The International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) has officially announced the jury lineups for its three main competitions for the 2026 edition, continuing its commitment to innovation, diversity of perspectives, and the international visibility of independent cinema. The selected personalities reflect a broad artistic representation, spanning filmmaking, acting, literature, film criticism, and cultural programming.
In the Tiger Competition — which celebrates new voices in world cinema and awards a €40,000 prize along with two Special Jury Awards of €10,000 each — the jury will be composed of:
Soheila Golestani: Iranian filmmaker and actress acclaimed for her performance in The Seed of the Sacred Fig (2024), nominated for an Academy Award. She began her career as a performer in theatre and film and later transitioned into directing, creating short films and television projects.
Marcelo Gomes: Brazilian director, screenwriter, and visual artist known for Cinema, Aspirins and Vultures (2005), Portrait of a Certain Orient (IFFR 2024), and Dolores (2025), the latter two directly connected to IFFR.
Ariane Labed: Greek-French actress and filmmaker who made her directorial debut with September Says (Cannes 2024). As an actress, she has starred in acclaimed films including Attenberg (2010), Alps (2011) and The Lobster (2015).
Kristy Matheson: Director of Festivals at the British Film Institute (BFI) since 2023, and formerly Creative Director of the Edinburgh International Film Festival and Head of Film Programs at ACMI, Australia’s national museum of screen culture.
Jurica Pavičić: Croatian novelist, screenwriter and film critic, author of ten novels and two short story collections. His crime novel Red Water (2017) established him as a prominent voice in European noir literature.
The Big Screen Competition — which bridges auteur cinema, mainstream film and classics while fostering distribution within the Netherlands by awarding €15,000 to the winning film and an additional €15,000 to its Dutch distributor — will feature a jury representing the local creative industry:
Jan-Willem van Ewijk: Dutch filmmaker and actor who transitioned from a career in engineering to directing his award-winning debut Nu (2006), followed by Atlantic. (2014), Pacifica. (2024) and Alpha. (2024).
Sara Ishaq: Yemeni-Scottish director, screenwriter and educator, currently leading the International Coalition for Filmmakers at Risk, an organisation defending artistic freedom co-founded by IDFA, IFFR and the European Film Academy.
Loes Luca: Rotterdam-born actress, singer and comedian, celebrated for her work in numerous successful Dutch films and television projects.
Chris Oosterom: Director of Imagine Film Festival, with a broad background in film programming for festivals such as Lowlands and Crossing Border, as well as cultural venues including Ekko and ’t Paard.
Mila Schlingemann: Senior Programmer and Acquisitions Manager at EYE Filmmuseum, the Dutch national museum for film and the moving image.
Finally, the Tiger Short Competition — which presents three equal awards of €5,000 — brings together experts closely connected to short films and visual arts:
Sammy Baloji: Artist based between Lubumbashi and Brussels, whose work explores the memory and history of the Democratic Republic of Congo. He received the Special Jury Prize in the Tiger Competition at IFFR 2025 for L’arbre de l’authenticité.
Anka Gujabidze: Visual artist from Tbilisi whose first film Temo Re received both the Tiger Short Award and the KNF Award at IFFR 2025.
Jukka-Pekka Laakso: Director of the Tampere Film Festival since 2002, former expert at Berlinale Talents and the European Film Academy’s A Sunday in the Country, and Executive Director of the Pirkanmaa Film Centre.
