The 42nd International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) has announced the first seven films selected in its Hivos Tiger Awards Competition 2013.

Among the seven titles, four have been supported by IFFR’s Hubert Bals Fund. They films include:

Noche (Night) / Leonardo Brzezicki / Argentina, 2013
World premiere, Hubert Bals Fund-supported film, first feature film

Penumbra / Eduardo Villanueva / Mexico, 2013
World premiere, Hubert Bals Fund-supported film, second feature film

It Felt Like Love / Eliza Hitmann / USA, 2013
International premiere, first feature film

Larzanandeye Charbi (Fat Shaker) / Mohammad Shirvani / Iran, 2012
European premiere, Hubert Bals Fund-supported film, second feature film

Halley / Sebastián Hofmann / Mexico, 2012
European premiere, Hubert Bals Fund-supported film, first feature film

Soldate Jeannette (Soldier Jane) / Daniel Hoesl / Austria, 2012
European premiere, first feature film

36/ Nawapol Thamrongrattanarit / Thailand, 2012
European premiere, first feature film, Busan New Currents Award co-winner

The complete line-up of the 15 first or second feature-length films competing for the three awards of $19,400 (€15,000) will be announced by Jan 8.

IFFR director Rutger Wolfson said: “The films in last year’s Hivos Tiger Awards competition, like Clip, De Jueves a Domingo, Egg and Stone, and Neighbouring Sounds, have collected great interest and prizes at festivals and theatres throughout the world.

“It looks as if we will be able to present an equally strong selection in our upcoming Hivos Tiger Awards Competition. These films are powerful and convincing. I expect these will become the breakthrough works for the young filmmakers.

“Also, I am very glad to see the results of the efforts of our Hubert Bals Fund. In total, we expect to present more than 20 new films at the festival that have received support from the Fund. Showing this rich harvest is our most important motive in securing the financial position of the Fund.”