In addition to the South Asian features in the Tiger competition and Bright Future section, Rotterdam will also offer a focus on 20 recent South Asian shorts.

Four compilations of shorts will be screened Jan 27-31 at the new LantarenVenster venue. Inhabited Spaces includes six experimental shorts from India and Bangladesh; Real and Surreal includes the world premieres of documentaries At the Stairs (dir Rajeesh Jala), about widows in a religious capital of India; and Out of Thin Air (dir Samreen Farogui), about the Tibetan film industry. The other two compilations are recent works from film schools throughout Southern Asia and Satyajit Ray Film and Television Institute Kolkata.

Eighteen of the filmmakers will attend the festival.

IFFR runs Jan 26-Feb 6.