The 49th International Film Festival Rotterdam, the 2020 installment of the International Film Festival Rotterdam, took place on 22 January–2 February 2020.
The Cloud In Her Room by Zheng Lu Xinyuan won the Tiger Award, the top prize.
Juries Ammodo Tiger Short Nathanja van Dijk, filmmaker Safia Benhaim, filmmaker Greg de Cuir Jr., film curator and writer
Bright Future Beatriz Navas, director of ICAA Spain Zsuzsanna Király, head of development at Komplizen Film Michel Lipkes, Mexican filmmaker and director of Festival Internacional de Cine Universidad Nacional Autónoma de México
Official selection Bright Future The section highlighted work of young and emerging filmmakers, consisted of the Tiger competition, Ammodo Tiger Short competition, Bright Future competition, main, mid-length and short programmes.
Tiger The following films were selected to compete for the Tiger Award. The line-up was announced on 18 December 2019. Title Director(s) Production countrie(s) El año del descubrimiento Luis López Carrasco Spain, Switzerland Beasts Clawing at Straws Kim Yong-hoon South Korea The Cloud In Her Room Zheng Lu Xinyuan Hong Kong Desterro Maria Clara Escobar Brazil, Portugal, Argentina Drama Girl Vincent Boy Kars Netherlands La fortaleza Jorge Thielen Armand Venezuela, France, Netherlands, Colombia Kala azar Janis Rafailidou Netherlands, Greece Nasir Arun Karthick India, Netherlands Piedra sola Alejandro Telemaco Tarraf Argentina, Mexico, Qatar, United Kingdom Si yo fuera el invierno mismo Jazmín López Argentina
Ammodo Tiger Short The following films were selected to compete for the Ammodo Tiger Short Competition. The line-up was announced on 4 December 2019. Title Director(s) Production countrie(s) 3 Logical Exits Mahdi Fleifel Denmark, United Kingdom, Lebanon Aggregate States of Matters Rosa Barba Peru, Germany Apiyemiyekî? Ana Vaz France, Netherlands ApparitionIsmaïl Bahri France Aquí y allá Melisa Liebenthal France, Argentina Becoming Alluvium Thao Nguyen Phan Vietnam, Spain Beer Erik van Lieshout Netherlands A Bright Summer Diary Lei Lei United States A chuva acalanta a dor Leonardo Mouramateus Portugal, Brazil Communicating Vessels Maïder Fortuné, Annie MacDonell Canada The Eyes of Summer Rajee Samarasinghe Sri Lanka, United States Look Then Below Ben Rivers United Kingdom The Lost Procession Bani Abidi United Arab Emirates, Germany, Pakistan the names have changed, including my own and truths have been altered Onyeka Igwe United Kingdom Progressive Touch Michael Portnoy Austria, Netherlands, United States Sayōnara William Andreas Wivel Denmark Sun Dog Dorian Jespers Belgium Tendre Isabel Pagliai France They Parlaient Idéale Laure Prouvost France, Belgium, Italy Tyrant Star Diane Severin Nguyen Vietnam, United States Wong Ping's Fables 2 Wong Ping Hong Kong
Bright Future The programme highlighted first feature films by aspiring filmmakers.
