34th International Film Festival Rotterdam
January 26 - February 6, 2005

- Tiger Cub Awards Competition for short films
- Filmmaker in Focus en theme section from Russia
- IFFR welcomes Tiscali as main sponsor

The International Film Festival Rotterdam introduces the Tiger Cub Awards Competition for short films. Three winners will be chosen by a jury to receive the equal Tiger Cub Awards. The Rotterdam programme will have a Russian strand with the selection of Yevgeni Yufit as Filmmaker in Focus and with the theme section 'Near Past and Near Future: Russian Parallel Cinema'. During IFFR 2005, new Dutch films by, among others Vincent Monnikendam, Colette Bothof, Erik van Zuylen, Eugenie Jansen and Kees Hin will see their world premieres. Tiscali is the new and third main sponsor of IFFR.

Tiger Cub Awards Competition
Next to its VPRO Tiger Awards Competition for first or second feature length films, IFFR introduces the Tiger Cub Awards Competition for short films. For many editions, the short film has been an integral part of the festival programme. In the IFFR programme section Shorts!, the festival screens compilations by theme, country or film-makers. For the new Tiger Cub Awards Competition, thirty short films up till thirty minutes will be selected. All must be receiving their world-, European or international premieres in Rotterdam. A jury will choose three winning short films from the competition selection. The three Tiger Cub Awards will come with a prize of Euro 3,000. The short films in Competition will be revealed by the first week of January 2005.

Filmmaker in Focus: Yevgeni Yufit
Russian filmmaker and photographer Yevgeni Yufit (1961, Saint Petersburg) has been selected as IFFR 2005 Filmmaker in Focus. The festival honours Yufit with the screening of four feature films (including his latest film BIPEDALISM as world premiere), eight short films and a photo exhibition. After finishing his studies in mechanical engineering in 1983, Yufit took film lessons from Aleksandr Sokurov. Yufit went on founding the film studio Mzhalalafilm and started making experimental films. He was the founding father of the 'Necrorealism' movement in Saint Petersburg that includes filmmakers, photographers, painters and writers. Manifesting themselves by the beginning of the Eighties, death as a physical reality became a principal theme in their works. IFFR's Hubert Bals Fund has supported his BIPEDALISM (2005). Yufit's works had considerable influence on a later generation of Russian progressive filmmakers and artists. One of the IFFR 2005 theme programmes will be 'Near Past and Near Future' devoted to a choice of feature and short films from this 'Parallel Cinema' movement.

Near Past and Near Future: Russian Parallel Cinema
The rise of what in Russia is known as 'Parallel Cinema' (which includes Yufit's 'Necrorealism') is closely connected to the 'perestrojka' period and the desintegration of the former USSR. 'Parallel' meaning that these films were made and screened without official support or consent of the authorities. A second generation, now including artists, performers, musicians, photographers, writers and journalists continued the Parallel Cinema throughout the Nineties. In and around Moscow, they now have a network of own festivals, production platforms, websites, films and film stars. IFFR focuses the attention on eight feature films and five short films from this widespread alternative circuit. Themes and forms of these films vary from the very Russian 4 by Ilya Khrzhanovky, the anti-Chechen war drama ZELENIY SLONIK (GREEN ELEPHANT) by Svetlana Baskova to the bizarre comedy IVAN DURAK (IVAN THE IDIOT) van Alexandr Doulerain & Sergei Koryagin.

Dutch films in world premiere
The following Dutch films will see their world premieres during the upcoming International Film Festival Rotterdam: ZIELEN VAN NAPELS (SOULS OF NAPLES) by Vincent Monnikendam, VOORLAND by Eugenie Jansen, HET MYSTERIE VAN DE SARDINE (THE MYSTERY OF THE SARDINE) by Erik van Zuylen, CINEMA INVISIBLE: HET BOEK (CINEMA INVISIBLE: THE BOOK) by Kees Hin, BROSSA by Digna Sinke and Colette Bothof's début feature film ZWARTE ZWANEN (BLACK SWANS). ALIAS KURBAN SAÏD by Jos de Putter gets its European bow. After the Dutch internet release in December 2004, 0605 by Theo van Gogh gets its screen premiere during the festival.

Tiscali new main IFFR sponsor
The IFFR welcomes Tiscali as new main sponsor of the festival, joining Dutch national newspaper de Volkskrant and Dutch public network VPRO. Supporting IFFR, European internet communications company Tiscali states "does fit in with Tiscali's strategy to strengthen the versatile functions of internet within the world of film."


