From 15 to 24 August we celebrate the 10th edition of World Cinema Amsterdam, the film festival that has been presenting the best films from Africa, Asia, Latin America, and the Caribbean for a decade now. The purpose of this festival is to make non-Western films known to a larger audience.
With over 50 films to show, a great deal of work precedes such a festival. But how does our film festival programme come about? Our director / curator Raymond tells.
This year the 10th edition takes place, how did you come up with the idea for WCA all those years ago?
I thought there was not enough attention in Dutch cinema for all those beautiful non-Western films that I saw at international film festivals. With WCA, I wanted to demand extra attention for young film talents from Africa, Asia and Latin America.
How do you get the ideas for the film selection?
Over the years I have built up a large international network of directors and programmers at festivals who match films and filmmakers with me, in addition to what I see on my visits to festivals around the world. Based on that, I compile the competition programme and choose a country or region where we organise a focus programme on.
What is important when making a selection / what do you pay attention to?
First, the cinematographic quality. Is it innovative and well thought out? Secondly, I pay attention to whether a universal story is being told in a way that the Dutch film audience can also enjoy. Third, whether the film, the story, the characters touch me personally.
What determines your final choice?
A tricky trade-off between too many good films, which do I want to show and which ultimately not. What is the story that the programme as a whole tells visitors?
I hereby emphasise debuting filmmakers who deserve a chance and as many films as possible made by female directors because they have a hard time getting recognised in the international film world.
You have visited JIFF, the festival organised by Indonesian filmmakers in Yogyakarta. How did you experience this?
Unfortunately I have not been able to see enough of Jogja, because as a jury member for the Indonesian competition I mainly was in the cinema from morning to evening. Only when I finished the jury duties I could see the city for an afternoon. So I would like to go back again for vacation, because Jogja is an important (student) city from a cultural point of view.
I thought it was an excellent organised festival that really lives in Jogja. With a similar personal approach and a lot of attention for the filmmakers from all over South-East Asia who are also present in large numbers. So I have met many Indonesian makers live!
What did you notice about the films made in Indonesia?
The first thing is that there is a lot of young talent, including a striking number of female makers who are eager to tell their stories through the most beautiful medium there is: film. Secondly the great diversity. Films about life in the big city (largely recognisable and comparable), films about the countryside (with attention to tradition and cultural differences between the islands) and films about the shared painful history with the Netherlands from an Indonesian perspective.
What’s the difference between World Cinema Amsterdam and other film festivals?
The small scale in comparison with, for example, IFFR or IDFA. You can still directly address the filmmakers and start a conversation with them about their film that you have just seen. To oversee the programme, make your own choices from it more easily and if you want to, you can even see (almost) all films at the festival in the ten days. You probably want to go on vacation afterwards, because you travel throughout the world during the festival.
What is your absolute highlight of the past ten years?
For me that would be the personal bond that I have been able to build with the filmmakers who were guests. I have made friends that I love to visit when I am in the country where they come from. And the grateful visitors who thank me or someone else from the festival team for the wonderful films they have just seen.
There are countless highlights because every edition is different, with new films, new talented inspiring makers and new visitors that had not visited the festival or Rialto before, but promise to come back.
The 2019 programme
Apart from nine international competition films, the festival will include Cinema Indonesia, focussing on independent Indonesian cinema, and World Cinema Amsterdam Presents, a completely new feature this year with films by Dutch makers who have roots in Africa, Asia, Latin America or the Caribbean. As a first, this year's festival will also showcase several family films.
Curious about the films we selected for this year? Keep an eye on our programme page!
