What is the Displacement Film Fund and who supports it?

The Displacement Film Fund, launched by Cate Blanchett, champions and funds work by displaced filmmakers, supported by partners like Master Mind, Uniqlo, and UNHCR.

When and where will the first films from the Displacement Film Fund be screened?

The first batch of short films from the Displacement Film Fund will screen at the International Film Festival Rotterdam on January 30.

Which filmmakers' new short films are featured in the first batch of the Displacement Film Fund?

The first batch features new short films by acclaimed directors such as Mohammad Rasoulof and Maryna Er Gorbach.

Home / Arts and Entertainment / Blanchett Champions Displaced Voices at IFFR

Blanchett Champions Displaced Voices at IFFR

27 Jan

Summary

Cate Blanchett presents short films from the Displacement Film Fund.
The fund supports filmmakers experiencing displacement.
New films by Rasoulof and Er Gorbach will screen at IFFR.

Blanchett Champions Displaced Voices at IFFR

At the 2026 International Film Festival Rotterdam, Cate Blanchett is set to present the inaugural short films supported by the Displacement Film Fund. Launched a year prior, the fund aims to champion and finance stories from displaced filmmakers, with new works by Mohammad Rasoulof and Maryna Er Gorbach among the selections premiering on January 30.

Blanchett, also a UNHCR Goodwill Ambassador, expressed her excitement, describing the films as deeply personal, heartbreaking, and diverse. She underscored the importance of integrating these perspectives into mainstream narratives, noting that the industry is currently missing a significant opportunity by sidelining non-mainstream stories. The initiative prioritizes speed due to the urgent nature of these creatives' experiences.

The selection committee featured prominent individuals including Cynthia Erivo, Agnieszka Holland, Jonas Poher Rasmussen, Vanja Kaludjercic, Waad Al Kateab, Aisha Khurram, and Amin Nawabi. Blanchett found the collaborative process insightful, highlighting how shared experiences of displacement connect diverse committee members.

The fund's structure drew parallels to international funding strategies, with Blanchett recalling Jim Jarmusch's method of cobbling films together from various international sources. This global approach to funding, she noted, echoes the global challenge of displacement itself. Blanchett also acknowledged the vital support from the private sector and highlighted the fund's ongoing responsibility to ensure these films reach broader audiences beyond festivals.

The first batch of films includes "Allies in Exile" by Hasan Kattan (United Kingdom), "Rotation" by Maryna Er Gorbach (Ukraine, Turkey), "Sense of Water" by Mohammad Rasoulof (Iran, Germany), "Super Afghan Gym" by Shahrbanoo Sadat (Germany), and "Whispers of a Burning Scent" by Mo Harawe (Somalia, Austria, Germany). Blanchett hopes these films, existing both individually and as a cohort, will be experienced together, revealing the shared threads of experience.

The 2026 Rotterdam Film Festival is scheduled to take place from January 29 to February 8.

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