Download the catalogue 2010
Download the catalogue 2011
Download the catalogue 2012
Welcome!
Throughout its 30-year history, independent art cinema Rialto has always endorsed world cinema productions; films made in Latin America, Asia and Africa are an essential ingredient of our daily programming. It was therefore a dream come true when Rialto’s first edition of World Cinema Amsterdam took place in 2010, during which the best recent films from all aforementioned continents were screened. In a way it was unique as it was the first time a film festival in the Netherlands covered films from these three continents in one edition.
The first edition of World Cinema Amsterdam in 2010 was undeniably successful, a success which was enhanced in 2011 by a 50% increase in visitors. The festival’s ingredients, including a strong competition line-up and an outstanding programme of films from the featured country, turned out to appeal to industry professionals as well as the audience.
This year the third edition is launched: from 8 till 19 August World Cinema Amsterdam will again present many special, new films from Latin America, Asia and Africa.
In 2012 we are taking the next step towards attracting even more attention and visitors. Next to our trusted sites (Rialto and Marie Heinekenplein) we will be present at two new venues sites this year: De Balie and Vondelpark Openluchttheater. At De Balie the complete competition programme will be screened during both festival weekends and at Vondelpark Openluchttheater you will be able to watch two films from the Open Air programme.
As in the past two years, the competition programme will be the central strand within World Cinema Amsterdam, featuring the best of recent world cinema plus several special screenings outside the competition. The set-up of previous years will be continued with a focus on one particular filmmaking country: this year the spotlight will be on films from Brazil with Brazilian Stories, a programme compiled in cooperation with Lis Kogan from Rio de Janeiro. The successful World Cinema Amsterdam Open Air won’t be missing either. All these elements combined will form the third edition of our festival, which will present more than 50 films from Africa, Asia and Latin America in 12 days and in more than 70 screenings.
World Cinema Amsterdam Competition
The 2012 World Cinema Amsterdam competition program features nine truly exceptional films, taking us on a grandiose journey around the world with stops in Uruguay, Senegal, Indonesia, Mexico, Brazil, Jordan, Congo, Turkey and Iran, and presenting work by seasoned filmmakers as well as directorial debuts by young directing talents. This year’s nominees are: Pablo Stoll Ward, Moussa Touré, Edwin, Raúl Fuentes, Daniel Aragão, Yahya Al Abdallah, Kim Nguyen, Umut Dağ and Massoud Bakhshi. The selected films, some of which have already received awards at renowned international festivals such as Cannes and Berlin, will have their Dutch or European premieres during the festival.
The films in the competition compete for the two World Cinema Amsterdam Awards, which are accompanied by cash prizes to support the winners’ next film projects.
World Cinema Amsterdam Jury Award (€ 7,500)
World Cinema Amsterdam Audience Award (€ 7,500)
In addition, all full-length films from the entire festival program made in or after 2010 are eligible for the World Cinema Amsterdam Audience Award.
Brazilian Stories
Each year, World Cinema Amsterdam focuses on a country from Latin America, Asia or Africa where interesting films are currently being made. This year’s focus is on Brazil. Under the umbrella of the Brazilian Stories program, 10 feature-length and 8 short, independently produced films will be screened to give an intriguing impression of the diversity and quality of filmmaking in Brazil.
In the past years several very talented, young Brazilian filmmakers have made their mark on international film festivals. Many of them have given evidence of their amazing talents with their shorts and recently also with their longer debut films and have attracted the attention of cinema critics and fans within as well as outside Brazil.
In the Netherlands, Brazil as a filmmaking country is relatively unknown to a general audience. The few Brazilian films screened here can hardly be called typical of present-day Brazilian cinema. Definitely typical are films like Júlia Murat’s Histórias que só existem quando lembradas (Stories that only exist when remembered), which Rialto already screened in June, a beautiful, poetic film presenting a side of Brazil that may be unknown to most of us.
With this program, we hope to convince our audience of the quality of present-day Brazilian cinema so that they will keep coming back for more from Brazil in the future. It is one of the reasons for World Cinema Amsterdam to help realize the national release of Kleber Mendonça Filho’s Neighbouring Sounds by IFFR and EYE. After the festival screening in our own Rialto theatre is guaranteed.
In Brasil, music films are an extremely popular genre in their own right. World Cinema Amsterdam will showcase these as well. Together with A Hora do Brasil we will screen five music films during the festival, which not only display the rich Brazilian music culture, but also the political and social changes of the recent past.
Please turn to the article by guest curator Lis Kogan in this catalogue for more information on Brazilian cinema, culture and society. Watching the films in person will of course give you the best insight. And a great viewing experience!
Special screenings & events
What does world cinema actually encompass? Do only films made in Latin America, Asia or Africa fit the bill? How about filmmakers who move around and work in other places than their country of origin? To contribute to the discussion sparked by these questions World Cinema Amsterdam has added several films to the competition as well as non-competition programme that - unintentionally or intentionally - challenge the original definition of this concept.
World Cinema Amsterdam is not just an opportunity to watch many films. This year, the festival will welcome over 20 guests who will discuss film issues with the audience during the many Q&As as well as our special discussions.
World Cinema Amsterdam takes place in summer for good reason. It is actually a big summery film party with music, DJs, parties and food from all over the world, all within easy walking distance.
World Cinema Amsterdam Open Air
The free open-air screenings are a fixed feature of World Cinema Amsterdam. Two open-air happenings will take place at Vondelpark Openluchttheater in the first festival weekend. The festival is traditionally concluded with World Cinema Amsterdam Open Air: four open-air screenings at Marie Heinekenplein (15 to 18 August). Just as the various competition and Brazilian Stories films, these four films tell stories about ordinary and occasionally not so ordinary people who try to relate to their own reality. The many dreams, cultures and realities distinctly make up the connecting theme for all festival films.
I cannot think of a better way to kick off the new cultural film season in the Netherlands, and would like to wish everyone a fantastic third edition of World Cinema Amsterdam!
Raymond Walravens
Festival Staff
Raymond Walravens - director Rialto and festival director/ curator World Cinema Amsterdam
Lis Kogan – curator Brazilian Stories program
Anke van Diejen – programming and marketing advisor
Chantal Boon – guest coordination and assistant festival coordination
Edgar Witteveen – office manager
Femke Nelissen – reporters coordination
Fleur Weve – assistant theatre manager
Herrie/ Noortje van de Sande, Mirjam Wiekenkamp & Charlotte van der Steen – marketing, PR and publicity
Irene Engels – volunteers coordination
Mark Mallon – chief editor
Marnix Carpentier – projection and technical coordination
Matthijs Blonk – projection and transport coordination
Mirjam Wiekenkamp / Herrie – marketing, PR and publicity
Mylene Roth – bar manager
Noortje van de Sande / Herrie – marketing, PR and publicity
Petra van Dongen – festival coordination
Robert Pattinama – theatre manager
Ron Salari – technical coordination
Vanessa Groenewegen – festival coordination
Wim Straub – ticket office
Winde Mertens – assistant office manager