The 34th International Film Festival Rotterdam takes place from Wednesday January 26 till Sunday February 6, 2005. The festival programme will be published on Thursday January 20, 2005 as a supplement to Dutch national newspaper de Volkskrant and may be found online the same date on www.filmfestivalrotterdam.com.


VPRO Tiger Awards Competition
The heart of the IFFR: about 15 first or second features battle for the three equal Tiger Awards. The complete selection of competition films will be announced in early January.

Cinema of the Future: Sturm und Drang
The programme section Sturm und Drang comprises features and documentaries, most of them by young film makers who are investigating new angles on cinematography. The film makers have one thing in common: they display an urge to innovate and seek ways to narrate and portray. This makes Sturm und Drang a series of filmic surprises and a source of discoveries. Among the films you can see in this section are: SZEZON (EASTERN SUGAR) by Ferenc Török (Hungary), LOS MUERTOS by Lisandro Alonso (Argentina), GUI YEO WO (SO CUTE) by Kim Soo-Huyn (South Korea) and ABSOLUT by Romed Wyder (Switzerland).

Cinema of the World: Time & Tide
The heartbeat of the world can be felt in the programme section Time & Tide. Here, the IFFR presents features and documentaries that reveal the social political and cultural commitment of the makers. Young talent is combined with experience. In these films, the makers look around, reflect on social processes, tell personal stories or adopt a position on what fascinates them. These films take the viewer on journeys to cities, landscapes, borders, homes and their stories. Among the films in this programme: DASTANEH NATAMAN (STORY UNDONE) by Hassan Yektapanah (Iran), SAN ZIMSKE NOCI (MIDWINTER NIGHT'S DREAM) by Goran Paskaljevic (Bosnia and Herzegovina) and ETT HÅL I MITT HJÄRTA (A HOLE IN MY HEART) by Lukas Moodysson (Sweden).

Maestros: Kings & Aces
The programme section Kings and Aces is the domain of the masters of authors' cinema. In their latest works, we recognise here the signature and style of experienced film makers and hence also well-known names from previous festivals. Here you can find the film makers whose oeuvre is followed by the IFFR and who display the hand of a master, not hindered by their age, be it young or old. It is no coincidence that these are often inspiring examples for a new generation of film makers (and film fans). This section includes new films by Hong Sang-Soo (WOMAN IS THE FUTURE OF MEN, South Korea), Wong Kar-wai (2046, Hong Kong), Claire Denis (L'INTRUS, France), Olivier Assayas (CLEAN, France), Kim Ki-Duk (BIN-JIP and THE SAMARITAN GIRL, South Korea) and Kira Muratova (TUNER, Ukraine).

Cinema Regained
In Cinema Regained, every film lover can enjoy films and documentaries about film (makers) and rare recently restored jewels from film history. These include seven features from the director Uchida Tomu, who is scarcely known outside Japan, Sam Fuller's restored epic THE BIG RED ONE, a series of short films by the American experimental film maker Owen Land (aka George Landow) and I DIED IN CHILDHOOD…, a documentary about Sergei Paradjanov.

Tiger Cub Awards Competition
In order to focus extra attention on short films and their makers, for the first time in 2005 the IFFR is presenting a short film competition. From the most recent short films - films should have their European, international or world première in Rotterdam - thirty will be specially selected for the Tiger Cub Awards Competition.

Short!
Short films, in compilation programmes or screened before features, have always formed an important part of the IFFR. The selection varies from Italian Minimalism to Armenian poetry, from experimental video to advanced animation. For instance, there are two compilation programmes with (experimental) short films from Croatia and neighbouring areas. Some of these films were made during the war in former Yugoslavia, such as LETTER, or have the war as their subject, such as DAS LIED IST AUS. But the programme also includes the Golden Palm winner (for the short film), the Romanian film TRAFFIC by Catalin Mitulescu, in which a businessman thinks of something worthwhile to do during his 20-minute break.

Film makers & Artist in Focus
IFFR 2005 honours three film makers by screening a selection from their oeuvre. By Benoit Jacquot (France) there are features (including film versions of literary works, theatre and opera) and several films especially made for television. The festival is showing features and short films by the 'necrorealist' Yevgeni Yufit (Russia). The Artist in Focus is the video artist Anri Sala (Albania/France). He will be putting on an exhibition during IFFR 2005 in the Boijmans Van Beuningen Museum and in TENT.; more of his work can be seen in the film theatres.

