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28 Jan – 7 Feb 2027

Displacement Film Fund Shorts

Each year on World Refugee Day (20 June), people around the world pause to reflect on the lives of those who have been forced to flee their homes. To mark the occasion, IFFR is presents a special programme on Wednesday 17 June, in collaboration with Buddy Film Foundation and Fenix, and supported by UNIQLO. The programme features two events: at Fenix, the Buddy Film Foundation hosts a workshop for filmmakers with lived experience of displacement, and at LantarenVenster, audiences can attend a screening of the Displacement Film Fund short films, which world premiered earlier this year at IFFR 2026.

The Displacement Film Fund was established in 2025 to champion and fund the work of displaced filmmakers, or filmmakers with a proven track record in creating authentic storytelling about the experiences of displaced people. During the pilot edition of the Fund, five filmmakers each received a production grant of €100,000, to develop their short films. The finished films had their world premieres at IFFR 2026 and were met with sold-out audiences and widespread acclaim.

DFF is spearheaded by actor, producer and UNHCR Global Goodwill Ambassador Cate Blanchett. The Founding Partners of the Fund are Master Mind, UNIQLO, Droom en Daad, the Tamer Family Foundation and Amahoro Coalition whose generous contributions enable the scheme. IFFR’s HBF is the Management Partner and UNHCR, the UN Refugee Agency, is supporting the project as Strategic Partner. Earlier this year, the SP Lohia Foundation joined as a new Major Partner.

Leading up to World Refugee Day, the five films supported during the pilot edition of the Fund will return to Rotterdam for a screening on Wednesday 17 June in LantarenVenster.

About the films

  • Allies in Exile

    Hasan Kattan (United Kingdom, Syria, 2026, 40 min.)

    Two Syrian filmmakers with a past shaped by war document the trauma of waiting for asylum, using friendship and storytelling to survive exile.

  • Rotation

    Maryna Er Gorbach (Ukraine, Turkey, 2026, 12 min.)

    “Rotation” is a therapeutic hypnosis ritual experienced by a young Ukrainian woman who shifted from civilian life to military service.

  • Sense of Water

    Mohammad Rasoulof (Iran, Germany, 2026, 39 min.)

    In the chill of exile, an Iranian writer confronts a foreign language – a language in which he must rediscover love, anger, joy and sorrow in order to write again.

  • Super Afghan Gym

    Shahrbanoo Sadat (Germany, 2026, 14 min.)

    In a gym in downtown Kabul, a group of housewives gather during the only hour of the day reserved for women.

  • Whispers of a Burning Scent

    Mo Harawe (Somalia, Austria, Germany, 2026, 28 min.)

    On the day of a crucial court hearing, a quiet wedding musician accused of manipulating his wife for personal gain must face the collapse of his marriage, the judgment of her children, and the burden of his own guilt.

Film tickets & prices

Click here to find out more about the workshop in Fenix.

Information about this event

Date:
June 17, 2026
Time:
19:30 – 22:15
Location:
LantarenVenster, Rotterdam

A list of events

  • Masterclass for filmmakers by IFFR and Buddy Career Boost

    On Wednesday 17 June, in the lead-up to World Refugee Day, IFFR and Buddy Film Foundation are organising a workshop for filmmakers with a refugee background.

    Published on:
    • Year-round 2026

  • IFFR Filmclub x Dokhuis in Oude Kerk Charlois

    IFFR Filmclub x Dokhuis returns for another edition on 5 June. This time, it will take place in the beautiful Oude Kerk Charlois, and we’ll screen Pretpark Hennie by Max Ploeg.

    Published on:
    • IFFR Filmclub
    • Year-round 2026

  • IFFR Filmclub x NNR x Bibliotheek Rotterdam

    This month, Netwerk Nieuw Rotterdam (NNR) is focusing on the theme of peace, where creating space to reflect on what peace means is central. That’s why, together with NNR and Bibliotheek Rotterdam, IFFR is hosting a Filmclub evening on the 28th of May.

    Published on:
    • IFFR Filmclub
    • Year-round 2026

  • Dakendagen x IFFR: Repo Man

    Enjoy a film night under the stars on the roof of the Mobypark Delftsestraat parking garage.

    Published on:
    • Year-round 2026