IFFR 2024 in cinemas
16 February 2024
From the festival to the cinema screen, find out which IFFR titles can be seen in theatres now.
New releases
Terrestrial Verses
dir. Ali Asgari, Alireza Khatami, Iran
Across delicate dialogues that broach minor and major taboos, civilians in Tehran run up against a host of authority figures in everyday situations. A deliciously dark satire, Terrestrial Verses unveils the nature of the control that Iranian citizens are subject to from birth to death.
From 25 April
Green Border
Agnieszka Holland, Poland, France, Czech Republic, Belgium
The swampy forests on the border between Belarus and Poland are the central location of this kaleidoscopic fiction from Agnieszka Holland: a film that follows the crossing paths of different characters whose lives are dramatically altered by the ongoing geopolitical humanitarian crisis.
From 18 April
78 Days
dir. Emilija Gašić, Serbia
After their father is conscripted during the 1999 NATO bombing of Serbia, three sisters begin a Hi8 video diary in their countryside home. Themes of war, girlhood and video memory seamlessly intertwine in this touching, intimate coming-of-age tale.
Banel & Adama
dir. Ramata-Toulaye Sy, France, Senegal, Mali
Newly-wed couple Banel and Adama defy their community’s traditions to live together in a house outside the village. However this spirit of independence won’t be easily tolerated, and the village is soon visited upon by a deadly drought, severely straining the bond between the lovers.
Blue Giant
dir. Tachikawa Yuzuru, Japan
Adapted from Shinichi Ishizuka’s manga of the same name, Blue Giant is a spirited, delightfully chaotic and intimate story of self-discovery and friendship. With a scorching passion for jazz throughout, it resonates like a perfectly improvised note.
Close Your Eyes
dir. Víctor Erice, Spain, Argentina
Víctor Erice, living legend of Spanish cinema, finishes his first feature film in 31 years. Close Your Eyes is a melancholic tribute to the power and meaning of cinema and a deeply personal mediation on his own oeuvre.
Los delincuentes
dir. Rodrigo Moreno, Argentina, Luxembourg
A bank employee commits a heist and turns a reluctant co-worker into his secret accomplice, their destinies become dramatically intertwined. Full of mutations and detours, Los delincuentes turns out to be many films in one: when you think you’ve figured it out, it darts away.
Evil Does Not Exist
dir. Hamaguchi Ryūsuke, Japan
Opening as a fable of a community standing up for a pristine environment against a corporate developer, Hamaguchi Ryusuke's Evil Does Not Exist takes you on a path deep into a breathtaking wintry arcadia and the corners of human nature.
Four Daughters
dir. Kaouther Ben Hania, France, Tunisia, Germany
When Tunisian mother Olfa’s two eldest daughters disappear, the remaining family is left to examine their memories and traumas. Using a unique process combining direct interviews and re-enactments, this raw and riveting hybrid documentary explores the powers of rebellion, resilience and sisterhood.
The Iron Claw
dir. Sean Durkin, United States, United Kingdom
Before the US pro-wrestling circuit became a multi-billion-dollar industry, there were the Von Erichs, a sibling clan who dominated the sport in the 1980s. Sean Durkin's impressive drama features performances by Zac Efron, Jeremy Allen White and Lily James.
Melk
dir. Stefanie Kolk, Netherlands
Nadat haar kindje doodgeboren wordt, begint Robin melk te produceren. Niet in staat om uiting te geven aan haar enorme verdriet, besluit ze haar moedermelk te doneren. De debuutspeelfilm van Stefanie Kolk is een krachtige, aangrijpende studie over de stille facetten van verlies.
The Promised Land
dir. Nikolaj Arcel, Denmark
Denmark, 1755. Retired captain Ludvig Kahlen (Mads Mikkelsen) sets out to the barren plains of Jutland, hoping to turn it into arable territory. To achieve his goal, however, he must overcome the cold-blooded landlord Frederik De Schinkel, who sees Kahlen as a trespasser on his domain.
