Rotterdam Film Festival Launches Feminist Program for NOW’s 60th

The International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) announced a new feminist program titled “The Future Is NOW,” coinciding with the 60th anniversary of the founding of the National Organization for Women (NOW). Organizers describe this initiative as a significant moment in the history of both the Civil Rights movement and Second Wave Feminism. Scheduled for January 29 to February 8, 2024, during the festival’s 55th edition, the program aims to explore women’s cinema across various historical periods.

Jennifer Lynde Barker, co-curator of the feminist focus lineup, emphasized that the selections will spotlight underrepresented voices from different authors, countries, and filmmaking practices, with a particular emphasis on animation. The program will address themes such as education, community, and history, alongside topics like sex and religion, all through the lens of cinema.

Anchoring the lineup are the premieres of two notable works: Three Ways of Returning, a collaborative project by directors Xiaolu Guo, Andrea Luka Zimmerman, and Mania Akbari, which presents three autobiographical essays on themes of alienation and belonging. The second feature, Wellen Wende by Josephine Ahnelt, is a documentary that compares various women’s postpartum experiences, linking contemporary discussions to those found in classic films such as Kathleen Shannon, Irene Angelico, and Anne Henderson’s short film …and They Lived Happily Ever After from 1975.

The lineup also includes Interview (1979) by Caroline Leaf and Veronika Soul, and Casting Tapes (2020) by Ulrike Putzer and Matthias van Baaren. Both pieces are described by festival organizers as essential essays that delve into the challenges of being a woman in a predominantly male filmmaking landscape.

Exploring Unique Perspectives in Women’s Cinema

Barker highlighted the program’s intention to feature artistic approaches that exist outside the mainstream, particularly through animation, which has served as a rich source of creative output for women since the 1960s. “The Future Is NOW offers vital insights and stories about the experience of being a woman and a human being over the past six decades,” she stated. The program aims to showcase a blend of feminist interventions and artistic expressions that explore the intersection of personal and public lives.

In addition to this focus on feminist cinema, the festival also introduced its first selections for Cinema Regained, a section dedicated to recent restorations and works that provide new perspectives on cinema’s history. Among the highlights is the world premiere of The Thing in the Coffin by Hungarian avant-garde filmmaker Péter Lichter, which utilizes appropriated footage from Bram Stoker’s Dracula. Another notable entry is Mickey & Richard by Ryan A. White and A.P. Pickle, a portrait of 1980s gay porn icon Mickey Squires.

Restorations featured in this segment include Tracing to Expo ’70 by Liao Hsiang-hsiung, which combines musical elements, travelogue, and mystery to reflect on the first world exposition held in Asia, and Tiki Tiki (1971) by Gerald Potterton, described as a surreal meta-movie featuring animated characters in a live-action Soviet-style fantasy.

Reflecting on Feminist Movement and Cinema History

Vanja Kaludjercic, festival director at IFFR, remarked on the significance of both “The Future Is NOW” and “Cinema Regained,” noting that they embody the festival’s commitment to revisiting works and histories that deserve greater recognition in contemporary discussions. “With ‘The Future Is NOW,’ we reflect on a pivotal moment in the history of feminist movements and track the evolution of women’s filmmaking across different eras and geographical contexts,” Kaludjercic explained.

The festival aims to shed light on women filmmakers whose contributions have often been marginalized, thereby enriching the ongoing dialogue about the role of women in cinema. The emphasis on diverse storytelling not only celebrates historical achievements but also inspires future generations of filmmakers and audiences alike. As the event approaches, anticipation builds for the unique insights and powerful narratives that will emerge from this year’s program.