IFFR And the Rest Will Follow, Turkish director Pelin Esmer’s first fiction film in seven years, explores the relationship between personal aspiration, storytelling, and artistic creation. The film introduces us to Aliye, portrayed by Merve Asya Özgür, a 25-year-old housekeeper in the small Turkish town of Söke. Dissatisfied with her monotonous life and a stiflingContinue reading “Rotterdam 2025 Review: “And the Rest Will Follow””
Tag Archives: Rotterdam 2025
IFFR 2025 Review: “The Tree of Authenticity”
IFFR Sammy Baloji’s The Tree of Authenticity is an experimental and multi-layered essay film that seeks to explore Belgian colonialism in the Congo, connecting historical records to personal memory and environmental discourse.
Rotterdam 2025 Review: “Blind Love”
IFFR Julian Chou’s Blind Love presents an affecting intersectional critique of patriarchal family structures, queerphobia, and the suffocating effects of societal expectations. Adapted from a short story by celebrated Taiwanese writer Essay Liu, originally centered on a daughter’s forbidden love with her father’s ex-boyfriend, Chou’s adaptation reimagines the narrative through a gender swap. By shiftingContinue reading “Rotterdam 2025 Review: “Blind Love””
Rotterdam 2025 Review: “Orenda”
IFFR Pirjo Honkasalo’s Orenda, which premiered at the 2025 International Rotterdam Film Festival, invites viewers into a world both intimate and wide in thematical scope. It’s a meditation on grief, guilt, faith, and identity, wrapped in a narrative that unfolds with deliberate pacing and quiet intensity. While it may not appeal to those seeking immediateContinue reading “Rotterdam 2025 Review: “Orenda””
Rotterdam 2025 Review: “John Lilly and the Earth Coincidence Control Office”
IFFR In John Lilly and the Earth Coincidence Control Office, directors Michael Almereyda and Courtney Stephens closely into the enigmatic life of neuroscientist John C. Lilly, whose unconventional experiments with dolphins, humans and psychedelics sought to expand the boundaries of human consciousness. Narrated by Chloë Sevigny, the film uses archival footage, cultural clips, and interviewsContinue reading “Rotterdam 2025 Review: “John Lilly and the Earth Coincidence Control Office””
Rotterdam 2025 Review: “I Shall See”
With I Shall See, Dutch director Mercedes Stalenhoef presents an immersive exploration of sudden loss and resilience in her first fiction feature. The film follows 17-year-old Lot, a passionate diver who dreams of becoming a maritime archaeologist, traveling, and living independently. Her life takes a devastating turn on New Year’s Eve when a firework failsContinue reading “Rotterdam 2025 Review: “I Shall See””
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