Costa Gavras, Miike Takashi and Mohammad Rasoulof have joined the roster of speakers at International Film Festival Rotterdam for the upcoming 54th edition, running from Jan. 30 – Feb. 9.
IFFR will present two strands of conversations: Big Talks, featuring dialogues between world-renowned figures from diverse disciplines, and Tiger Talks, offering explorations of film-related themes and addressing various issues including feminism, the legacy of colonialism, and cinema’s sociopolitical role.
Additional talks will take place during the RTM Day, IFFR’s program dedicated to Rotterdam on Jan. 31.
Furthermore, the IFFR Pro Dialogues program of industry-focused discussions will be held during the IFFR Pro Days, running between Jan. 31 – Feb. 5.
Also during the festival, IFFR will welcome further special guests to present their titles in selection, including Payal Kapadia (“All We Imagine as Light”), Jan-Willem van Ewijk (“Alpha.”), Uberto Pasolini (“The Return”), Matthieu Delaporte (“Le Comte de Monte-Cristo”), Julie Gayet (“Six jours”), Albert Serra (“Tardes de soledad”), Lou Ye (“An Unfinished Film”) and Wang Bing (“Youth: Trilogy”).
The new guests joining the Big Talks offering include Greek-French film director, screenwriter and producer Costa Gavras, and Miike Takashi, one of Japan’s most prolific and acclaimed filmmakers. Miike’s presence in Rotterdam is particularly significant, as IFFR played a key role in propelling him to international fame. These latest names join previously announced Big Talk speakers, including the filmmakers Albertina Carri and Cheryl Dunye, renowned for their daring explorations of unconventional narratives and complex identities.
Tiger Talks will explore topics including “Cinema and the Rise of Authoritarianism,” “Depicting Nightlife” and “True Crime.” The strand will also feature sessions with IFFR 2025’s Artists in Focus, exploring the history of women in film with Katja Raganelli, the interplay between history, archives and fiction with Timoteus Anggawan Kusno and Matthew Lax, and the socio-political evolution of Ukraine with Sergii Masloboishchykov – the first Ukrainian filmmaker to appear in competition at IFFR in 1995 and returning for this edition with the international premiere of “Yasa.”
Additionally, Saeed Nouri will share rare excerpts from 1940s-60s Iranian popular cinema to accompany the world premiere of his film “Tehran, an Unfinished History,” and filmmaker Jessica Sarah Rinland and art historian Sophie Berrebi will discuss how utilitarian photography and film challenge conventional notions of representation and knowledge.
This year, “Art Directions” features a special program of films and a conversation with renowned artist Amie Siegel followed by the screening of her works “Panorama” and “Bloodlines.”
The Tiger Talk “Cinema and the Rise of Authoritarianism,” presented also as one of the IFFR Pro Dialogues industry discussions, will be hosted together with the International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk, of which IFFR is a founding member together with IDFA and the European Film Academy, and welcomes “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” director Mohammad Rasoulof alongside Albertina Carri, Pier Giorgio Bellocchio, Erhan Örs and further speakers to be confirmed.
The RTM program will center on artists and stories from within the city with an impact far beyond. As part of the program, the three RTM talks will include a conversation between Ine Lamers and Sam Koopman; collaboration between IFFR and Rotterdam Writers’ Room, which will feature a deep dive into the writing process of “Drie dagen vis” with writer/director Peter Hoogendoorn; and a speculation into the city of Rotterdam with the “Imagine the City Otherwise” talk.
New this year to the IFFR Pro program is a series of intimate Meet the Expert sessions featuring names including experienced international producers Alex Boden and Bianca Balbuena, and script-consultant Claire Dobbin, who will share practical and insightful reflections on their practices with IFFR Pro delegates.
Vanja Kaludjercic, festival director at IFFR, said: “IFFR each year creates a space to bring people together in discovery and dialogue. We spotlight leading and emerging creators with fresh perspectives, unique vantage points, or particular expertise to share with our audiences and delegates – giving a platform to new ideas. Our team has curated an exciting and eclectic mix of speakers from Japanese filmmaking legend Miike Takashi to Alex Ross Perry, whose new work forms part of our Focus Program on VHS culture. With Big Talks anchored around individual creatives and their practise, and focused Tiger Talks, which give a chance to examine nuanced topics together – we are excited to welcome audiences back.”
The full lineup of talks is as follows:
BIG TALKS
Alex Ross Perry
One of the most uncompromising artists working in independent cinema today, Alex Ross Perry reflects on his inspirations and creative journey.
Cate Blanchett and Guy Maddin
Cate Blanchett and Guy Maddin will come together for an expansive dialogue about their creative collaboration on “Rumours,” the role of film festivals, the enduring power of the short film form and other topics.
