Main Takeaways From IFFR Pro: U.S. Indies Find Shelter, Brazil Comes Strong, New Projects by ‘Leonor Will Never Die’ and ‘Samba Infinito’ Directors Crowned 

The International Film Festival Rotterdam crowned its industry award winners on Wednesday following an intense six days of activities in the Dutch city. The awards encompassed all arms of the festival’s industry sections, encompassing CineMart, Darkroom, Lightroom and Safe Harbour, benefiting projects in all stages of development. Winners include “Daughters of the Sea,” by “Leonor Will Never Die” director Martika Ramirez Escobar, and “Neon Phantom,” by “Samba Infinito” director Leonardo Martinelli. 

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In a statement, the head of IFFR Pro Marten Rabarts emphasized the importance of new initiatives such as Safe Harbor, Cinemart x HBF and Lightroom at this year’s edition, stating that “the breadth and evolution of this year’s program was a true reflection of our commitment to meeting filmmakers’ shifting needs.”

“Tonight it was a privilege to come together and celebrate all the market projects, including the winners, each of which has gained remarkable momentum over the past few days – and to round out another powerful edition of IFFR Pro that has sparked connections, unlocked new partnerships and propelled projects closer to a life on the screen and beyond,” he added.

The creation of new key initiatives was one of the several key topics discussed by industry players on the ground. Below, Variety rounds up some of the main talking points at this year’s IFFR Pro, plus a full list of award-winners: 

The Trump effect: U.S. indies heading back to Rotterdam

In an interview with Variety ahead of the festival, Rabarts emphasized how one of his key priorities this year and in the years to come was to restore the relationship between IFFR Pro and the U.S. indie scene. This is not only a decision informed by market needs, but also by observing how certain American filmmakers have faced a different but still present form of displacement under the Trump administration. Rabarts brought up how “Watermelon Woman” director Cheryl Dunye had to come to Rotterdam last year because “she couldn’t find support for her next project in the U.S.”

Speaking with Variety, “The Gymnast” director Charlotte Glynn spoke as to how the current sociopolitical unrest in the U.S. has made it even more important for American films to have space at festivals like Rotterdam. She praised her international team, including talent from Mexico, Brazil and China. “This group from around the world all helped shape the movie. I’m so grateful for how each of their perspectives has deepened the story I wanted to tell. The reality is that in the United States right now, many of my incredible collaborators won’t feel safe or could have come to a premiere because of the viciousness and violence of the current administration, which makes our premiere at Rotterdam even more special.”

James N. Kienitz Wilkins, whose “The Misconceived” played in Harbour, offered a more industry-focused point of view: “I was recently told by a well-known U.S. programmer that he was obliged to go to Sundance, but always looked to Rotterdam for what’s really going on.”

Displacement crisis: flexibility is key 

This year’s festival kicked off with the world premiere of the first batch of films produced by the Cate Blanchett-spearheaded Displacement Film Fund, including new works by “The Seed of the Sacred Fig” director Mohammad Rasoulof and “Klondike” director Maryna Er Gorbach. Within one year, the festival announced the initiative, organized a selection committee, selected grantees, allocated funds and premiered six new films, crowning their efforts by recently announcing a second round of grants.

Throughout the Pro activities, there was a generalized feeling of: how did they pull that off? A festival fundraiser, who asked not to be identified, told Variety that they were in “awe” of how HBF managed to benefit from private funding from a major partner like UNIQLO for the initiative and still manage to organize and hand out the grants in time for the films to be produced under a very tight schedule. “I am very curious as to how this might become a practical example for other similar funds,” they added.

HBF head Tamara Tatishvili told Variety that agility was “key” to delivering the initiative. “One of the strengths of a fund like ours and our ecosystem is that we can be more flexible than many other financiers. In roles where the legal framework is more important, we would not be able to do some of those films. We had to be very agile.”

Can Rotterdam find Southeast Asia’s Park Chan-wook?

Rotterdam has a long legacy of supporting and platforming filmmakers from Southeast Asia, with a particular recent focus on Indonesia and Malaysia. A more recent development, however, is how the festival has turned into a fruitful connecting point to facilitate co-productions between countries from the region. EST N8 sales representative Sophie Shi told Variety that Rotterdam is still key when it comes to fomenting such deals, as well as “educating” Southeast Asian producers on the importance of international visibility. 

“A lot of producers in the region haven’t seen the value of why we would need international reach,” she adds. “However, if you look at the development of Korean cinema, it took years of active work. We still don’t have a Park Chan-wook in Southeast Asia, but we need to invest in that idea. Korea has proven that content from Asia can impact the whole world, so that should give us hope and encourage producers from our countries to educate producers internationally. Rotterdam is a great place for this to happen.” 

They’re Still Here: Brazil comes strong  

From a packed house on the festival’s first weekend for a career conversation with Kleber Mendonça Filho to sold-out screenings of Tiago Melo’s “Yellow Cake,” the Brazilian presence was palpable at this year’s festival. At the market, that was intensified tenfold thanks to HBF+Brazil, delivered in partnership with RioFilme, Spcine and Projeto Paradiso, and dedicated to supporting the early development of projects by second and third-time filmmakers from Brazil. 

Projeto Paradiso’s executive director, Josephine Bourgois, said their team leaves Rotterdam feeling it has been a “very special year” for Brazil at the festival. The exec highlighted not only the hefty Brazilian presence in all festival and pro programs but also the 40-person delegation on the ground, including over a dozen members of Projeto Paradiso’s very own talent network. “It emphasizes a feeling of continuity, but also of a renewed partnership that is becoming increasingly ambitious with projects such as HBF+Brazil.” 

IFFR Pro 2026 winners in full:

4DR Studios Awards

4DR Studios Award for Best Immersive Project in development:

“Chemin des Bâtards,” dir. by Leon Rogissart, produced by BNA-BBOT, UpscaleXR and Muziektheater Transparant (Belgium, Netherlands)

4DR Studios Award for Best Immersive work-in-progress project in Lightroom: 

“Cléo,” dir. Coco Chen, produced by Jolene Hsiao and Tsung Hsuan Yeh (Taiwan)

ArteKino International Award:

“The Poet’s Son,” dir. Nicolas Graux, produced by Alice Antoine, Joseph Rouschop, Rebecca Houzel and Natalia Drozd (Belgium, France, Germany)

Eurimages New Lab Awards

Innovation Award:

“Daughters of the Sea,” dir. Martika Ramirez Escobar, produced by Monster Jimenez and Rajiv Idnan (Philippines, Spain)

Outreach Award:

“LFD Hope,” dir. Joshua Loftin, produced by Balint Revesz and Anna Vághy (United Kingdom, Hungary)

Filmmore Awards

Filmmore Work-in-Progress Post-Production Award:

“The Hummingbird Paints Fragrant Songs,” dir Èlia Gasull Balada and Matteo Norzi, produced by Maria Altamirano (Peru, United States, Spain, Chile)

Filmmore Post-Production Award:

“Pale Faces,” dir. Chantel Clark, produced by Cait Pansegrouw and Frank Hoeve (Netherlands, South Africa)

HBF Empowerment Award

“Marina,” dir. Laís Santos Araújo and Pethrus Tibúrcio, produced by Pedro Krull (Brazil)

HBF x PUBLIKUM Audience Outreach Award

“Coumba,” dir. Mamadou Dia, produced by Eugenie Michel Villette (Senegal, France)

New Impulse Award

“Hidden Journey,” dir. Noura Adil (Sudan)

VIPO Award

“Neon Phantom,” dir. Leonardo Martinelli, produced by Felipe M. Bragança and Marina Meliande (Brazil)