{"id":162910,"date":"2025-11-27T18:25:07","date_gmt":"2025-11-27T18:25:07","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/162910\/"},"modified":"2025-11-27T18:25:07","modified_gmt":"2025-11-27T18:25:07","slug":"l-a-comedy-the-dispute-among-rotterdam-film-festival-projects","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/162910\/","title":{"rendered":"L.A. Comedy ‘The Dispute’ Among Rotterdam Film Festival Projects"},"content":{"rendered":"

\n\tInternational Film Festival Rotterdam<\/a> has unveiled its selection of 21 feature projects for the 43rd edition of CineMart<\/a>, its co-production market, running Feb. 1 to 4, as well as 10 projects for its work-in-progress platform Darkroom.<\/p>\n

\n\tCommenting on the CineMart lineup, Marten Rabarts, head of IFFR Pro, said: \u201cThe urgency is palpable: from stories grappling with war and displacement to narratives exploring climate change, queerness and the struggle to define and preserve identities in turbulent times, all amongst bold cinematic creativity and forays into genres including sci-fi, horror and musical.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe CineMart selection includes the comedy \u201cThe Dispute\u201d by debut U.S. directors Andrea Ellsworth and Kasey Elise Walker, which has been acquired by Riley Keough\u2019s Felix Culpa and Donald Glover\u2019s Gilga for feature development. As well as directing the film, Ellsworth and Walker wrote the script, and will also co-star. Gemma Doll-Grossman is the DP.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe film follows two best friends from South Central, down on their luck and desperate for more, who take a chance encounter as an invitation to trade their dead-end lives in Los Angeles for something new. When chaos ensues during their seemingly lucrative adventure, they realize the true cost of their actions.<\/p>\n

\n\tEllsworth is an actress and filmmaker, who stars as Deja in \u201cThe Vince Staples Show\u201d on Netflix. Walker is a writer-director-actress, whose directorial debut, short film \u201cHoop Dreams,\u201d premiered at Tribeca Festival after winning the Soho Script Lab.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe project was selected for this year\u2019s Sundance Institute Directors and Screenwriters Lab.<\/p>\n

\n\tAlso selected for CineMart is \u201cWorse Together,\u201d an exploration of trans friendship by Canadian filmmaker Luis De Filippis (\u201cSomething You Said Last Night,\u201d IFFR Youth Jury Award, 2023).<\/p>\n

\n\tJapanese filmmaker Tanaka Toshihiko (\u201cRei,\u201d IFFR, 2024) is also a returning IFFR award-winner, with his next film \u201cShumari,\u201d which is set in Japan\u2019s remote northern frontier.<\/p>\n

\n\tFurther selections from Asia include filmmaker L\u00ea B\u1ea3o with the poetic, touching portrait \u201cHearing,\u201d following his Berlinale Encounters Special Jury Award-winning \u201cTaste\u201d (2021); alongside Kang Bo\u2019s horrific, fantastical vision of the forests of north eastern China in \u201cKingdom of the Insomniacs,\u201d and the sci-fi queer rom-com \u201cNoodles, Our Love Was Instant and Forever\u201d by debut Filipino filmmaker Whammy Alcazaren (\u201cBold Eagle,\u201d best international short at the Fantasia Film Festival, 2023).<\/p>\n

\n\tAdditional selections include the fifth feature from Spanish filmmaker Lois Pati\u00f1o (\u201cAriel,\u201d IFFR, 2025) titled \u201cAdarna\u201d and set in the Philippines, and the comedic \u201cPortuguese Man O\u2019 War\u201d by Ridham Janve (\u201cThe Gold-Laden Sheep & the Sacred Mountain,\u201d IFFR, 2018). A further colonial period piece comes from South Africa in \u201cPale Faces,\u201d by debut filmmaker Chantel Clark.<\/p>\n

\n\tLebanese filmmakers and artists Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige present \u201cBeirut Baby,\u201d with their previous works including \u201cPerfect Day\u201d (Locarno, 2005, Fipresci Prize), \u201cJe Veux Voir\u201d (Cannes, 2008), and \u201cMemory Box\u201d (CineMart, 2016, Berlinale, 2021). Egyptian filmmaker Morad Mostafa (\u201cAisha Can\u2019t Fly Away,\u201d Un Certain Regard, Cannes, 2025) presents his second feature \u201cAnimals,\u201d meanwhile set in Russia at war, Nicolas Graux will showcase \u201cThe Son of the Poet\u201d (Porcupine, IFFR, 2023 co-dir. Tr\u01b0\u01a1ng Minh Qu\u00fd).<\/p>\n

\n\tSeveral filmmakers in the selection explore the complexities of relationships and belonging through intimate personal journeys, including \u201cLux,\u201d the debut from Danish filmmaker Thomas Elley (\u201cEuropa Endlos,\u201d CPH:DOX, 2025); \u201cWhen the Goats Came\u201d from New Zealand filmmaker Arthur Elias Gay; and \u201cAfter the Night, the Night,\u201d the feature debut by Swiss-Dutch artist and filmmaker Naomi Pacifique (\u201cLooking She Said I Forget,\u201d Locarno, 2024).<\/p>\n

