Annual Report 2019-2020

IFFR Pro – CineMart

Targeted at film professionals, IFFR Pro champions remarkable and outstanding filmmakers throughout the development process and beyond, both during the festival period and year-round.

IFFR Pro is:

a facilitator (with CineMart)
a talent incubator (with Rotterdam Lab)
a connective collaborator (with BoostNL and IFFR x VR)
reflective and forward facing (with Reality Check)

At the centre of IFFR Pro lies CineMart, the international co-production market celebrating its 37th edition at IFFR 2020. Presenting a carefully curated selection of projects, CineMart helps their creators find the right creative, strategic and financial partners for development, (co-)production and international distribution. Its open and productive atmosphere provides space to discover talent, evaluate existing and future business models and get inspired. In 2020, 17 new feature film projects were presented to 684 delegates in attendance (+60 compared to 2019). For an overview of the projects, visit here.

CineMart not only builds on great achievements of the past, but is actively integrating the future of our business within its project selection and events.

– CineMart 2020 participant

Nine projects participated in BoostNL, a collaboration between CineMart and Holland Film Meeting (HFM), the professionals' programme of the Netherlands Film Festival. BoostNL offers a tailor-made, 5-month programme including sessions with experts from inside and outside the film industry – from script consultants to sales agents, from make-up artists to VFX experts, and from philosophers to scientists. During CineMart, the projects were presented to an industry audience and (for the first time in 2020) matched with mentors. For the full BoostNL selection, visit here.

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During the fourth edition of IFFR Pro x VR Days, both parties worked together to stimulate new forms of visual experiences. In October 2019, nine VR works were presented at VR Days Europe in Amsterdam. At IFFR 2020, four of these were presented again at CineMart. In addition, a one-day conference focused on the enormous leap narrative VR has taken in the past year. Read more on the state of VR.

The raison d'être of Rotterdam Lab has always been clear: to provide young filmmakers with the experience they need. The programme enables emerging talents to build their network by pitching and talking to established industry guests in attendance. For its 20th edition, Rotterdam Lab 2020 welcomed 69 producers from 31 countries. Read more on Rotterdam Lab.

IFFR Pro grants several awards to projects. Projects from CineMart, BoostNL and VR are all eligible. For the winners of 2020, go to the announcement.