The International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) has announced the speakers for the talks programme of its 55th edition, which will run from January 29 to February 8 in the Netherlands. Confirmed participants include Brazilian filmmaker Kleber Mendonça Filho, US actor John Lithgow, Italian actress Valeria Golino and Egyptian director Marwan Hamed. The programme will be structured around two strands: Big Talks, featuring conversations between leading filmmakers, and Tiger Talks, focused on discussions around feminism, the legacy of colonialism and cinema’s sociopolitical role.

As part of Big Talks, Mendonça Filho (The Secret Agent) will be in conversation with Carla Simón (Alcarràs), while Lithgow will join the Dutch cast for a talk about the film Jimpa. Marwan Hamed, whose work will be the focus of the IFFR’s 2026 retrospective, will take part in an in-depth discussion with director Yousry Nasrallah. Further talks will bring together Palestinian actress Hiam Abbass and Italian actress Valeria Golino to discuss their international careers, as well as Academy Award-winning sound designer Nicolas Becker (Sound of Metal) and actor, musician and sound designer Simon Fisher Turner. The programme also includes a conversation with cinematographer Yorick Le Saux on his work and influences, alongside the industry-focused IFFR Pro Dialogues, to be held during the IFFR Pro Days from January 30 to February 4.