In competition The following films were selected to compete for the Bright Future Award. The line-up was announced on 18 December 2019. Title Director(s) Production countrie(s) Babai Artem Aisagaliev Russia, United States Chaco Diego Mondaca Bolivia, Argentina Los fantasmas Sebastián Lojo Guatemala, Argentina Fellwechselzeit Sabrina Mertens Germany For the Time Being Salka Tiziana Germany, Spain, Switzerland I Blame Society Gillian Wallace Horvat United States Moving On Yoon Dan-bin South Korea My Mexican Bretzel Nuria Giménez Lorang Spain Ofrenda Juan María Mónaco Cagni Argentina Panquiaco Ana Elena Tejera Panama A Rifle and a Bag Cristina Hanes, Isabella Rinaldi, Arya Rothe India Sebastian springt über Geländer Ceylan-Alejandro Ataman-Checa Germany The Trouble with Nature Illum Jacobi Denmark, France Truth or Consequences Hannah Jayanti United States Wisdow Teeth Liang Ming China
Main programme The programme highlighted cutting-edge work of contemporary filmmakers and a selection of emerging talent. Title Director(s) Production countrie(s) AIDOL Lawrence Lek United Kingdom Air Condition Fradique Angola Cenote Oda Kaori Japan Damp Season Gao Ming China Death Inhabits at Night Eduardo Morotó Brazil La dosis Martín Kraut Argentina Dwelling in the Fuchun Mountains Gu Xiaogang China En medio del laberinto Salomón Pérez Peru The Fever Maya Da-Rin Brazil L'île aux oiseaux Maya Kosa, Sérgio da Costa Switzerland The Invitation Saurav Rai India Longa noite Eloy Enciso Spain A Love Unknown John Clang Singapore Lusala Mugambi Nthiga Kenya The Magic Mountain Eitan Efrat, Daniel Mann Belgium Make Up Claire Oakley United Kingdom Merry Christmas, Yiwu Mladen Kovacevic Sweden Le miracle du Saint Inconnu Alaa Eddine Aljem Morocco My Morning Laughter Marko Đorđević Serbia Nafi's Father Mamadou Dia Senegal Non c'è nessuna Dark Side (atto uno 2007-2019) Erik Negro Italy The Painter and the Thief Benjamin Ree Norway Phases of Matter Deniz Tortum Turkey The Pregnant Tree and the Goblin Kim Dongryung, Park Kyoungtae South Korea Shell and Joint Hirabayashi Isamu Japan Slow Machine Paul Felten, Joe DeNardo United States Some Kind of Heaven Lance Oppenheim United States Suzanne Daveau Luísa Homem Portugal This Is Not a Burial, It's a Resurrection Lemohang Jeremiah Mosese Lesotho Tierra adentro Mauro Colombo Panama Tlamess Ala Eddine Slim Tunisia The Tree House Truong Minh Quý Singapore VHYes Jack Henry Robbins United States We Are From There Wissam Tanios Lebanon
Voices The section consisted of: Big Screen Competition Voices main programme, which showcased the work of future in arthouse cinema, Limelight, which showcased international award-winners and festival favourites, Rotterdämmerung, which showcased the work in hardcore film genres, Scopitone, which showcased music documentaries, and Voices Short.
Big Screen Competition The following films were selected to compete for the VPRO Big Screen Award. The line-up was announced on 18 December 2019. Title Director(s) Production countrie(s) El cazador Marco Berger Argentina Eden Ágnes Kocsis Hungary, Romania Énorme Sophie Letourneur France The Evening Hour Braden King United States Fanny Lye Deliver'd Thomas Clay United Kingdom, Germany Mosquito João Nuno Pinto Portugal, France, Brazil A Perfectly Normal Family Malou Reymann Denmark Synapses Chang Tso-chi Taiwan A Yellow Animal Felipe Bragança Brazil, Portugal, Mozambique
Voices Main Programme The programme highlighted the work of future in arthouse cinema. Title Director(s) Production countrie(s) All This Victory Ahmad Ghossein Lebanon Antigone Sophie Deraspe Canada BattleScar – Punk Was Invented by Girls Nico Casavecchia, Martin Allais France Birds (Or How to Be One) Babis Makridis Greece Bitter Chestnut Gurvinder Singh India Black Bag Shao Qing China Children of the Sea Ayumu Watanabe Japan Il colpo del cane Fulvio Risuleo Italy Cook, F**k, Kill Mira Fornay Czech Republic A Dark, Dark Man Adilkhan Yerzhanov Kazakhstan Emilia César Sodero Argentina Fidelity Nigina Sayfullaeva Russia Gaadi Prasanna Vithanage Sri Lanka Happy Old Year Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit Thailand A linha Ricardo Laganaro Brazil The Longest Day Jonas Selberg Augustsén Sweden Los que vuelven Laura Casabé Argentina The Making of [5x1] Midi Z Taiwan Moffie Oliver Hermanus South Africa The Moneychanger Federico Veiroj Uruguay Mother Kristof Bilsen Belgium Not in This World Park Jungbum South Korea O [5x1] Qiu Yang Taiwan Only You Alone Zhou Zhou China The Orphanage Shahrbanoo Sadat Denmark Parasite (B&W Version) Bong Joon-ho South Korea Passenger Isobel Knowles, Van Sowerwine Australia Rose Stone Star Marcello Sannino Italy The Science of Fictions Yosep Anggi Noen Indonesia South Terminal Rabah Ameur-Zaïmeche France Tenzo Tomita Katsuya Japan Valley of Souls Nicólas Rincón Gille Colombia Vendrá la muerte y tendrá tus ojos José Luis Torres Leiva Chile White on White Théo Court Spain A Witness Out of the Blue Andrew Fung Hong Kong You Know Him Ercan Kesal Turkey You Will Die at Twenty Amjad Abu Alala Sudan Zombi Child Bertrand Bonello France
