The International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) is an annual film festival held in various cinemas in Rotterdam, Netherlands held at the end of January. It is approximately comparable in size to other major European festivals such as Cannes, Venice, Berlin, and Locarno. The IFFR also hosts CineMart, for film producers to seek funding.
The International Film Festival Rotterdam management emphasizes diversity in its film programming and on building relationships with and between film-makers and audiences. Rather than red-carpet events, the festival's design is to encourage film makers to mingle with attendees. As a result, the festival claims having "a unique atmosphere" and a "fiercely loyal following" locally and internationally - around 90% of tickets are sold to regular supporters.
The festival is described as having "a serious commitment to film lovers and film making - screenings are shown without 'popcorn breaks', trailers or other commercials. This sense of purpose plays a crucial role in attracting the best directors to the event, allowing it to forge a reputation for diversity, discovery and innovation."