Tips from IFFR ambassador Marco Dreijer

As an ambassador for International Film Festival Rotterdam I am focusing this year on queer narratives. Film is a powerful medium to showcase diverse perspectives and celebrate identities. This year, I am particularly excited about the films and filmmakers who not only represent queer cinema but also challenge and redefine it. Here are my absolute must-sees:
¡Homofobia!
Goyo Anchou | Argentina | 2024 | 72′ | Cinema Regained
What starts as a self-portrait of an angry filmmaker evolves into a cinephile treatise after a heavenly intermezzo. ¡Homofobia! is a dazzlingly crafted call to resistance and a manifesto for film as a way of theorizing and philosophizing.
IFFR Pro Dialogue: The State of Queer Film
Industry | IFFR Pro
How can we best provide a platform for queer films? Filmmakers, producers, and festival programmers share their insights on the state of queer cinema. I am eager to follow these discussions and witness their impact.
Rains over Babel / Llueve sobre Babel
Gala del Sol | Colombia | 2024 | 111′ | Bright Future
A unique queer interpretation of Dante’s Inferno, set in a bar where characters encounter Death in person. This magical-realist masterpiece offers a psychedelic and mysterious exploration of identity and fate.
Endless
Wojciech Puś | Poland | 2024 | 109′ | Harbour
Non-binary X embarks on a labyrinthine journey through bodies, sex, and transformation. Endless introduces a radical new cinematic language, illustrating how queerness resists being confined to existing narratives.
Focus: Matthew Lax
Matthew Lax’s work showcases how performance and documentary can provide queer interpretations of diverse themes. His films critically examine power, identity, and archival material in an innovative way.
Queer stories are essential in cinema. They help document history, break stereotypes, and celebrate diversity. I am incredibly excited to meet these filmmakers and engage in conversations about their work and the impact of queer cinema.