The competition programme is a cinematographic exploration and representation of Europe’s regions in time, space and spirit. The notion of ‘border’ takes a central position and can be determined politically, psychologically, historically, economically, linguistically, physically or morally.
The competition consists of a minimum of eight and a maximum of twelve films. The geography of the ‘Interregionals’ encloses the European continent from Iceland to St. Petersburg, from Azerbaijan to the Rock of Gibraltar. Not necessarily the national cultures of the regions, but their diversity as well as their similarities are immensely fascinating from a viewpoint of artistic content. The European continent is filled to the brim with stories, histories, relationships and emotions, and the almost fifty countries with just as many borders provide us with hundreds of films every year. We look at the world around us through a precise selection. Where do we stand in relation to each other, what do we have in common, and how do some of the most interesting film makers put this on screen? This is what the Interregional Competition represents: the relationship with our geographical neighbours, but also with ourselves.
The past couple of years, a new element has been added to the competition. Within the European regions, the multicultural society is also taking more shape, with consequent problems. The NFF wishes to pay attention to this development as well and aims to create more understanding for one another’s cultural background and customs.
The Matad’Or
The participating films are competing for the famous Matad’Or, which also involves a € 10,000 money prize made available by the Province of Friesland. The prize is central to the festival logo and symbolizes the rising star. The name refers to the gold of the winner and the toughness of a bull fighter, but also to Mata Hari, a much talked of, self-willed and independent Frisian woman. In 2010, the Matad’Or will be awarded for the fourteenth time. The Matad’Or has been designed by sculpturist Machiel Braaksma from Hallum. He made a dynamic design that literally and figuratively gives charisma to the Interregional Competition.
The Winners
The cash prize of € 10,000 is a substantial amount of money for film makers. It has to be used for the development of new projects. In 2003, the Bulgarian Iglika Triffonova won with Letter to America. She has now finished a new production called Investigation. Michelangelo Frammartino (Italy) won with Il Dono in 2004. He used the prize for the development of a new scenario.