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Looking at everything the International Film Festival Rotterdam has announced for 2026, it’s hard not to feel that this edition marks a clear shift in energy. IFFR has always taken pride in supporting new voices and experimental filmmaking, but this year’s combination of The Future Is NOW and Cinema Regained gives the festival a structure that connects emerging creators with a re-examined film past. This is a festival trying to create a full spectrum of cinema, from the earli

The announcement of the The Future Is NOW programme at IFFR 2026 has already sparked excitement, and it’s easy to see why. The festival is dedicating a major section to six decades of women’s cinema, tying into the 60th anniversary of the National Organization for Women. This alone signals a bold statement: that feminist filmmaking, women-led storytelling and female-driven animation deserve a central space on one of the world’s biggest cinema stages. The Future Is NOW treats

Film history often feels settled. We believe we know the key names, the canonical titles, the “great” films. But with the Cinema Regained section at IFFR 2026, that assumption gets gently disrupted. The International Film Festival Rotterdam has announced that Cinema Regained will return this time shining a light on restored works, archival rediscoveries and films that invite us to rethink what cinema’s past could have been. What makes Cinema Regained such a compelling part o

The 2025 Ivors Classical Awards were more than a ceremony — they were a celebration of what makes British music thrilling today. Hosted at London’s BFI Southbank, the evening honored both giants and rising stars, from Anne Dudley to Luke Mombrea, and Anoushka Shankar to Debbie Wiseman. Nine Ivor Novello Awards were presented across six categories, each judged anonymously by a panel of 30 composers — a peer recognition that carries a weight all its own. Highlights included Orb

Emerging composer Luke Mombrea demonstrated to the audience why contemporary classical music resonates as the pulse of the present. His acclaimed chamber piece, Black Gold , transports listeners to the 1928 Santa Fe Springs oil fires, transforming a historical event into an immersive auditory experience. Commissioned by the London Symphony Orchestra, the composition merges live instruments with electronics, crafting a tense and visceral soundscape. The judges lauded its “rich

The Innovation Award at last night’s Ivors Classical Awards seemed almost destined for Anoushka Shankar. She epitomizes musical curiosity, serving as a bridge between the Indian classical tradition and modern expression. For Shankar, the sitar is more than just an instrument; it is a storyteller. Through her collaborations with Herbie Hancock, Jacob Collier, and Sting, she illustrates that music transcends borders. From Anna Karenina to the BBC adaptation of A Suitable Boy ,

It was a historic moment when Debbie Wiseman received the first-ever Outstanding Contribution to Screen Composition Award. For years, Wiseman's music has subtly influenced the emotional tone of British film and television. From the haunting sadness of Wolf Hall to the whimsical allure of Tom’s Midnight Garden , her compositions are both graceful and deeply moving. Her influence extends well beyond film and TV. Wiseman has composed music for royal events, including the Corona

The highlight of last night’s Ivors Classical Awards was undoubtedly Anne Dudley’s induction as the 33rd Fellow of The Ivors Academy. Saying she deserves this honor almost seems inadequate. Dudley’s career has been marked by bold creativity, from pioneering sampling techniques with Art of Noise in the 1980s to composing memorable film scores such as The Full Monty and Poldark . What sets Dudley apart is her seamless transition between different musical realms. She thrives i

Amidst a year filled with high-concept thrillers and expansive epics, Steve (2025) stands out as a subtly powerful drama that leaves a lasting impact. Directed by Tim Mielants and featuring a brilliant performance by Cillian Murphy, the film offers an unflinching look at the human toll of teaching, mental health, and institutional pressures. Based on Max Porter’s novella Shy , Steve transforms a tightly woven narrative into a visceral exploration of one man's struggle to ma

The Lost Bus  (2025), directed by Paul Greengrass, is a harrowing survival drama that brings to life the true story of a bus driver and a...

Play Dirty (2025) is a captivating, action-filled heist thriller that revitalizes the crime genre for contemporary viewers. Directed by...

Steven Soderbergh's Black Bag (2025) expertly combines psychological tension with espionage, examining the complex interplay between...