Sensory-friendly screenings
We want everyone to enjoy cinema at IFFR. For visitors who are sensitive to stimuli, we offer a selection of sensory-friendly screenings with adjusted sound and lighting levels. Sensory-friendly screenings are designed for people who, for whatever reason, become overstimulated more quickly than others. They’re also suitable for anyone who prefers a calmer viewing experience.
What to expect
- Sound volume reduced to a maximum of 70 decibels
- Screening room lights remain dimmed (not fully dark) throughout the screening
- Maximum 30% cinema room capacity, so you won’t sit directly next to, in front of or behind other visitors
- You’re welcome to move around, leave and re-enter the cinema during the screening if needed
- You can bring your own headphones or earplugs
- A relaxed, understanding atmosphere where everyone can experience film in their own way
Please note
- The films themselves are possibly not sensory-friendly, only the screening environment is. To find out more about the films, make sure to watch the trailer or read about them on their respective film pages
- Pathé Schouwburgplein and LantarenVenster have spacious foyers but no dedicated quiet rooms
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Accessibility Pathé Schouwburgplein
How to get there
Take tram 1, 4, 5, 6, 7, 8 or 11 to Kruisplein. Alternatively, it’s a 6-minute walk from Rotterdam Centraal, so you can also take metro lines D or E to Centraal Station and walk from there. From metro station Stadhuis (lines D or E), it’s a 5-minute walk. From metro station Beurs (lines A, B or C), it’s a 5 to 10-minute walk.
Type of entrance
The entrance is barrier-free and has a manual door. The screening room doors are manual.To the venue
Go past the gates and then go right up the stairs. Walk through the snacks & drinks section towards the information desk. The route to Pathé Schouwburgplein 2 is now also indicated by the signs above you. Take the stairs down and you’ll find the room entrance on the right. The room will open 15 minutes before the screening starts. There you can scan your ticket from your phone or your printed ticket.Wheelchair accessibility
All rooms are wheelchair accessible and can be reached via the lift. Please approach the info desk at the location if you want to use the lift since it can only be used with the help of staff at the location.Get in touch at service@IFFR.com to reserve wheelchair seats.
A bathroom for visitors with disabilities is available.
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Accessibility LantarenVenster
How to get there
Take metro lines D or E, or tram 3 or 5 to Wilhelminaplein. From there, LantarenVenster can be reached within 10 minutes.Type of entrance
The entrance is barrier-free and has an automatic door. All rooms have manual doors and are accessible for wheelchair users and mobility scooters.To the venue
Go left past the bar in the center of the foyer and take the stairs up. The route to LantarenVenster 3 is now also indicated by the signs. At the entrance to the room, scan your ticket from your phone or your printed ticket. The room will open 15 minutes before the screening starts.Wheelchair accessibility
The venue is accessible for wheelchair users and mobility scooters. Get in touch at service@IFFR.com to reserve wheelchair seats.The entrance has an automatic door. All the rooms are accessible for wheelchair users and can be opened with via manual doors. All the rooms are accessible for mobility scooters, if it fits the elevator (85cm x 120cm), you can change to a regular chair. The first row in every room is reserved for wheelchair users. A toilet for wheelchair users is available on the ground floor, next to the other toilets.
For the hearing impaired and visually impaired
Unfortunately, there is no telecoil available.Assistance dogs are welcome. Please let us know before you purchase tickets.
Parking
There are some disabled parking spaces available in the neighbourhood.- Some parking spaces are available on Wilhelminapier for holders of a parking card for visitors with disabilities.
- Eight general disabled parking spaces on Otto Reuchlinweg, off Prinsendam (behind Nieuwe Luxor)
- One parking space for visitors with disabilities on Otto Reuchlinweg, off Westerdam
- Two general parking spaces for visitors with disabilities on Wilhelminakade off Hotel New York/World Port Center
Practical information
- Tickets can be purchased online here on this page, not via the programme page per day
- Standard IFFR ticket prices apply
- If you have specific questions or requirements, contact us via service@IFFR.com
Sensory-friendly screenings during IFFR 2026
ChaO dir. Aoki Yasuhiro (Japan)
Pathé Schouwburgplein 2, 30 January, 11:00-12:30
After a freak boating accident, engineer Stephan wakes to find himself engaged to the mermaid princess who saved his life. It’s good for the city, good for business, good for Stephan’s air jet project. There’s only one problem: his wife is a fish.
Elements of(f) Balance dir. Othmar Schmiderer (Austria)
LantarenVenster 3, 31 January, 9:30-11:13
If mankind managed to damage this planet’s ecosystem, then surely it also knows how to restore the balance? Othmar Schmiderer finds exemplary, often surprising answers to this assumption in amongst others Bangladesh, Ukraine and the Netherlands. A gem of artistic tranquillity and hope for the future.
Dolores dir. Maria Clara Escobar, Marcelo Gomes (Brazil)
Pathé Schouwburgplein 2, 4 February, 12:00-13:29
Sexagenarian Dolores has a premonition: she is going to become the owner of a casino. This vision becomes a driving force for her – meanwhile, her daughter and granddaughter strive to find their own paths. Can the three of them join forces to pursue their dreams?
Motherwitch dir. Minos Papas (Cyprus, North Macedonia, United States, Canada)
LantarenVenster 3, 5 February, 9:45-11:29
After the accidental death of her children, painter Eleni is shunned by her fellow villagers for bringing a curse upon them. Inconsolable and isolated, Eleni tries to resurrect her children through an image-making ritual, only to unleash furious otherworldly forces.
I Swear dir. Kirk Jones (United Kingdom)
Pathé Schouwburgplein 2, 5 February, 14:45-16:51
Growing up with Tourette syndrome in a small Scottish town in the mid-1980s, John Davidson (Robert Aramayo) fights the odds to eventually become a trail-blazing, decorated activist and advocate for his peers in the United Kingdom. Based on a true story.
Treat Her Like a Lady dir. Paloma Aguilera Valdebenito (Netherlands)
Pathé Schouwburgplein 2, 7 February, 10:00-11:55
During an Amsterdam heatwave, Sandra discovers her partner’s cheating and is dealt one financial blow after another. Spirited and hopeful, humorous and heart-wrenching, this insightful feature boasts a radiant performance from Nienke Plas as a mother refusing to be cowed by an apathetic social system.
The Waves Saga dir. Badrul Munir (Indonesia)
LantarenVenster 3, 7 February, 15:45-16:49
What can folklore offer besides a glimpse into the beliefs and customs of a community? Reflecting on the geomythology of West Java, The Waves Saga explores how scientific investigation into natural disasters finds vital insight in indigenous systems of knowledge.