Maria) will talk about his previous works, his main influences and his latest film Personal Shopper, which also screens at the festival. In a rare masterclass, influential Hungarian filmmaker Béla Tarr (Sátántangó, The Turin Horse) will be talking about his career, with illustrations from in particular his 2000 feature Werckmeister Harmonies. Tarr’s work is currently featured in an exhibition in EYE. Andrea Arnold’s previous films Red Road and Fish Tank both won the Jury Prize at Cannes. Her masterclass will be on the creative process of her latest hit film, American Honey, which also screened in competition in Cannes 2016. Barry Jenkins’ second feature Moonlight received rhapsodic reviews and was hailed by many critics as the best film of the year. Four months after its premiere, the film had already picked up over 140 awards. In this masterclass, Barry Jenkins will talk about his vision as a director, his skyrocketing success and the challenges of filmmaking.

Four talks and special screenings are part of the Parallax Views programme. Film historian Thomas Elsaesser will explain his theory of abjection on the basis of films from the programme. A special screening of Pablo Larraíns Jackie will be preceded by a video essay by Kevin B. Lee and followed by a conversation with film journalists Jan Pieter Ekker and Dana Linssen. The screening of Burma Storybook will be followed by a conversation concerning poetry and cinema, in collaboration with Poetry International. And finally, Mark Cousins’ Bigger Than The Shining. This video essay will be screened one final time, after which Cousins will destroy it with an axe.

The Perspectives programme also features a number of talks. Panel Picture Palestine: Perpetual Recurrences is a panel featuring representatives of the new generation of Palestinian filmmakers and video artists. In Criss-Cross: Gangland, Copland, Terrorland famous faces from French crime cinema talk about how their work embodies the dark side of ‘la grandeur de la France’. Black Rebels: Minding the Gap features talks, films, music and interviews that traverse the past, present and future of Black cinema. With Charles Burnett, Ernest Dickerson, Keith Piper and Tirzo Martha. The screening of Nocturama will be followed by an interview with director Bertrand Bonello about how the film reflects the current political climate in France.

Masterclass Béla Tarr

Influential contemporary filmmaker Béla Tarr reflects on his work with journalist Jonathan Romney.

Thu 26 Jan, 15:00, de Doelen Van Cappellen Zaal, €5.50

Masterclass Barry Jenkins

Occasioned by his latest feature film Moonlight, filmmaker Barry Jenkins talks about his exploding career and what defines him as a filmmaker.

Thu 26 Jan, 16:00, KINO 1, €5.50

Masterclass Andrea Arnold

Masterclass with British filmmaker Andrea Arnold on the creative process occasioned by her latest hit film American Honey.

Fri 27 Jan, 15:00, de Doelen Van Cappellen Zaal, €5.50

Parallax Views: Jackie

Special screening of Jackie preceded by a video essay by Kevin B. Lee and followed by a conversation with film journalists Jan Pieter Ekker and Dana Linssen.

Fri 27 Jan, 15:45, de Doelen Willem Burger Zaal, €11/€8 for the film ticket

Fukeiron or the Politics and Poetics of Landscape

Programme in conjunction with Witte de With in which Eric Baudelaire, Claire Atherton and Nicole Brenez scrutinise the politics and poetry of the cinematic landscape.

Sat 28 Jan, 11:00, KINO 2, free admission

Parallax Views: IFFR x De Balie – Safari

Auxiliary programme by De Balie to accompany Ulrich Seidl’s Safari. About the link between animal suffering and post-colonial violence as well as how the ecological crisis is linked to repression and racism.

Sat 28 Jan, 12:00, KINO 1, €11/€8 for the film ticket

Panel Picture Palestine: Perpetual Recurrences

Panel with representatives of the new generation of Palestinian filmmakers and video artists.

Sat 28 Jan, 13:30, KINO 2, €11/€8 for the film ticket

If You Catch Fish, You Can Make Soup: Burma Storybook

Conversation concerning poetry and cinema in collaboration with Poetry International following the screening of Burma Storybook.

Sat 28 Jan, 14:30, KINO 1, €11/€8 for the film ticket

Black Rebels: Minding the Gap

Travel the past, present and future of Black cinema. Talks, films, music and interviews. With filmmakers Charles Burnett and Ernest Dickerson as well as the artists Keith Piper and Tirzo Martha.

Sun 29 Jan, 13:00, Schouwburg Kleine Zaal, free admission 

Criss-Cross: Gangland, Copland, Terrorland

Famous faces from French crime cinema about how their work embodies the dark side of ‘la grandeur de la France’. With filmmakers and authors from the Criss-Cross programme.

Sun 29 Jan, 17:00, LantarenVenster 6, free admission

Parallax Views: Thomas Elsaesser – The Cinema of Abjection

Film historian Thomas Elsaesser explains his theory of abjection on the basis of films from this programme.

Mon 30 Jan, 15:00, de Doelen Arcadis Zaal, free admission

IFFR Talk: Abdullah Mohammad Saad & Edwin

Film journalist Paolo Bertolin in conversation with filmmakers Abdullah Mohammad Saad and Edwin.

Tue 31 Jan, 15:45, LantarenVenster Foyer, free admission

Parallax Views: Bigger Than The Shining

Last year, IFFR screened Mark Cousins’ Bigger Than The Shining. The video essay will be screened one final time, after which Cousins will destroy it with an axe.

Wed 1 Feb, 13:30, Pathé 2, €11/€8 for the film ticket

A Band Apart: Nocturama

After Nocturama, an interview with director Bertrand Bonello about how the film reflects the current political climate in France.

Wed 1 Feb, 15:30, Cinerama 1, €11/€8 for the film ticket

Masterclass Olivier Assayas

Olivier Assayas reflects on prior works, his main influences and his latest film Personal Shopper.

Thu 2 Feb, 15:00, de Doelen Jurriaanse Zaal, €5.50

Parallax Views: Open Bar Roundup Forum

IFFR filmmakers in lively debate on cinema’s role at this juncture in the political transition currently underway.

Thu 2 Feb, 17:00, de Doelen Van Cappellen Zaal, free admission