Darkroom
Darkroom offers a platform for the international industry to access exclusive previews of recently or nearly completed films seeking completion or gap funding, sales agents and festival selections.

Darkroom expanded in 2025 to present for the first time twelve projects during CineMart – ten feature fiction and two immersive projects – all supported by the Hubert Bals Fund, formerly presented at CineMart or with a Rotterdam Lab alumni attached. In 2026, Darkroom will showcase ten feature length projects and two immersive works nearing completion.
About Darkroom
Darkroom is IFFR’s work-in-progress platform that takes place during CineMart. Darkroom is a platform for recently completed or nearly finished films – all supported by the Hubert Bals Fund, formerly presented at CineMart or with a Rotterdam Lab alumni attached – seeking completion funding, sales agents, and festival platforming and exposure.
The selected teams will have the chance to present their work to international sales agents, festival programmers and buyers, and will receive tailored mentorship from senior editors, marketing strategists, festival experts and distribution professionals.
Through Darkroom, IFFR nurtures its ongoing relationships with previously supported creators, producers and projects and provides ongoing support as their careers and projects evolve.
Darkroom call for submissions
Submissions are now open for Darkroom, next taking place from 31 January to 4 February during IFFR 2026. Previously selected CineMart titles, Hubert Bals Fund-supported projects, or Rotterdam Lab alumni can apply with their feature films or immersive works-in-progress by 15 October 2025.
Darkroom-presented projects
-
Darkroom 2025
The Art Patron, Julia Thelin, Sweden, Denmark
Produced by: Grand Slam Film, Hyena FilmBayaan, Bikas Ranjan Mishra, India
Produced by: Platoon One Films, Summit StudiosBloques Erráticos, Thomas Woodroffe, Chile, France, Argentina
Produced by: Fiebre SpA, La Belle Affaire Productions, Un PumaDry Leaf, Alexandre Koberidze, Germany, Georgia
Produced by: New Matter FilmsThe Great Orator, Daniel Ernst, Netherlands (immersive)
Produced by: K.O ProductionsLa hiedra, Ana Cristina Barragán, Ecuador, Mexico, France, Spain
Produced by: Boton Films, BHD Films, Ciné-Sud Promotion, Guspira FilmsKaktarua, Yudhajit Basu, Prithvijoy Ganguly, India, Taiwan
Produced by: The Victoria Foundation, U Turn Pictures, Betula FilmsLast Night I Conquered the City of Thebes, Gabriel Azorín, Spain, Portugal
Produced by: DVEIN Films, Filmika Galaika, Bando à ParteThe March, Leo Erken, Frieda Gustavs, Netherlands, Ukraine (immersive)
Produced by: nl12Sorella di Clausura, Ivana Mladenovic, Romania, Serbia, Italy, Spain
Produced by: microFILM, Dunav 84, Nightswim, Boogaloo FilmsTear Gas, Uta Beria, Georgia, France, Germany
Produced by: 1991 Productions, Tripode Productions, 70 StepsWild Dogs Don’t Bite, Rati Oneli, Georgia, Luxembourg
Produced by: Office of Film Architecture, Independent Film Project, Les Films Fauves -
Darkroom 2024
Alternates, dir. Jonathan Hagard, France, Japan
Produced by: FloréalDiamonds in the Sand, dir. Janus Victoria, Japan, Philippines
Produced by: PaperheartDuchampiana, dir. Lilian Hess, France, Germany
Produced by: TchikiboumThe Idyll, dir. Aaron Rookus, Netherlands, Belgium, Estonia
Produced by: Studio RubaMongrel, dir. Wei Liang Chiang, France, Taiwan, Singapore
Produced by: E&W Films
World premiere Cannes Quinzaine des Cinéastes 2024; Special Mention Caméra d’OrLa vie devant nous, dir. Olivier Meys, Belgium, France, Luxembourg
Produced by: Michigan Films -
Darkroom 2023
Disco Afrika, dir. Luck Razanajaona, France, Madagascar, South Africa
Produced by: We Film (France)
World premiere Berlinale 2024Floating with Spirits (VR), dir. Juanita Onzaga, Belgium, Luxembourg, the Netherlands
Produced by: Cassette for timescapes (Belgium), Tarantula (Luxembourg), Studio Biarritz (Netherlands)
World premiere in Venice Immersive 2023Holy Electricity, dir. Tato Kotetishvili, Georgia
Produced by: Zango Film (Georgia)
World premiere in Locarno Concorso Cineasti del Presente 2024The Intrusion, dir. Flora Dias, Juruna Mallon, Brazil
Produced by: Lira Cinematográfica and Enquadramento Produções (Brazil)
World premiere in Berlinale Forum 2023The Umesh Chronicles, dir. Pooja Kaul, India
Produced by: Rising Sun Films (India)When We Lost to the Germans, dir. Guido van Driel, Netherlands, Belgium
Produced by: Family Affair Films (Netherlands)
Theatrical release in the Netherlands with September Film (21 September 2023)
IFFR Pro awards
Awards are given to outstanding projects presented at IFFR Pro’s co-production market CineMart and work-in-progress programme Darkroom.
Contact the team
For any questions, please get in touch with the Darkroom team via cinemart@IFFR.com.