International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) presents the first series of titles in its Bright Future Main Programme, the festival’s home for up-and-coming filmmakers with a unique style and vision. The 2018 selection boasts new films by striking talents who have emerged this year. IFFR also announces the first titles eligible for the Bright Future Award, for world and international premieres by first-time filmmakers.
Among these are the world premieres of The Return by Malene Choi Jensen, a story of two Danish-Korean adoptees who visit their country of birth, partly based on the filmmaker’s own experiences; Windspiel by German filmmaker Peyman Ghalambor, about a 13-year-old kid who makes his escape from a children’s home in Brandenburg; and My Friend the Polish Girl by Ewa Banaszkiewicz andMateusz Dymek, a cinematic culture clash between an American filmmaker starting out in London and a Polish actress.
From Belgium, IFFR has selected two completely different, but very promising first features: as previously announced Ruben Desiere's La fleurière/The Flower Shop, as well as the international premiere of Christina Vandekerckhove's documentary Rabot, the story of a social housing block on the brink of demolition, and winner of the audience award at Film Fest Gent.
The winner of the Bright Future Award is chosen by a jury consisting of three film professionals and receives €10,000 to be spent on the development ofa new film project.
Bright Future Main Programme also contains exciting sophomore feature-length films, marking a first venture into fiction. This is the case for the astute Ordinary Time by Susana Nobre, for example, which scrutinises the calm rhythm of daily life of young parents by zooming in on many moments that are, well, completely ordinary. The world premiere of Azougue Nazaré/Azougue Nazareth by Tiago Melo dives deep into the mysterious and colourful sugarcane universe of rural Brazil.
Selections also include celebrated films such as The Nothing Factory by Pedro Pinho, Soldiers. Story from Ferentari by Ivana Mladenovic, Drift by Helena Wittmann and Cocote by Nelson Carlo De Los Santos Arias.
For an overview of all Bright Future selections so far, click here.The full selection will be announced at the beginning of January.
Contact details
Related news
RTM Pitch winner to bring former neighbourhood to life
Ravi Sandberg receives €20,000 to shoot his interdisciplinary project Fantoomwijk.
October dates confirmed for IFFR 2022 competition screenings
IFFR welcomes audiences and filmmakers back to cinemas for a programme of 51st edition competition titles.
Hubert Bals Fund supports ten new projects
IFFR’s film fund names ten filmmakers as the spring recipients of the Script and Project Development Support scheme.
International Film Festival Rotterdam announces restructured team and new hires to deliver upcomi...
International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) presents a new team line-up and structure ahead of its upcoming 52nd edition, which will take place from 25 January to 5 February 2023.
International Film Festival Rotterdam announces 2023 dates and organisational restructure
52 nd Edition of the Festival to Take Place 25 January – 5 February 2023.