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30 Jan – 9 Feb 2025

IFFR appoints Marten Rabarts as Head of IFFR Pro

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The former Head of SeeNL and Director of New Zealand Film Festival joins ahead of the 2025 edition.

IFFR has appointed Marten Rabarts to the position of Head of IFFR Pro, effective immediately. Recently, Rabarts served as Festival Director at the New Zealand International Film Festival. His extensive global career also has significant legacy in the Netherlands, both as Head of EYE International (now SeeNL) – where he was responsible for the promotion of Dutch film and film culture worldwide for four years and as Artistic Director of the ground-breaking development centre Binger Filmlab in Amsterdam for 12 years. Rabarts will work closely with IFFR’s Festival Director, Vanja Kaludjercic, and report into Chief of Content, Melissa van der Schoor.

As Head of IFFR Pro, Rabarts will play a crucial role in building this sustainable and cutting-edge industry programme, developing and implementing IFFR’s industry strategy, establishing new partnerships and delivering the festival’s industry programmes. 2025 marks the 25th anniversary of the Rotterdam Lab, a training workshop for producers at the start of their career with the aim of offering emerging international professionals the means to build and develop their network. IFFR will also feature an industry day dedicated to the Dutch film ecosystem. Another key focus for the upcoming edition is the Darkroom, IFFR Pro’s programme of work-in-progress screenings that takes place during CineMart. The projects presented are either supported by the Hubert Bals Fund or formerly presented at CineMart – bolstering support of projects across their lifecycle.

The 54th edition of IFFR will take place from 30 January – 9 February 2025, with the IFFR Pro Days running between 31 January – 5 February 2025. Through the co-production market CineMart, Pro Hub and talent development programmes, including Rotterdam Lab, IFFR Pro is integral to IFFR’s ambition to nurture talent, providing them with the tools and networks to develop their projects and careers. 

Vanja Kaludjercic, Festival Director at IFFR, said: “Marten has an incredible track record in both developing and implementing industry programmes and in elevating Dutch film culture on the global stage – making him the ideal person to spearhead and revitalise our industry offering, across both our existing strands and by forging new initiatives. His strategic, entrepreneurial and curatorial vision is unparalleled and we are very proud to have him joining the team. IFFR has a history of trailblazing both in artistic selection but also through creating vital spaces for the industry to meet and collaborate – and we look forward to building on that in our upcoming edition together.”

“After more than 20 years close collaboration with IFFR I’m honoured and excited to come on board as Head of IFFR Pro, to build on the incredible legacy of award-winning films and many powerful careers that have been nurtured and launched in Rotterdam over the past decades.  
I share a vision with my colleagues at the Festival and the Hubert Bals Fund that the coming years present exciting opportunities for IFFR Pro to innovate and refresh its already impressive bouquet of events and activities,” added Marten Rabarts, “Moving nimbly in direct response to the complex needs of local and global filmmaking communities has been a defining hallmark of IFFR Pro, since the inception of CineMart over four decades ago and made it the market-defining model for co production and project financing markets around the world today. This DNA for change informed by a profound connection to film-makers; Directors, Writers, Producers,  will  continue  as it always has to underpin the work and drive us forward.”

New Zealand-born Rabarts has recently concluded work as a script mentor on the inaugural edition of Jane Campion’s A Wave In The Ocean Lab, which followed his tenure as Festival Director of Whanau Marama – New Zealand International Film Festival. He has a particularly strong affinity for and knowledge of Indigenous stories and cinema, which stems from his own New Zealand Māori ( Ngati Porou/Nga Puhi) heritage. Previously, Rabarts served as Head of EYE International (now SeeNL),  and Head of Development and Training at the NFDC – the National Film Development Corporation – in Mumbai, India. 

During his time in Mumbai he has set up NFDC LABS, the successor to the NFDC Film Bazaar Labs, which he had led since 2008. Prior to his time in India, he was  artistic director of the Binger Filmlab in Amsterdam for 12 years. He is also a member of the advisory board of the TorinoFilmLab, CPH:DOX Lab and Clinik Kathmandu. 

Rabarts began his working life as an actor and a dancer, after which he worked in London at organisations including PolyGram Filmed Entertainment and Working Title. His film credits include Jennifer Kent’s The Babadook, Edina Pintilie’s Berlinale  Golden Bear winning Touch Me Not and Ritesh Batra’s The Lunchbox.

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