Engaging audiences
With a sudden switch to an online format in December 2021, IFFR brought its 51st edition to audiences with a streamlined lineup of titles available nationwide, a distinct and colourful campaign, partnerships and extensive efforts via social media and online services on IFFR.com.
IFFR 2022 presented 54 films to national audiences on IFFR.com – after moving online in response to lockdown measures introduced on 19 December in the Netherlands. The world premiere of Along the Way in cinemas added an on-site dimension during the festival’s closing weekend, following the lifting of Covid-19 measures and the opening of cinemas on 26 January.
Online reach in the Netherlands and globally
The festival registered 177,267 online audience visits from 26 January to 6 February 2022. This figure was generated by multiplying the number of tickets by a factor of 1.7 per household. This multiplication factor is based on a survey among nearly 3,500 ticket holders done in 2021. An additional 3,370 tickets were sold for the physical screenings of Along the Way.
Due to the distinct festival format the attendance and engagement during IFFR 2022 cannot be directly compared to previous editions.
Online screenings were made available to audiences in the Netherlands on IFFR.com. 40% of audience members were based in South Holland, of which Rotterdam is the largest city, while representation in North Holland (which includes Amsterdam, Haarlem and Alkmaar) increased by 8 percentage points to 32%. Viewers from other provinces made up 28% of the audience. Big Talks were available globally for free.
“Happy thoughts – IFFR has been a personal highlight for years, helping me to give meaning to the beginning of the year. When the holiday season is over and spring still feels far away, IFFR brings light to short days!” – IFFR audience member
* Based on the question "How likely are you to recommend IFFR to friends, family or colleagues", our customer loyalty has been measured and rated 41 in 2022, compared to 43 in 2021 and 65 in 2020.
[Please note that IFFR 2022 attendance and engagement cannot be directly compared with IFFR 2021; last year’s hybrid festival consisted of two separate chapters in February and June. IFFR 2022 took place online from 26 January to 6 February, with the exception of the Along the Way on-site world premiere.]
Enhancing our online services
After developing the innovative online platform in 2021, IFFR continued to enhance its online presence and services. The online platform enabled IFFR 2022 to offer films both on demand and as timed screenings. The edition additionally hosted Big Talks and IFFR Pro Days events online.
Revamped press conferences and events including the Opening Night, Closing Night and IFFR Awards Ceremony were streamed live from studios in ‘de Doelen’ in Rotterdam. The recordings were also made available on IFFR.com afterwards on-demand. In order to connect with our audiences and industry guests, IFFR 2022 made use of online communications tools such as video conferencing software Zoom and integrated a live chat to accompany online screenings.
The screening of the edition’s closing film King Hu’s Dragon Inn marked the close of IFFR 2022 and the launch of film programme and print publication 25 Encounters.
[Please note that IFFR 2022 attendance and engagement cannot be directly compared with IFFR 2021; last year’s hybrid festival consisted of two separate chapters in February and June. IFFR 2022 took place online from 26 January to 6 February, with the exception of the Along the Way on-site world premiere.]
Read more about the film programme here
Audience Award
The VriendenLoterij Audience Award, worth €10,000, was granted to the film which received the highest average rating in the audience poll following online screenings on IFFR.com. Freaks Out by Italian director Gabriele Mainetti won the VriendenLoterij Audience Award 2022.
Vibrant campaign and collaborations
A distinct and colourful 51st edition campaign was designed by Rotterdam-based agency 75B to highlight the multifaceted aspects of IFFR – from its extensively varied programme to its mosaic of audiences.
In order to reach new audiences, IFFR offered tailor-made film programmes to partners. VPRO and De Volkskrant were offered curated collections of films for the VPRO Preview Dag, VPRO Review Dag and De Volkskrantdag. The line-up presented eight titles, including Hit the Road by Panah Panahi and Noche de fuego by Tatiana Huezo.
Collaborations with Rotterdampas, CJP, Cineville, We Are Public and HipHopHuis enabled the festival to reach new target communities and successfully promote the Rotterdam-focused programme RTM. The consolidation of our social media campaigns featuring customised content, festival ambassadors and influencers complemented our online strategy towards new and diverse target communities.
