Last night the second edition of the four-day Curaçao International Film Festival Rotterdam started with the screening of the opening film Blancanieves in the presence of the Spanish director Pablo Berger who introduced his film.

Curaçao IFFR lets you enjoy a long weekend filled with special and innovative films from around the world, but also its creators. The organization has invited a number of international filmmakers to be present at the festival to introduce their film and engage in a Q&A with the public to exchange ideas and answer questions. Besides Pablo Berger, the following directors will also be present: Sacha Gervasi (Hitchcock), Álvaro Pastor (Yo, también), Pablo Croce (Salsa Giants), Bruna Safadie (Éden) and various directors of the films that have been nominated for the Yellow Robin Award.

In his welcome speech, Gregory Elias of Fundashon Bon Intenshon, organizer of the festival in cooperation with the IFFR Netherlands, pointed out that one of the most significant elements in the films screened at this year’s edition is the role women play in them. In films such as Blancanieves, Lore, Il futuro, Wadja, Eden en Maria Full of Grace, women, both young and old, are intensely and in a most inspiring way, confronted with often inhumane and unjust situations and yet, despite encountering almost impossible obstacles, manage to overcome them.

Elias: “Women, children in today’s world and on various continents still do not receive the respect, appreciation and dignity from the respective societies they live and work in. My thoughts and sympathy go to Malala Yousafzai, a 14 year old girl, shot last year in the head in Pakistan by the Taliban, because she is an activist fighting a cause for freedom of education for women. Fortunately, she proved also physically strong and survived the assassination attempt.One would think this is a story taken out of a film with a happy ending. Sadly this is today’s reality. I would like to dedicate this year’s Festival to all the deprived women in today’s world. Let’s look forward and hope that this Festival makes a small contribution to a better acceptance between people of different racial, religious and political backgrounds.”

The Festival lasts till Sunday 7 April and offers in addition to the many films, Q&A’s with directors, a performance of the Dennis Aalse Youth Orchestra tonight at 7 PM, various workshops on the art of film making and the Magic Lantern exhibit.