Rapito
dir. Marco Bellocchio, Italy, France, Germany
Drama, thriller and analysis of structures of power, Rapito is a poignant intrigue based on the real case of Edgardo Mortara: a Jewish boy born in Bologna in 1851, abducted from his family at six-years-old and raised Catholic by the sinister Papal authorities.
De wereld van Carlijn
dir. Ariane Greep, Netherlands
Dutch artist and cartographer Carlijn Kingma is finishing her ambitious artwork The Waterworks of Money, on the ways the financial sector shapes society. In this intimate documentary filmmaker Ariane Greep shows a master at work, who uses art to make complex and urgent issues visible.
The Zone of Interest
dir. Jonathan Glazer, United States, United Kingdom, Poland
In Auschwitz Rudolf Höss (Christian Friedel) and his wife Hedwig (Sandra Hüller) set up their idyllic new home. Jonathan Glazer’s Cannes Grand Prix-winning film is a stunningly sensorial and harrowing exploration of a life lived in the shadow of unspeakable horror.
Coming soon
The Beast
Bertrand Bonello, France, Canada
This science fiction melodrama jumps between past lives, each haunted by love. In 1910, 2014 and 2044, three versions of Gabrielle (Léa Seydoux) live very different lives, with the same recurring ghosts: among them, an apocalyptic foreboding and a man – Louis (George MacKay).
From 9 May
Bijt
dir. Guido Coppis, Netherlands
A dysfunctional love affair offering a shimmer of hope in Guido Coppis’ debut feature. Mark's (Reinout Scholten van Aschat) life has lost all colour. But then, at his grandfather’s death bed, he meets Lisa (Frieda Barnhard) – who is almost as destructive as he is.
From 30 May
Boléro
dir. Anne Fontaine, France, Belgium
Maurice Ravel’s Boléro remains one of the most beloved classical compositions of the twentieth century. It lies at the heart of Anne Fontaine’s (Coco avant Chanel, 2009) involving biopic, which details the role three women played in the composer’s creative process.
From 23 May
Daaaaaali!
Quentin Dupieux, France
Not a conventional biopic of famous Spanish artist Salvador Dalí, but a neo-surrealistic reverie by Quentin Dupieux on identity, image, performance and ultimately the cinema itself. Numerous actors are used to play the flamboyant Dalí, forever 'acting out' his outrageous whims and impulses.
From 23 May
a Few Mornings, an Evening
Astrid van Nimwegen, Netherlands
Dogs, sheep, goats, humans and many other animals go about their daily affairs on a farm in the Czech countryside. Tenderly capturing their reciprocal dynamics, a Few mornings, an Evening invites us to observe and reflect on our relationship with animals in human agriculture.
From 2 May
Krazy House
Steffen Haars, Flip van der Kuil, Nederland
What begins as a mock sitcom about a cutesy family gradually becomes a home invasion thriller and then an apocalyptic horror movie. Popular Dutch duo Steffen & Flip serve up a riotous, extreme, unhinged comedy – featuring none other than Nick Frost and Alicia Silverstone!
From May 16
Levante
dir. Lillah Halla, Brazil, France, Uruguay
When the star player of a Brazilian high-school volleyball team discovers she is pregnant, her attempts to seek an abortion in a country where it is illegal are undermined by right-wing activists, in this timely and moving portrait of resilience and friendship.
Winner IFFR Youth Jury Award 2024
From 20 June
Lost in the Night
dir. Amat Escalante, Mexico, Germany, Netherlands, Sweden
Does the luxury home of a celebrity artist couple hide a shocking truth? And can two working-class teenagers uncover this truth without getting killed? IFFR regular Amat Escalante changes his signature style in this gripping tale of power, politics and persuasion in contemporary Mexican society.
From 16 May
Together 99
dir. Lukas Moodysson, Sweden
Once a thriving collective of colourful individuals, the Tillsammans commune now only has two members, Göran and Klasse. To raise their flagging spirits, Klasse invites erstwhile members for a reunion. As they catch up over a highly eventful evening, old scars resurface alongside new hopes.
From 30 May
