The pool of talent attracted to this year’s International Film Festival Rotterdam would impress any organizer, but ultimately that doesn’t mean much: access is access if you can get it, little more than bragging rights to those on the outside. Lucky for us, then, that there’s an openness to their programming, evidenced — significantly — by the release of their masterclasses. The most attention will be paid to 90-or-so-minute sit-downs with Claire Denis and Jia Zhangke, respectively present for High Life and Ash is Purest White, though one shouldn’t sleep on three others: Nicole Brenez on Godard and co-editing The Image Book; Roberto Minervini discussing What You Gonna Do When the World’s on Fire?; and Carlos Reygadas, present for Our Time.
Watch them below: