Rotterdam movie talent offer an emotional rollercoaster at RTM day

Local talent took centre stage on the RTM day of the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) on Friday. Such as the animated film Broken by EUC alumna Hyewon Jung.

In the foyer of LantarenVenster, white, fluorescent light from projectors fills the space. Conversations overlap and badges swing from necks. Outfits range from Scottish skirts over jeans to ties with metal elements and jackets embroidered with Dutch words. Some attendees orient themselves, while others move with ease, drinks already in hand. Instructions travel through the crowd – ‘up the stairs and to the left’ – which everyone seems to be following when they’re ready to enjoy their screening.

Emotional rollercoaster

The combined programme Temporal Drift offers an emotional rollercoaster from diverse perspectives. In Broken, an animated film by Hyewon Jung, an alumna of Erasmus University College (EUC) and the Willem de Kooning Academy, vulnerability is the central theme. The room is silent, except for the occasional rustle, as the audience watches characters being stripped to their emotional core.

Jung later explains during the Q&A that her background in psychology from EUC played a role in shaping the film’s structure. “The movie starts with a group clinic, showing that everyone is sick in some ways,” she says. “The inspiration comes from my own life and my faith.”

Another movie from Temporal Drift – Regen in Augustus (Rain in August) – is by the director who was the RTM pitch winner last year, Ashley Röttjers. During the daylit scenes, the bright screen shines onto the audience, revealing their fingers wiping tears from red faces. When the room brightens, the blue walls and seats return to full view, but the atmosphere has shifted.

Dream big

After the screening, attendee Melpina Theodorakopoulou reflects on what stands out to her at RTM Day. “It’s mostly a chance given to young people to help them take a step forward and showcase their work”, she says.

Along with her is Panos Tsamouras, the composer of the music for Broken. “We don’t have to hesitate, we must dream big. If something seems simple, give it a chance to make it bigger, more complex. Everything that you remember was not created out of hesitation”, shares Panos on what advice he would give to young talent.

Inspiring

Back in the lobby, projections of rapidly changing cards move across the ceiling, drawing people’s attention between conversations. Nearby, filmmaker Max Ploeg discusses his film Hennie’s Theme Park and its connection to Rotterdam. “What I love about the city is that they give an entrepreneur space in the city centre to do something outside the box”, he says. “He brought materials from Eastern Europe and Dubai and worked with people who normally wouldn’t get a job that easily. They allowed him to do that.”

As DJ sets follow one another, the night continues to unfold through small encounters. Waiting at the bar, Mandie van Yperen points to her biggest inspiration from the RTM day. “Definitely the female directors”, she says.

Her friend Alina Nastachenko highlights the collective experience. “Seeing all these people come together to watch a movie they worked on”, she says. “It’s really encouraging. Coming to a festival like IFFR and seeing others who also do animation and films. Just motivating.”