Cheryl Dunye and Albertina Carri
Trailblazers Albertina Carri and Cheryl Dunye share their experiences in radical queer filmmaking.
Costa Gavras and Sungji Oh
Filmmaker Costa-Gavras and curator Sungji Oh discuss how archival film practices shape our cultural memories.
Miike Takashi and Saka Misako
Miike Takashi delves into his philosophy on the art and craft of filmmaking. He’ll be joined by producer Misako Saka, who has accompanied and facilitated this journey.
Steffen Haars and Joseph Kahn
Dive into the varied oeuvres and unlikely career paths of filmmakers Joseph Kahn and Steffen Haars.
TIGER TALKS
“Bloodlines” and Live Talk with Amie Siegel
Following a journey through the paintings of George Stubbs, Amie Siegel’s “Bloodlines” reveals connections between art and people. After the screening, artist and filmmaker Siegel will discuss her artistic practice and approach to working variously with film, video, photography, sculpture, painting and installation.
“Cinema and the Rise of Authoritarianism”
Filmmakers facing incursions on their freedoms share insights on maintaining their creativity in times of censorship and repression.
“Depicting Nightlife”
From raves to silent discos, how do IFFR filmmakers celebrate nightlife culture on the big screen.
“Futurisms”
Innovative multidisciplinary artist Omar Rodríguez-López explores the art of transcending genres and formats.
“Hold Video in Your Hands”
IFFR filmmakers and programmers reminisce and consider how VHS forever changed our engagement with film.
Jessica Sarah Rinland and Sophie Berrebi
Filmmaker Jessica Sarah Rinland and art historian Sophie Berrebi discuss archives, collections and the reliability of visual documents.
Matthew Lax and Timoteus Anggawan Kusno
IFFR 2025 Artists in Focus Timoteus Anggawan Kusno and Matthew Lax discuss their respective artistic practices.
Robby Müller Award – Lol Crawley
Recipient of the sixth Robby Müller Award, Lol Crawley discusses his extensive oeuvre.
“Rules of the Game”
What are the underlying rules for filmmakers working at the intersections of gaming and filmmaking cultures.
“Sergii Masloboishchykov and the Evolution of Ukraine Through His Cinema”
The first Ukrainian filmmaker to appear in competition at IFFR in 1995, Sergii Masloboishchykov returns with a 13-film retrospective.
“The History of Pre-revolutionary Iranian Cinema”
Saeed Nouri (“Tehran, An Unfinished History,” 2025) shares rare excerpts from 1940s-60s Iranian popular cinema.
“Through Cinema We Shall Rise!”
Researchers and a filmmaker trace the Afro-Asian Film Festival’s history, exploring articulations of the “Bandung Spirit.”
“True Crime”
How can stories of true crime be responsibly and sensitively brought to the screen and airwaves featuring Fabrice du Welz, director of “Maldoror” (Limelight) and Annegriet Wietsma, creator of the “Deventer Mediazaak” podcast.
“Women in Film – The Katja Raganelli Method”
Katja Raganelli shares how her 30-year œuvre of documentaries and portraits came to be.
RTM TALKS
“All Good Things Come in Threes”
A deep dive into the writing process of “Three Days of Fish” with writer/director Peter Hoogendoorn. Collaboration between IFFR and Rotterdam Writers’ Room.
“Expanding Frames – Filmmaking as Research”
Filmmaking as a research practice – an intimate conversation between Ine Lamers and Sam Koopman
“Imagine the City Otherwise”
What if we used our lenses speculatively and imagined the city of Rotterdam otherwise?
IFFR PRO DIALOGUES
IFFR Pro presents 10 Dialogues and six Meet the Expert sessions during the IFFR Pro Days (Jan. 31 – Feb. 5), including the following highlights:
“Access is Power” will investigate accessibility and equity in the film industry, both behind and in front of the camera.
“The State of Queer Film” will showcase the works of radical expression, activism and transition from filmmakers in the festival lineup.
“Taking the Pulse: Festivals in 2025” will invite programmers, curators and filmmakers to ponder the role of festivals in today’s industry, asking whether festivals can still claim to act as “gatekeepers and tastemakers.”
“The Ethics and Aesthetics of AI-Generated Film” will invite artists to explore the ethically ambiguous space of AI as both subject and image generator, as well as curators and programmers grappling with how to handle these films because of their complicated provenance and ethics.
On Feb. 4, IFFR Pro is pulling Dutch filmmaking talent into focus by hosting a day-long program on the impact of Dutch cinematic creativity across the globe – titled “Pulling Focus: NL 2025.” Sessions will feature a conversation between Ena Sendijarević (“Take Me Somewhere Nice,” “Sweet Dreams”) and Dutch actress Renée Soutendijk, as well an investigation into Dutch international co-production hosted together with ACE Producers. The afternoon sessions are dedicated to artificial intelligence.
