March 2021 Summaries

In response to the COVID-19 pandemic, the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR) successfully transitioned its 50th anniversary event into a fully digital format, utilizing the technical capabilities of Upsun and the expertise of digital agency iO. This shift involved the development of an API and various applications, alongside a rebuild of the IFFR website on Drupal 8, which collectively provided an engaging virtual experience for attendees. The digital transformation was built on a MACH ecosystem, integrating Microservices, APIs, cloud-native Software-as-a-Service (SaaS), and Headless architecture to deliver personalized user experiences, including tools like the Film Finder app and the In-Cinema Dashboard. The festival's digital adaptation resulted in 132,286 online participants, a significant increase in reach beyond physical borders, and an uplift in professional engagement through IFFR Pro Days. This digital pivot not only preserved the festival's cultural significance but also set the stage for future innovations in virtual event hosting, demonstrating the agility and expandability afforded by the new infrastructure.