ロッテルダム国際映画祭　IFFR

IFFR 2018

世界中の映画監督が一度は招待されたいと思っているのがここロッテルダム国際映画祭。他の映画祭と違う大きな特徴は、俳優やプロデューサーより、主に監督にスポットライトが当たるという点だ。映画祭ディレクターのベロ•ベイアー氏は普段から考えること、質問することがクリエイティブに繋がるという。彼の指揮で今回も様々な映画イベントが紹介された。

“They are unique in expressing themselves through art”

The International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) is the champion of staging unusual movies around the world.  As directors from all over the world agree this festival is probably the last resort for directors who need to be heard.  Here you can see rare movies which are hard to find in local theatres.

Mr. Bero Beyer, the Festival Director, preserves this film festival in a different way than other festivals.  IFFR shows diversity and equality, and most of all, pure “Indie” films!  We cannot agree more to his quotes: “Creativity is not about answers, it’s about continuously asking questions.”

Here are some of the wonderful events of active communication which proves “IFFR is more than cinema”.

Masterclass

Director Alfredo Jaar

Alfredo Jaar, a Chilean-born artist from New York, who was awarded at the Venice Biennale has sometimes been referred to as a “politically-motivated artist.”  As a renowned “installation” architecture, he often visits places around the world, noticing something different, seeing something hidden, or overhearing voices of invisible people.  He tries to understand the facts and find out what he can do there.  Then he delivers the artwork, just to make those hidden facts to be noticed.  It is like magic.  All of a sudden, human rights violation facts are transformed into beautiful art and people do not mind looking at them… His installation of One Million Finnish Passports, Chalkboards from Fukushima, Red lamps in Montreal, the Paper Museum in Switzerland…were all created with certain background stories.  He shared his messages with the audience, and they were touched by it.

Big Talk

Director Sean Baker

He used an iPhone for his last movie “Tangerine”(2015), but with his latest movie “The Florida Project”, he used a 35mm film.  Some large corporations were interested in his work, but he did not want to alter his scenes and he needed to do the final cut.

While showing the rich and colourful landscapes of Florida, the movie focuses on hidden homeless people, living in a shabby motel very close to the magical Disneyland.  “I was shocked when I first found out about those children who actually live in those motels,” he said.  “The problem continues because they cannot find jobs without having an address.”  The director explained how he met the talented actress Brooklyn Prince and it was very entertaining for the audience hearing stories of the casting and acting.

Special Event:

Phantom Thread Live with the Rotterdam Philharmonic

Director Paul Thomas Anderson, the actress Vicky Krieps, and Robert Ames, the conductor of Rotterdam Philharmonic appeared together on stage.  The premiere of the movie was accompanied with a live soundtrack by Jonny Greenwood, a unique collaboration of cinema and live music.  The audience enjoyed looking at both the film and live orchestra. Nobody got up moving towards the exits as they continued playing until the very end of the movie. The orchestra and director were rewarded with a standing ovation.

IFFR Awards

Director Cai Chengjie of “The Widowed Witch” (China) won the Grand-Prix, the prestigious Hivos Tiger Award 2018.  It had a beautiful narrative story that focused on a strong young woman who refused to become a victim.  The director said he suffered from deadlines, low budget, as well as dealing with many non-professional actors, but was very happy and smiled a lot for the photo calls.

The IFFR Audience Award went to Denmark’s Director Gustav Möller’s debut film “The Guilty”.  It also received the IFFR Youth Jury Award.

The Special Jury Award went to Director Muayad Alayan’s “The Reports on Sarah and Saleem”.  The movie follows the relationship between a Palestinian man and a Jewish woman.  The winning screenplay was written by his brother Rami Alayan.

IFFR’s closing movie was Director Armando Iannucci’s “The Death of Stalin”, a hilarious and timeless political satire about the struggle of power when Joseph Stalin had a stroke in 1953.  As with past years, the festival continued with food and great music (also DJ’s) passed midnight.