Eleventh Edition of Curaçao International Film Festival a Great Success

Organization announces extra day and special award for Caribbean Focus films in 2026 edition

WILLEMSTAD, April 15, 2025 – The organizers of the Curaçao International Film Festival (CIFF), which took place from Wednesday through Sunday at The Movies Otrobanda, are looking back on a very successful eleventh edition. Several screenings were completely sold out, and the festival saw a record number of visitors.

The audience, including many young people, responded enthusiastically to the program, expressing particular appreciation for the expanded Caribbean Focus Selection and the new segment Lost & Found. This segment featured, among others, the rediscovery and multiple screenings of the local film Lanta Para Watapana by Wilbert Tecla from 1974.

The eleventh edition offered a diverse selection of nearly 70 films shown over five days at The Movies Otrobanda. Due to its success, the organization is already announcing exciting developments for the twelfth edition in 2026. An extra day will be added to the schedule, allowing for more screenings and enabling films to start earlier in the evening.

Additionally, a new competition will be launched for filmmakers from the Caribbean part of the Kingdom and Suriname, in support of the region’s growing film communities. This award, the Watapana Award, is a tribute to filmmaker Wilbert Tecla, who in the 1970s used Lanta Para Watapana to highlight important themes such as deforestation and soil erosion. According to CIFF, he was the first Curaçaoan filmmaker to address this topic on film, and the theme remains highly relevant today.

The name of the award refers to the iconic watapana tree, symbolizing strength and resilience. With its deep-reaching roots, it finds water despite harsh conditions, staying nourished and continuing to grow.

The competition guidelines will be published in late August or early September. Like the existing Yellow Robin Award, the prize includes a cash award and participation in the Morelia International Film Festival in Mexico and Film by the Sea in the Netherlands – two prestigious festivals that serve as important launchpads for reaching a wider audience. The Yellow Robin Award itself will also be expanded next year, increasing the number of nominees from the Caribbean, Central, and South America from five to seven.

Finally, the successful Lost & Found segment will return in 2026. The organization is once again seeking “lost” films or other artistic works that deserve a platform. The public is invited to submit suggestions or search their own archives for hidden gems that would be a good fit for this part of the festival.

The dates for the 2026 edition will be announced soon.

Editor’s Note
For more information about this press release, please contact:
Annet Kooistra – annet@factory360-marketing.com