\n\tNew for 2026, six of the CineMart titles have been selected for the inaugural CineMart x HBF lineup \u2013 a curated strand of projects previously awarded development support by IFFR\u2019s Hubert Bals Fund.<\/p>\n

\n\tThe six projects include Martika Ramirez Escobar\u2019s \u201cDaughters of the Sea,\u201d which intertwines three stories; two Brazilian projects \u2013 Lillah Hallah\u2019s surrealist satire \u201cGolden Balls\u201d and \u201cNeon Phantom\u201d by Leonardo Martinelli, a follow-up to the award-winning short of the same name; alongside Senegalese filmmaker Mamadou Dia\u2019s latest project \u201cCoumba,\u201d following his HBF-backed debut, \u201cNafi\u2019s Father\u201d (IFFR, 2020), winning the Pardo d\u2019Oro in Locarno\u2019s Cineasti del Presente section in 2019. The love story \u201cBirdwoman\u201d by Indian feature debut filmmaker Lipika Singh Darail; and \u201cVika,\u201d which resonates with ongoing conflicts around the world, by Tamar Shavgulidze, complete the lineup.<\/p>\n

\n\tDarkroom presents recently or nearly completed films to the international industry seeking gap or completion funding, sales agents and festivals with the support of expert consultancy. Each project has either an attached Rotterdam Lab graduate producer or received previous support from CineMart or the Hubert Bals Fund.<\/p>\n

\n\tSelections include Brazilian filmmakers La\u00eds Santos Ara\u00fajo and Pethrus Tib\u00farcio (\u201cTell Her What Happened to Me,\u201d IFFR, 2025), who co-direct the Hubert Bals Fund-supported and CineMart-presented coming-of-age drama \u201cMarina\u201d; \u00c8lia Gasull Balada and Matteo Norzi present the hybrid documentary \u201cThe Hummingbird Paints Fragrant Songs,\u201d and Costa Rican filmmaker Neto Villalobos will bring the tropical dystopia \u201cAmor Es El Monstruo.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tFurther Darkroom projects include Mario Piredda returning with Sardinian road movie \u201cL\u00e0stima,\u201d alongside V\u00edctor Moreno\u2019s sci-fi \u201cThe Outside,\u201d first presented at CineMart 2022. Two Dutch projects feature in the lineup: Mari Sanders returns to themes of disability and belonging with \u201cGet Up Stand Up,\u201d while Kenya-born Dutch filmmaker Amira Duynhouwer presents \u201cSugar.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tRounding out the selected works are BAFTA New Talent award-nominee Joshua Loftin\u2019s docu-fiction \u201cLFD Hope\u201d; Paris-based Korean artist and filmmaker Jeunghae Yim presenting \u201cSea, Star, Woman,\u201d and Fil Ieropoulos\u2019s (Avant-Drag!, IFFR 2024) experimental docu-essay \u201cUchronia: Parallel Histories of Queer Revolt.\u201d<\/p>\n

\n\tThe IFFR Pro Awards will recognize projects from the CineMart and Darkroom selections and will be presented on the evening of Feb. 4.<\/p>\n

\n\tAdditionally, the festival has announced that next year\u2019s immersive media projects will be presented under Lightroom, IFFR\u2019s new industry platform for immersive storytelling. Lightroom brings together all XR, VR and interactive projects previously presented across CineMart and Darkroom, creating one unified space for immersive work.<\/p>\n

\n\tEllen Kuo, formerly of NewImages Festival and manager and curator at the National Taiwan Museum of Fine Arts, joins IFFR Pro as a consultant for Lightroom, working with IFFR\u2019s Eva Langerak, who oversees both Art Directions and Lightroom. The selection of Lightroom projects will be announced next month.<\/p>\n

\n\tFull selection details below:
CINEMART
Adarna, dir. Lois Pati\u00f1o, Spain
Produced by: El\u00e1stica Films, Matriuska Producciones<\/p>\n

\n\tAfter the Night, the Night, dir. Naomi Pacifique, Netherlands, Switzerland
Produced by: Grom Productions, Lemming Film, GoldenEgg production<\/p>\n

\n\tAnimals, dir. Morad Mostafa, Egypt, France
Produced by: Bonanza Films, Wrong Films<\/p>\n

\n\tBeirut Baby, dir. Joana Hadjithomas and Khalil Joreige, Lebanon, France
Produced by: Abbout Productions, Haut et Court<\/p>\n

\n\tHearing, dir. L\u00ea B\u1ea3o, Singapore, Vietnam
Produced by: E&W Films, Sensory Ocean Films<\/p>\n

