One figure who has the contacts and the experience to ensure the event is noticed beyond Dutch borders is Marten Rabarts, the former head of EYE International and artistic head of Binger Filmlab in Amsterdam.
One has been to bump up the number of titles in the CineMart, the long-running co-production event. There are some intriguing projects being presented to the funders, sales agents, distributors and festival programmers.
This is being made through Mellivora Production and is about a mother dealing with the trauma of losing her son defending their village after the Russian invasion.
This is being made through Mumbai-based Future East Film. The Darkroom, the programme of work-in-progress screenings, is likewise increasing numbers with 12 projects showcased this year. Also, with the changes going on at Utrecht, it felt like it was time for something new. Me coming in was an opportunity to bring about that change. Locarno artistic director Giona A. It came to me because I kept seeing people know well standing on red carpets in Cannes or in Venice, at A Festivals.
All these Dutch producers, I was really proud of them. This year also marks the 25th anniversary of the Rotterdam Lab, the training workshop for producers at the start of their careers. This will make it easier for international delegates from far flung locations to attend both events but it also means IFFR is happening at exactly the same time as the Rotterdam ATP Tennis Tournament.