Limelight The programme showcased international award-winners and festival favourites. Title Director(s) Production countrie(s) Adam Maryam Touzani Morocco Adoration Fabrice Du Welz Belgium Atlantics Mati Diop Senegal Atlantis Valentyn Vasyanovych Ukraine Babyteeth Shannon Murphy Australia Bacurau Kleber Mendonça Filho, Juliano Dornelles Brazil Balloon Pema Tseden China The Barefoot Emperor Jessica Woodworth, Peter Brosens Belgium Beanpole Kantemir Balagov Russia A Beautiful Day in the Neighborhood Marielle Heller United States Corpus Christi Jan Komasa Poland Deux Filippo Meneghetti France Ema Pablo Larraín Chile Farewell Paradise Sonja Wyss Netherlands Fire Will Come Oliver Laxe Spain Ghost Tropic Bas Devos Belgium A Girl Missing Kōji Fukada Japan Goud Rogier Hesp Netherlands Just 6.5 Saeed Roustayi Iran The Lighthouse Robert Eggers United States Little Women Greta Gerwig United States Marona's Fantastic Tale Anca Damian France Matthias & Maxime Xavier Dolan Canada Les Misérables Ladj Ly France Muidhond Patrice Toye Belgium Paradise Drifters Mees Peijnenburg Netherlands The Perfect Candidate Haifaa al-Mansour Saudi Arabia Proxima Alice Winocour France Sibyl Justine Triet France A Son Mehdi M. Barsaoui Tunisia Sound of Metal Darius Marder United States True History of the Kelly Gang Justin Kurzel Australia Uncut Gems Benny Safdie, Josh Safdie United States The Whistlers Corneliu Porumboiu Romania The Wild Goose Lake Diao Yinan China Working Girls Frédéric Fonteyne, Anne Paulicevich Belgium
Rotterdämmerung The programme showcased the work in hardcore film genres. Title Director(s) Production countrie(s) Boyz in the Wood Ninian Doff United States Bring Me Home Kim Seung-woo South Korea ColOZio Artemio Narro Mexico Detention John Hsu Taiwan L'état sauvage David Perrault France First Love Takashi Miike Japan Gutterbee Ulrich Thomsen Denmark Impetigore Joko Anwar Indonesia Jallikattu Lijo Jose Pellissery India The Long Walk Mattie Do Laos Saint Maud Rose Glass United Kingdom Special Actors Ueda Shinichiro Japan
Deep Focus The section highlighted work of compilations, retrospectives and other formats in cinema. The section consisted of: Frameworks, which highlighted art films by emerging artists, Signatures, which showcased new work of established filmmakers, Regained, which showed restored classic films, films about filmmakers, experimental works and installations, Beth B: War Is Never Over, which showcased the selection of work about female identity, power and sexuality, curated by Beth B, Marion Hänsel, à la vie, which showcased the work of Marion Hänsel, and Deep Focus Short, which paid tribute to Kiluanji Kia Henda and Leonardo Mouramateus.
Signatures The programme showcased new work of established filmmakers. Title Director(s) Production countrie(s) Bring Down the Walls Phil Collins United States Il diario di Angela – Noi due cineasti. Capitolo secondo Yervant Gianikian Italy The Doll's Breath Brothers Quay United Kingdom Les enfants d'Isadora Damien Manivel France Un film dramatique Éric Baudelaire France The Halt Lav Diaz Philippines A Hidden Life Terrence Malick Germany How to Overthrow the US Government (Legally) Caveh Zahedi United States Jeanne d'Arc Bruno Dumont France Krabi, 2562 Ben Rivers, Anocha Suwichakornpong Thailand Liberté Albert Serra France Little Joe Jessica Hausner Austria No.7 Cherry Lane Yonfan Hong Kong Las poetas visitan a Juana Bignozzi Laura Citarella, Mercedes Halfon Argentina Sandlines Francis Alÿs Iraq Vitalina Varela Pedro Costa Portugal
Perspectives The section presented the IFFR's thematic programme and showcased the relevant social and political issues in cinema. The section consisted of: The Tyger Burns, which presented the contemporary work of old filmmakers, Synergetic, which showcased the alternative histories of mainstream narrative in cinema, Ordinary Heroes: Made in Hong Kong, which presented the political, social and economic tensions in Hong Kong,