\n\tKingdom of the Insomniacs, dir. Kang Bo, China
Produced by: Rediance<\/p>\n

\n\tLux, dir. Thomas Elley, Denmark
Produced by: Frau Film<\/p>\n

\n\tNeon Phantom, dir. Leonardo Martinelli, Brazil
Produced by: Duas Mariola Filmes<\/p>\n

\n\tNoodles, Our Love Was Instant and Forever, dir. Whammy Alcazaren, Philippines
Produced by: Daluyong Studios, Two Fold<\/p>\n

\n\tPale Faces, dir. Chantel Clark, Netherlands, South Africa
Produced by: Baldr Film, Cadence<\/p>\n

\n\tPortuguese Man O\u2019 War, dir. Ridham Janve, India
Produced by: Bombay Berlin Film Productions, The Film Cafe<\/p>\n

\n\tShumari, dir. Toshihiko Tanaka, Japan
Produced by: ColorBird, No Saint. & Bloom<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Dispute, dir. Andrea Ellsworth and Kasey Elise Walker, United Kingdom, United States of America
Produced by: Felix Culpa, Watermark Media, Gilga<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Poet\u2019s Son, dir. Nicolas Graux, Belgium, France, Germany
Produced by: Tarantula, Petit \u00e0 Petit Production, Yellow Blackbird, Clin d\u2019\u0152il<\/p>\n

\n\tWhen the Goats Came, dir. Arthur Gay, New Zealand, United Kingdom, Greece
Produced by: In Two Minds Productions, Exa Films, Ossian International<\/p>\n

\n\tWorse Together, dir. Luis De Filippis, Canada, Switzerland
Produced by: JA Productions Inc., Cloud Fog Haze Pictures<\/p>\n

\n\tCINEMART X HBF SELECTION
Birdwoman, dir. Lipika Singh Darai, India, France
Produced by: Salt For Sugar Films<\/p>\n

\n\tCoumba, dir. Mamadou Dia, Senegal, France
Produced by: Maayo, Les Films du Bilboquet<\/p>\n

\n\tDaughters of the Sea, dir. Martika Ramirez Escobar, Philippines, Spain
Produced by: This Side Up, Arkeofilms, Alba Sotorra Cinema Productions<\/p>\n

\n\tGolden Balls, dir. Lillah Halla, Brazil, Uruguay
Produced by: Manjeric\u00e3o Filmes, Cimarr\u00f3n Cine, Arissas<\/p>\n

\n\tNeon Phantom, dir. Leonardo Martinelli, Brazil
Produced by: Duas Mariola Filmes<\/p>\n

\n\tVika, dir. Tamar Shavgulidze, Georgia, Netherlands
Produced by: Nushi Film GEO, GoGoFilm<\/p>\n

\n\tDARKROOM
Amor es el monstruo, dir. Neto Villalobos Brenes, Costa Rica, Peru, Panama, Chile
Produced by: La Sucia Centroamericana, Cine Infinito, Expansiva Cine, Clara Films<\/p>\n

\n\tGet Up Stand Up, dir. Mari Sanders, Netherlands, Greece
Produced by: The Film Kitchen, Neda Film<\/p>\n

\n\tL\u00e0stima, dir. Mario Piredda, Italy, Switzerland
Produced by: Articolture and DOK MOBILE<\/p>\n

\n\tLFD Hope, dir. Joshua Loftin, United Kingdom, Hungary
Produced by: Sea Fox Films, Lorenz Films, Gallivant Film, Good Kids Productions<\/p>\n

\n\tMarina, dir. La\u00eds Santos Ara\u00fajo and Pethrus Tib\u00farcio, Brazil
Produced by: Aguda Cinema, Carnaval Filmes<\/p>\n

\n\tSea, Star, Woman, dir. Jeunghae Yim, France, Korea
Produced by: 5\u00e07 Films, Seesaw Pictures<\/p>\n

\n\tSugar, dir. Amira Duynhouwer, Netherlands, Belgium
Produced by: Studio Ruba, Mirage Film<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Hummingbird Paints Fragrant Songs, dir. \u00c8lia Gasull Balada, Matteo Norzi, Peru, United States, Spain, Chile
Produced by: Shipibo Conibo Center, Desfase Films, Funicular Films, Pista B<\/p>\n

\n\tThe Outside, dir. V\u00edctor Moreno, Spain, Belgium
Produced by: KV Films, Womack Studios, Transit Transat<\/p>\n

\n\tUchronia: Parallel Histories of Queer Revolt, dir. Fil Ieropoulos, Greece, Netherlands
Produced by: FYTA Films, GROM Productions<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"International Film Festival Rotterdam has unveiled its selection of 21 feature projects for the 43rd edition of CineMart,…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":162911,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[27],"tags":[90817,93,61,90818,60,270],"class_list":["post-162910","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-movies","tag-cinemart","tag-entertainment","tag-ie","tag-international-film-festival-rotterdam","tag-ireland","tag-movies"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/162910","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=162910"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/162910\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/162911"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=162910"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=162910"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/ie\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=162910"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}