S.E.A. Eyes
This theme programme uses features and short films to provide us with a cinematographic map of Southeast Asia. IFFR programmer Gertjan Zuilhof concentrates on a young and rising generation of film and video makers from Malaysia, the Philippines, Indonesia, Thailand and Singapore.

Near Past and Near Future: Russian Parallel Cinema
This theme programme presents a series of features and short films made by a new generation of independent and alternative film makers from Moscow (and far beyond). Committed, creative, playful, political. Compilation: Andrei Plakhov and IFFR programmer Ludmila Cvikova.

Rotterdämmerung
This series of films, largely from Japan, is more suitable for the 'late-night slot' and less for children. It includes variations on genres such as fantasy, thriller and science fiction. Several Japanese examples: Samurai slasher drama IZO by Miike Takashi, the hybrid live-action sci-fi manga CASSHERN by Kiriya Kazuaki and psycho-revenge RINJIN 13-GO (NEIGHBOR #13) by Inoue Yasuo (both from Japan).

PS Homefront USA
Epilogue to the extensive IFFR 2004 theme programme by programmer Gertjan Zuilhof, with several new films reflecting on the present political and cultural climate in the United States. This includes films by Bruce Weber (LETTER TO TRUE), Wim Wenders (LAND OF PLENTY) and Jon Jost (HOMECOMING).

Exploding Cinema: Sound Check
This year, Exploding Cinema is dedicated to sound as an important instrument for audiovisual artists and film makers. The group exhibition 'murmur' in TENT. will be a silent sound show in which the more subtle sounds can be heard and seen. Among the film programme: features (FIVE by Abbas Kiarostami and UNE VISITE AU LOUVRE by Jean-Marie Straub & Danièle Huillet), the documentary MOOG by Hans Fjellestad about the inventor of the synthesiser, short (-er) films: Matt Hulse's AUDIBLE PICTURE SHOW; an experimental sound work with film by Jonas Mekas, mini operas in the form of animation films by the Estonian artist Matti Kütt, conceptual music videos by Tony Cokes and the symphonic short films of Kirsten Winter. Exploding Cinema: Sound Check also includes: 'Testing, Testing' (daily series of presentations in Witte de With by artists and film makers), the installation SCIENCE FRICTION in V2_ (including work by sound artist Francisco Lopez) and 'DVdrome' (presentation of a new genre of DVDs with innovative combinations of sound, music and pictures).

Screen Tests
An exhibition in the Dutch Photo Museum (Rotterdam) about the effect of the film and still camera on the human face. A selection from recently restored Andy Warhol screen tests functions as starting point (with, for instance, Susan Sontag and Lou Reed). The threat and confirmation expressed by a screen test is pursued in this exhibition with the contemporary photo, film and video works of Artist in Focus Anri Sala (Albania/France), Graham Gussin (UK), Johan Grimonprez (Belgium), Martin Arnold (Austria), Fiona Tan (Netherlands), Manon de Boer (Belgium), Eric Pellet (France) and Ana Torfs (Belgium). Several of the Screen Test films will be presented in the festival cinemas, such as the documentary SYLVIA KRISTEL - PARIS by Manon de Boer.

What (is) Cinema
Back in its regular venue in the Small Auditorium of the Rotterdamse Schouwburg, every day an 'In Person' interview with a festival guest, the 'In Conversation' debate motivated by a theme from the festival programme and the Late Talk Show presented by Wilfried de Jong .

Hot Spots
Three times three days in Off_Corso: every day from 5 to 11 p.m., music, film, live performances and art from the young, alternative scene & cultural hotbeds of Istanbul, Baghdad and Bristol.

Dutch Perspective
A selection of features and documentaries released in 2004 in the Netherlands, with English subtitles for the international festival guests.


IFFR 2005 Festival Venues
The International Film Festival Rotterdam makes use of more than 20 film auditoria and the following venues: the cinemas Pathé Schouwburgplein, Cinerama and Lantaren/Venster, the theatres Oude Luxor and Rotterdamse Schouwburg. In the Doelen Congress and Music Centre (Jurriaanse Zaal Entrance, Kruisplein, Rotterdam) are the Main Festival Box Office and the Festival Restaurant and Bar. In addition, the Doelen serves as the 'IFFR Professionals Centre'.

More details at:
http://www.filmfestivalrotterdam.com

Simon Mayo
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