The 37th edition of the International Film Festival Rotterdam (23 January to 3 February 2008) is being realised under the leadership of director Rutger Wolfson after the departure of Sandra den Hamer. He is focusing on Free Radicals: film makers and artists who idiosyncratically and energetically follow their own course. In this context, film maker Robert Breer and artist Cameron Jamie are being honoured with Focus programmes. In addition, the festival is paying special attention to one-off film...

Monday, July 10----Most festivals, in their debut year, have a modest agenda and try to keep expectations at a low pitch. Not so the Rome Film Fest, which is approaching its inaugural session with the velocity of an unstoppable train. It has always seemed curious to Americans why some of Europe’s largest cities have not had a major film festival attached to them. Why, we wonder, did it take decades for Paris, the most cinephile of cities, to launch its own film event? Why are there no major...