Leiden International Film Festival

Leiden International Film Festival

Location	Leiden, Netherlands
Founded	2006
Website	http://www.leidenfilmfestival.nl/en/

Founded in 2006, the Leiden International Film Festival (LIFF) has become one of the leading film festivals in the Netherlands showcasing feature films that examine the border between art-house and mainstream from all over the world.^[1] The 2014 edition lasted 10 days, screened 87 films, from 28 countries including Whiplash, Coming Home, Mommy, Leviathan, Wish I Was Here, Camp X-Ray and What We Do in the Shadows. With its American Indie Competition LIFF aims to discover and cultivate an audience for today's emerging American filmmakers in the Netherlands.^[2]

Program

The festival's programming consists of many different kinds of fiction films, both big blockbusters and small arthouse films.^[3] The festival is a visitors' and not a market festival, attracting mainly film-fans and not sales agents. During the festival, films are not only screened in cinemas but special screenings are also hosted at venues like museums, an old factory, a historic church and an observatory.^[4] On the one hand, the LIFF has a deep connection with the city of Leiden, on the other hand it has over the years evolved into a festival with international ambitions, which is noticeable in its focus on American independent cinema and resulted in the American Indie Competition.^[5]

American Independent Cinema and the American Indie Competition

The LIFF attempts to bring American independent cinema to the continent.^[6] The American Indie Competition is the festival's main competition, focusing entirely on American independent cinema. Winners of previous competitions include (Untitled) and Safety Not Guaranteed. The prize is not awarded by a jury, but is voted for by all visitors of the selected films.

Some American indies that were screened in the Netherlands at the festival: Breaking Upwards, (Untitled), Safety Not Guaranteed, My Suicide, Howl, Cyrus, Gigantic, Paper Heart, Towelhead, Winter's Bone, Please Give, Lola Versus, Precious, Supporting Characters, Little Miss Sunshine.

2013 American Indie Competition

On September 28, the lineup for the 2013 American Indie Competition was announced by Filmmaker Magazine. Films that will be screening are: Ain't Them Bodies Saints, Bluebird, C.O.G., Coldwater, Computer Chess, Enough Said, Fruitvale Station, A Glimpse Inside the Mind of Charles Swan III, Hide Your Smiling Faces, Kill Your Darlings, Prince Avalanche, The Spectacular Now, Starlet, Sweetwater, Trust Me and Short Term 12.^[1] The American Indie Competition of 2013 was won by Short Term 12.^[7]

2014 American Indie Competition

On October 4, the lineup for the 2014 American Indie Competition was announced at the website of LIFF. Films that will be screening are: Camp X-Ray, The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Her, The Disappearance of Eleanor Rigby: Him, Gabriël, The Heart Machine, Imperial Dreams, Listen Up Philip, Love is Strange, The One I Love, Sequoia, The Skeleton Twins, Summer of Blood, The Well, Whiplash, White Bird in a Blizzard, Wish I Was Here and The Young Kieslowski.^[8]

Panorama

LIFF’s Panorama program screens films from all over the world, from established names to newly discovered filmmakers.

Some films that were screened in the Netherlands for the first time during the Panorama program: Another Year, Amour, Argo, The Artist, Burn After Reading, Boy A, Children of Men, Drive, Elle s’appelait Sarah, Gone Baby Gone, Le Herisson, Das Weiße Band, We Need To Talk About Kevin, You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger, 50/50.

During the 2012 edition, the Audience Award was won by The Perks of Being a Wallflower.^[9]

Side program

Besides the American Indie and Panorama programs, the LIFF also hosts many special screenings at locations like St Peter's Church (Pieterkerk) and the Rijksmuseum van Oudheden.^[10][11] In 2013, the church is scheduled to show special editions of two Charlie Chaplin films.^[12]

One of the most important aspects of the side programming is the Science & Cinema program, combining cinema with contributions from Leiden University.^[13]

Attendance, opening films and prize winners

European Netwerk For Independent American Cinema

In 2014, LIFF founded the European Netwerk For Independent American Cinema in collaboration with the American Film Festival in Poland. Its mission is to promote American Independent productions throughout Europe by enhancing their visibility both among the public and within the industry, and encouraging their circulation. The Network works to fulfil this mission through its film festival members in Europe and its supporting partners in Asia and North America.^[19]

All the participating film festivals are major platforms for American Indie films in their respective regions. They all work closely within the Network, but embody diversity and individual artistic identity, through their distinct programming choices. They feature both press and audience screenings and offer a full range of side events that include master classes, conferences and industry pitching, bringing together a wide spectrum of viewers, iconic and emerging talent, and other industry professionals to share experiences and knowledge. ^[20]

References

External links

• Official website
• Official announcement of the American Indie Competition in Filmmaker Magazine.
• Interview with LIFF director Alexander Mouret
• Withoutabox