The industry arm of the International Film Festival Rotterdam, IFFR Pro, has announced the winners of its 2026 awards, with the hybrid project LFD Hope by British director Joshua Loftin emerging as one of the major standouts. The film received the €30,000 Eurimages Outreach Award in the Darkroom section of the industry programme.

LFD Hope is described as a poetic work with touches of magical realism, focusing on characters living on the margins of London. Blending documentary and fiction, the project is produced by UK-Hungarian company Gallivant Films and is close to picture lock. Additional production partners include the UK’s Sea Fox Films and Lorenz Film, along with another UK-Hungarian outfit, Good Kids Productions.

The award was among the most substantial presented during the closing ceremony of the IFFR Pro Industry Days, where prizes were given to projects selected from the 21 participants in the 43rd edition of CineMart, 10 titles in the Darkroom work-in-progress platform, nine immersive media projects in the new Lightroom platform, and four projects from Safe Harbour.

In the development category, Filipino director Martika Ramirez Escobar received the €20,000 Eurimages Innovation Award for Daughters Of The Sea, selected in CineMart and Lightroom. Produced by Monster Jimenez of Manila-based Arkeofilms together with local producer Rajiv Idnani, the film weaves together three stories linked by water.

Another notable recognition went to Senegalese director Mamadou Dia, whose project Coumba won the HBF x PUBLIKUM Audience Outreach Award. Backed by the Hubert Bals Fund and produced by Eugenie Michel Villette of Senegal’s Maayo Films in co-production with France’s Les Films Du Bilboquet, the mystery drama follows an inspector returning to his hometown to investigate a murder without a body.

Among other prizes, the €6,000 ArteKino Award for a standout project in development went to Belgian company Tarantula for The Poet’s Son, by first-time Belgian fiction director Nicolas Graux. The drama centers on a young Russian man who narrowly avoids military conscription and has a strained relationship with his father, a poet burdened by regret.

Marten Rabarts, head of IFFR Pro, welcomed the conclusion of the Industry Days by praising “another powerful edition that has sparked connections, opened new partnerships and propelled projects closer to a life on screen and beyond.” He also emphasized that the breadth and evolution of this year’s programme reflect the festival’s commitment to responding to the shifting needs of filmmakers.

IFFR Pro winners

Chemin Des Bâtards by Leon Rogissart (Belgium-Netherlands)
DR Studios award for best immersive project in development:

Cléo by Coco Chen (Taiwan)
4DR Studios award for best immersive work-in-progress project in Lightroom

The Poet’s Son by Nicolas Graux (Belgium-France- Germany) 
ArteKino International Award: 

Daughters Of The Sea by Martika Ramirez Escobar (Philippines, Spain)
Eurimages New Lab Awards: Innovation Award:

LFD Hope by Joshua Loftin (UK, Hungary)
Outreach Award 

The Hummingbird Paints Fragrant Songs by Èlia Gasull Balada and Matteo Norzi (Peru-US-Spain-Chile)
Filmmore Work-in-progress Post-production award

Pale Faces by Chantel Clark (Netherlands-South Africa) 
Filmmore Post-Production award

Marina by Laís Santos Araújo and Pethrus Tibúrcio (Brazil)
HBF Empowerment award

Coumba by Mamadou Dia (Senegal-France) 
HBF x PUBLIKUM audience outreach award

Hidden Journey by Noura Adil (Sudan) 
New Impulse award 

Neon Phantom by Leonardo Martinelli (Brazil)
VIPO award