Southern India-set Pebbles by Vinothraj P.S won the Tiger Award, while I Comete – A Corsican Summer by French filmmaker Pascal Tagnati and Looking for Venera by Norika Sefa from Kosovo both won Special Jury Awards at the expanded 50th anniversary edition of International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR). The VPRO Big Screen Award went to El perro que no calla by Ana Katz from Argentina and Quo Vadis, Aida? by Bosnian filmmaker Jasmila Žbanić won the BankGiro Loterij Audience Award.
Festival director Vanja Kaludjercic: “In these most challenging of times, we are incredibly proud to have brought an outstanding selection of titles in our reimagined festival format. The expanded Tiger Competition included 16 films that reflect the plurality of voices and visions of talent that will continue to deliver great cinema for years to come. What we learned from this experience is that as resilient as the industry is, so are our audiences who fully embraced and celebrated the first chapter of this year’s festival.”
The Ammodo Tiger Short Awards were given to Sunsets, everyday by Pakistani filmmaker Basir Mahmood, Terranova by Cubans Alejandro Pérez Serrano and Alejandro Alonso Estrella and Maat Means Land by California-based Native American artist and filmmaker Fox Maxy. IFFR additionally nominated Flowers blooming in our throats by Belgian filmmaker Eva Giolo to the short film category for the European Film Awards (EFA).
The FIPRESCI Prize was given to The Edge of Daybreak by Thai filmmaker Taiki Sakpisit. Norwegian director Ane Hjort Guttu won the KNF prize for her short film Manifesto. La nuit des rois by Philippe Lacôte from Côte d’Ivoire won the Youth Jury Award.
Winners of 50th International Film Festival Rotterdam
Tiger Competition
Winner of the Tiger Award
Pebbles by Vinothraj P.S.
Winner of the Special Jury Award
I Comete – A Corsican Summer by Pascal Tagnati
Winner of the Special Jury Award
Looking for Venera by Norika Sefa
VPRO Big Screen Award
Winning film
El perro que no calla by Ana Katz
Robby Müller Award
Acclaimed American filmmaker Kelly Reichardt received the second annual Robby Müller Award at IFFR 2021.
Ammodo Tiger Short Award
Winning films
Sunsets, everyday by Basir Mahmood, Terranova by Alejandro Pérez Serrano & Alejandro Alonso Estrella and ;Maat Means Land by Fox Maxy.
In addition, IFFR also nominates Flowers blooming in our throats by Eva Giolo to the short film category for the European Film Awards (EFA), which will be presented at the EFA ceremony in December 2021.
BankGiro Loterij Audience Award
Winning film: Quo Vadis, Aida? by Jasmila Žbanić
FIPRESCI Award
Winning film: The Edge of Daybreak by Taiki Sakpisit
KNF Award
Winning film: Manifesto by Ane Hjort Guttu
Youth Jury Award
Winning film: La nuit des rois by Philippe Lacôte