Rotterdam Unveils First 2025 Titles Including Alexander Kluge’s ‘Primitive Diversity’, Daniel Hoesl’s ‘Un Gran Casino’ & Hicham Lasri’s ‘Thank You Satan’

The International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) has unveiled the first titles selected for its 54th edition unfolding in early 2025.

They comprise 13 titles that will world premiere in the Bright Future strand, aimed at first films by emerging talents, as well as its Harbour line-up, campioning work pushing cinematic boundaries, and this year, digging into themes of self-discovery, societal norms and the human condition. 

Previous Bright Future breakouts include King Baby, 78 Days and Schirkoa: In Lies We Trust, which was acquired by Anonymous Content and New Europe Content after premiering in the festival.

Harbour previously showcased film like include 8 Views of Lake Biwa, which was selected by Estonia as an Academy Awards contender; Amanda Kramer’s So Unreal; Hayat by Zeki Demirkubuz which went on to become Turkey’s Academy Award entry for Best International Feature Film.

“One of the biggest joys of curating IFFR is working with our team of programmers to create a line-up that showcases the breadth of cinematic experiences and a multitude of perspectives – and our first selection of titles demonstrates our commitment to this ambition,” said Vanja Kaludjercic, Festival Director at IFFR.

“Across Bright Future and Harbour, we already have some incredible emerging and established voices, and an amazing blend of genres and human stories, that we know our avid and curious audiences are going to love discovering.”

The festival will run from January 25 to February 4.

Details of the first 13 titles (all films are world premieres)

Bright Future

Girl Infinite

Director: Lilly Hu

U.S., Latvia, Singapore

Two teenage girls, Yin Jia and Tong Tong, live together in this colour-drenched vision of Changsha, China. When Tong Tong drifts away and falls in with a drug dealer, Yin Jia’s love for her means she’ll risk everything to keep Tong Tong by her side.

Camp d’Été

Director: Mateo Ybarra

Switzerland, France

In Switzerland, the Scout Movement is not a nostalgic fantasy but a vibrant social reality. This bubbly documentary captures the communal cycle of activities during a 14-day camp for youth. No reality TV-style contrived scenes here, this is a moving, joyful glimpse into life-changing experiences.

Later In The Clearing

Director: Márton Tarkövi

Hungary, Spain

In a small Hungarian town painter Péter Molnár leads filmmaker Márton Tarkövi on a journey through meadows, clearings and Molnár’s drawings. The viewer joins them, as they discuss art, time and life itself. 

Invisible Flame

Director: Oskar Weimar

Kenya

When fish begin to vanish, community members are quick to blame Dani, the elderly woman rumoured to be a witch. Daisy, a fisherman’s daughter, must decide whether to stand by her friend or heed the warnings of those around her.

Your Touch Makes Others Invisible

Director: Rajee Samarasinghe

Sri Lanka, U.S.

As many as 100,000 people, predominantly members of the minority Tamil community, are estimated to have disappeared during the 26-year-long Sri Lankan Civil War. Through a unique synthesis of interviews, news clips and re-enactments this docufiction feature reflects on this harrowing history as families search for loved ones that disappeared without a trace.

HARBOUR

And The Rest Will Follow

Director: Pelin Esmer

Turkey, Bulgaria, Romania

Dreamy housekeeper Aliye spends her days between hotel rooms, escaping into the lives of the guests. But after a brief encounter with a famous filmmaker, Aliye decides that she has a story to tell, which leads to an entanglement of lives and fictions. 

Dead Dog

Director: Sarah Francis

Lebanon

Walid and Aida, husband and wife, are reunited after Walid’s many years spent living abroad. Answers to long-hidden secrets are sought in Sarah Francis’ dissection of an estranged marriage.

Finding Ramlee

Director: Megat Sharizal

Malaysia

An endearing retro dramedy set in swinging seventies Kuala Lumpur. Destitute and deep in debt, Zakaria is offered a lifeline by his loan shark: impersonate the Malaysian screen icon P. Ramlee in order to entertain his homebound, time-warped sister.

No Dejes A Los Niños Solos

Director: Emilio Portes

Mexico

A mother moves into a new house with her two children. One night she must leave the siblings home alone. What begins as a blast of carefree play soon turns into a claustrophobic horror story. 

Primitive Diversity

Director: Alexander Kluge

Germany

Filmmaker Alexander Kluge loves to use the expression ‘primitive diversity’ in relation to the origins of his art: the first films that were made, their genres, motives and moods. With the development of AI, Kluge asks, what could its primitive diversity look like?

Thank You Satan

Director: Hicham Lasri

Morocco, France

In this dark comedy set in the early 1990s, all Serge wants to do is write his Fucking Best Seller! When his publisher nags him to shake things up and bring out his ‘mainstream potential’, he gives it all he has and, with a killer edge.

The Night Is Dark and Brighter Than The Day

Director: Christina Friedrich

Germany

Filmmaker Christina Friedrich asks 33 primary school children about their fears, taking us on a long night-journey through a magic world of their creation. What can the ‘real world’ learn from the games and rituals of children? 

Un Gran CasinoDirector: Daniel Hoesl

Austria

The largest casino in Europe but is it just a big mess? Daniel Hoesl presents Un gran casino as an angry musing on a building, an Italian village and all that is done in the name of the unfettered creation of wealth.