For this special edition of Film Stories, we’re doubling the fun with not one, but two filmmakers from our very own hometown of Rotterdam. Both bring their own unique voices and approaches to filmmaking, yet they’re connected in some pretty exciting ways, including winning the RTM Pitch Prize.
First up is Ravi Sandberg, winner of the RTM Pitch Prize in 2022 with his project Fantoomwijk. The film premiered at the IFFR in 2023 and went on to screen at festivals worldwide. Fantoomwijk tells the story of Rotterdam’s Tweebosbuurt, a neighborhood that was slowly erased to make way for luxury housing. Through the voices of former residents, the film brings back memories of a community. Ravi is now working on his first feature film with Family Affairs, and we’ll dive into how the RTM Pitch helped open doors, what lessons he learned along the way, and whether Rotterdam will continue to play a role in his future projects.
Joining him is Ashley Röttjers, a Rotterdam-based photographer who effortlessly moves between fashion, editorial work, film, and installation. She won the RTM Pitch last year with her project, Regen in Augustus. This short is currently screening at IFFR and shows an intimate portrait of Jasmine, who feels isolated in her Rotterdam apartment while longing for her boyfriend. We’ll talk city, creativity, pitching, and what it takes to break through as a new filmmaker, straight from two voices shaping Rotterdam’s film future.
Film Stories, curated by Rotterdam-based film production company mint2, is a series of film events centered around a director and their work. Film Stories presents the full picture of filmmaking, with all the compromises, decisions, and dilemmas that come with it. Setbacks and how to overcome them are central to the conversation between the filmmaker, moderator, and audience.
