Screen Daily brought the news a fortnight ago that the International Film Festival Rotterdam is going to restructure. Not surprising after two corona years: this has hit every festival, every cultural institution, hard.
Things got worrying when in recent days social media was full of reports of mass layoffs at the IFFR. All senior programmers were reportedly fired. Since every festival exists by the grace of those committed, talented programmers with an excellent nose for innovative content, that news hit like a bomb. What is going on in Rotterdam? Will IFFR still be that groundbreaking festival where the distance between audience and maker is so short? The festival where you can see small, fragile films, discover new directors, and see things you don't understand but which fascinate you?
2 million less to spend
According to Diane Borst, IFFR spokesperson, the restructuring is necessary to absorb the 2 million euro budget loss for the upcoming festival. "After two editions with significant limiting corona measures, the budget for the 52nd edition in 2023 is two million euros less than the 49th edition in 2020, the last pre-corona edition. IFFR has 2 million less to spend in 2023 and is reducing staff costs by 15%. This relates to both year-round permanent staff costs and temporary festival team costs. Further information will follow during the Cannes Film Festival."
Previously no loss of this magnitude
According to sources around the festival, no offer was made to accept a 15 per cent salary cut, for example, to get that cost reduction in any other way. Nor do the annual accounts of previous festivals show a loss of this magnitude. As with other festivals (the Holland Festival, for example), while revenues have declined alarmingly over the past two years, so have costs. There was no need to pay for venues, hotel rooms, air tickets and thousands of meals. The annual report of the past almost entirely digital edition of the IFFR is not yet available, we cannot yet test these figures.
Restructuring to five divisions
I asked Diane Borst if the festival is getting a different structure. The answer is "As a result of the restructuring, IFFR is reducing staff costs by 15% and working in five divisions: Content, Communication, Audience Reach, Funding & Business Growth, Business Affairs and Production & Operations. We are committed to audience growth, greater impact and more diverse revenue streams with the new organisational structure. IFFR will present the new team during the international film festival in Cannes."
Programming makes or breaks the festival
Programming falls under 'Content', so it is one of the five pillars of the festival. We are still before the Cannes festival and we don't have all the information that will come out then. It worries me that programming seems to be on equivalent footing to 'Communication' and the 3 business pillars.
A festival is only as good as its programmers. People don't come to the IFFR because the beaches are so beautiful or the awards so prestigious. Audiences, press, but above all makers have been coming there for decades because Rotterdam is a haven for truly artful film. And it can only be that by grace of its programmers and their networks. Had Miike Takashi made his Audition could also have premiered in Berlin? Of course, but he chose Rotterdam. How does a festival get a talk show with Bong Joon Ho (Parasite) just before his Oscar triumph? Through connections, love and the fine nose of the programme department.
Rotterdam, cherish your talent!
I hope there will be new contracts for those people who keep the festival quirky. Because a Toronto-light or a mini Cannes in the cold, there is no need for that. Spirits need to be stimulated, eyes need to be opened, networks need to be tightened. That's why we put public money into the IFFR. Rotterdam, cherish your talent, cherish the decades of knowledge and cinephilia. Keep yourself sharply relevant. For God's sake.
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