Rotterdam 2026: Sisters, Spirits and Invented Truths: Itonje Søimer Guttormsen on Her Sophomore Feature “Butterfly”
Premiering in the Big Screen Competition at IFFR (29 January–8 February), “Butterfly” marks Itonje Søimer Guttormsen’s return to feature filmmaking five years after “Gritt.” Set in Gran Canaria, the film follows estranged sisters Lily (Renate Reinsve) and Diana (Helene Bjørneby) as they reunite after their mother’s death and inherit an unfinished resort-cum-esoteric retreat connected to […]
EXCLUSIVE: Love, Paralysis and Control: Boni Mata, Karim Saleh and Andrea Riseborough on Crafting Their New Short “Mariposa Traicionera”
“Mariposa Traicionera” (“Treacherous Butterfly”) marks one of the most arresting and mysterious short films currently seeking a world premiere on the 2026 festival circuit. Shot in Spain and distributed worldwide by Italian outfit Allegorie, the 20-minute chamber piece is produced by John Henry Hinkel and Zico Judge for Liaison Pictures and Blur Films. As intimate […]
“Don’t Call Me Mama”: Nina Knag on Power, Vulnerability, and Pushing Boundaries
Norwegian helmer Nina Knag makes her feature debut with “Don’t Call Me Mama,” which world-premiered in the Crystal Globe Competition of this year’s Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (July 4-12). Anchored by a brave central performance from Pia Tjelta, this provocative drama explores the complex, often uncomfortable terrain of power, control, and emotional need through […]
Sylvia Le Fanu on Low-Key Acting, Developing Fiction as Documentary in Her Highly Emotional Debut “My Eternal Summer”
After a successful festival run kicked off at San Sebastian and BFI London last year, Sylvia Le Fanu’s debut, titled “My Eternal Summer,” heads to the Göteborg Film Festival, one of the Nordic countries’ largest cinematic gatherings, running this year from January 24–February 2. Shot over six weeks in 2023, the Danish drama follows 15-year-old […]
Queer Trailblazer Albertina Carri on Her Latest Genre-Blurring Pic, “White Roses Fall!,” Ahead of Rotterdam Premiere
In her latest endeavor, “White Roses Fall!” (in Spanish: “¡Caigan las rosas blancas!”), Argentinian filmmaker Albertina Carri follows Violeta, a director known for her breakout amateur lesbian porn hit, as she’s invited to go mainstream. Unwilling to conform, she takes her project on the road — from Buenos Aires to São Paulo — chasing artistic, […]
Vietnam’s Dương Diệu Linh Unpacks the Making of Her Venice Critics’ Week-Winning Drama “Don’t Cry, Butterfly”
Tam (Lê Tú Oanh), a diligent wedding venue staffer, discovers her husband’s affair on live TV. Rather than confronting him, she enlists a powerful spell master to win back his love. Tam’s daughter, Ha (Nguyễn Nam Linh), pours her frustration into vivid fantasies of a brighter future abroad. Meanwhile, a mysterious house spirit, visible only […]
“Smoke Sauna Sisterhood” director Anna Hints teams up with Tushar Prakash to unpack men’s fragility in their new Cannes-bound short “Sauna Day”
After last year’s Sundance triumph with “Smoke Sauna Sisterhood”, Estonian director Anna Hints is back with a new movie, a short titled “Sauna Day.” Co-directed with her partner Tushar Prakash, it world-premiered at this year’s Cannes Critics’ Week. At the Croisette, we had a long chat with Hints and Prakash, who unpacked the main themes […]
Göteborg 2024: Ninna Pálmadóttir Explores Fear, Friendship and Iceland’s Multifaceted Society in Her Debut Feature “Solitude”
World-premiered in the Discovery section of the 2023 Toronto Film Festival, Ninna Pálmadóttir’s accomplished debut feature, titled “Solitude,” recently played at the Göteborg Film Festival (26 January-4 February), one of Northern Europe’s most prominent cinematic gatherings. Penned by acclaimed Icelandic filmmaker Rúnar Rúnarsson, the movie follows Gunnar (Þröstur Leó Gunnarsson), an old farmer forced to […]
Rotterdam 2024: Julia De Simone’s “Praia Formosa” Delves into the History of Black Slaves, Rio de Janeiro’s Urbanization Process
Muanza is a woman born in the Kingdom of Kongo and trafficked to Brazil sometime in the 19th century. Waking up in the 21st century, she finds herself in a bustling Rio de Janeiro. Figures from the past and from the present come into her search for her roots across the city. This is the […]
Kate Stonehill Talks Citizens’ Surveillance, Violations of Human Rights in Her Unsettling Debut Doc “Phantom Parrot”
Cinema Femme caught up with Kate Stonehill, an award-winning director and DoP whose body of work explores power, identity and citizenship in the digital age. In her first documentary feature, titled “Phantom Parrot,” she unravels a secret British government surveillance program, and follows human rights activist Muhammad Rabbani as he is prosecuted under terror laws […]
Zero Chou on Writing and Directing White Terror-set, Female-Led Drama “Untold Herstory”
Cinema Femme met up with Taiwan’s Zero Chou, helmer of “Untold Herstory.” The feature, world-premiered in the Harbour section of this year’s International Film Festival Rotterdam (January 25-February 5), and is set in 1953, during Taiwan’s notorious White Terror. In particular, Chou’s drama zooms in on three female ‘thought prisoners’ confined to Green Island, a […]
Laura Baumeister talks about the making of “Daughter of Rage,” the first narrative feature directed by a Nicaraguan woman
Cinema Femme met up with talented Laura Baumeister, helmer of “Daughter of Rage,” the first narrative feature directed by a Nicaraguan woman. The movie, world-premiered in the Discovery section of this year’s Toronto International Film Festival (September 8-18), follows 11-year-old María (Araceli Alejandra Medal), who lives with her mom Lilibeth (Virginia Raquel Sevilla Garcia) near […]