When, due to the pandemic, cinemas closed weeks before IFFR's 50th anniversary, the film festival faced a stark choice: cancel or reinvent. Together we built a fully virtual event platform in just weeks, enabling IFFR to reach 132,286 participants worldwide.
Drupal DXP as foundation for scalable streaming platform
API-first architecture connecting film database, ticketing and video-on-demand
Film Finder app with personalised recommendations
Virtual networking for 4,492 film professionals
16% broader audience reach beyond Rotterdam
Dutch Interactive Award 2021 winner
The challenge
How do you organise an international film festival without cinemas, while maintaining the experience that defines IFFR: films, Q&As, and professional networking?
The solution
A future-proof Drupal DXP with API-first architecture that transformed IFFR's website into a full virtual event platform, complete with video-on-demand, live interaction and professional networking.
IFFR x iO: a decade of digital partnership in the cultural sector
The International Film Festival Rotterdam is one of Europe's most influential film events, attracting filmmakers and audiences from around the world to Rotterdam every January. Founded in 1972, IFFR is known for its focus on innovative and independent cinema.
We have been IFFR's trusted digital partner since 2015, evolving from solving ticketing challenges to building the foundation for their entire digital landscape. When the pandemic hit, that foundation proved its worth.
From ticketing fix to future-proof platform
Our partnership with IFFR began in 2015 when peak traffic crashed their website during ticket sales. We developed a Drupal-based solution as a short-term fix that proved so effective it became the foundation for a long-term digital strategy.
By 2020, we were already exploring how to evolve IFFR's website into a full Digital Experience Platform. The goal: unlock the festival's vast film database and create richer experiences for audiences and professionals alike. Then the pandemic changed everything.
Why API-first architecture was essential for digital transformation
When the pandemic forced IFFR to go fully online, we needed to move fast without compromising quality. Traditional monolithic development would have taken too long. API-first architecture gave us the speed and flexibility we needed.
This architecture enabled parallel development. While we rebuilt the IFFR website in Drupal 8, other teams could simultaneously build video-on-demand capabilities, ticketing integrations and the Film Finder app. Everything connected through APIs, enabling a coherent experience across all touchpoints.
Building a virtual film festival experience that rivals reality
A streaming platform alone does not make a festival. IFFR is defined by discovery, conversation, and community. We translated each element into digital form:
Film discovery: the Film Finder app lets users rate trailers and receive personalised recommendations based on their preferences and purchased ticketsLive interaction: chat functions, video meetings, and breakout rooms enabled Q&As between audiences and filmmakersProfessional networking: IFFR Pro Days moved online with dedicated panels and sessions for 4,492 industry professionalsGeo-restricted streaming: IP-based verification ensured films played only in permitted regions, protecting distribution rights
Drupal DXP as the engine for cultural sector transformation
Drupal proved ideal for this digital transformation. As an open-source CMS, it allowed us to add new functionalities quickly and flexibly. The platform integrates seamlessly with third-party systems via APIs, making it the perfect foundation for a complex event ecosystem.
For cultural organisations exploring digital transformation, IFFR demonstrates what a Drupal-based DXP can achieve: a unified platform that scales from a physical festival to a global virtual event, without starting from scratch.
We have managed to create a new virtual IFFR experience. The approach and construction of our digital landscape have greatly supported and accelerated the development of all initiatives.
The numbers
1
online participants at the 50th edition
1%
increase in audience reach beyond the Randstad region
1
film professionals attended virtual IFFR Pro Days
1%
growth in participating countries
1%
of viewers watched films on demand
1
Dutch Interactive Award for digital transformation
A virtual event platform built for the future of film
The 2021 online edition was not a temporary workaround; it expanded what IFFR can be. By removing geographical barriers, the festival reached 16% more viewers than a typical physical edition, with participants from more countries than ever before.
For audiences, the experience felt seamless: buying tickets, streaming films, joining Q&As, and discovering new favourites through the Film Finder app. For film professionals, IFFR Pro Days delivered the networking and industry sessions they rely on.
IFFR now has a hybrid-ready platform that complements physical screenings with digital reach. The foundation we built together enables future innovation, whether that means new streaming formats, expanded professional programmes, or entirely new ways to experience cinema.
