11.09.2023

A busy autumn for belgian cinema at festivals!

AFI FEST, DocLisboa, Molodist, Brest: autumn is synonymous with important festivals. This year, the months of October and November come with numerous selections for French-speaking Belgian films. Feature films and short films, documentaries, fiction, or animation: discover all the selections and prizes won for these two intense months in cinema!

DOK Leipzig: The 66th edition of the German documentary and animation film festival took place from October 8 to 15. It includes Margaux Dauby's Extended Presences, produced by Kokoro Films, in the International Competition Documentary Film section. There were also two co-productions, Draw for Change: We Exist, We Resist by Mariana Cadenas (Clin d'œil films) and Bye Bye Tiberias by Lina Soualem (Altitude 100, international sales by Lightbox).

DocLisboa: The main Portuguese documentary festival hosted three French-speaking Belgian films this year. The feature film The Diagonal Force by Annik Leroy and Julie Morel (produced by Cobra Films) was selected in the New Visions section. The Liberated Broom, Listen to the story I was told, by Coline Grando (produced by the Centre Vidéo de Bruxelles) was selected in the From the Earth to the Moon section. In the short film category, Human not Human by Natan Castay (Médiadiffusion - IAD) was also selected in the From the Earth to the Moon section. The festival took place from October 19 to 29.

Human not Human by Natan Castay received an Honorable Mention at the festival.

Message to Man: The Russian festival had selected a documentary and a short film for its 33rd edition. Adieu Sauvage by Sergio Guataquira Sarmiento (produced by Fox The Fox Productions and internationally sold by CBA) and Oil oil oil by Manoël Dupont (produced by Les Films de la Récré) represented French-speaking Belgium at the festival, which took place from October 20 to 28.

Adieu Sauvage by Sergio Guataquira Sarmiento won the Student Jury Award.

Molodist: The Kiev International Film Festival had selected no fewer than five French-speaking Belgian films for its 52nd edition from October 21 to 29. In the International Competition: The Lost Boys by Zeno Graton (produced by Tarantula Belgique and internationally sold by Indie Sales), IHave Electric Dreams by Valentina Maurel (produced by Wrong Men and internationally sold by Heretic), and Love According to Dalva by Emmanuelle Nicot (produced by Helicotronc and internationally sold by Mk2 Films). In the International Short Film Competition, Titan by Valéry Carnoy (produced by Hélicotronc), and in the International Student Films Competition, Nothing to see Here by Nicolas Bouchez (produced by DocNomads). Also selected was a co-production by Panache Productions with the film Disco Boy by Giacomo Abbruzzese.

The jury honored Love According to Dalva by Emmanuelle Nicot with the Grand Prix of the festival and Lost Boys by Zeno Graton with the Best Feature Film.

Ji.hlava International Documentary Film Festival: The prestigious Czech festival took place from October 24 to 29, featuring two French-speaking Belgian documentaries in its selection. Nomad Solitude by Sébastien Wielemans (produced by Eklektik Productions and internationally distributed by Java Films) in the Opus Bonum selection, and One of the Thousand Hills by Bernard Bellefroid (La Compagnie Cinématographique) in the Testimonies selection.

One of the Thousand Hills by Bernard Bellefroid received a Special Mention.

American Film Institute Film Festival: The Los Angeles festival had selected two Belgian films - one feature and one short - respectively Mambar Pierrette by Rosine Mbakam (produced by Tândor Productions and sold internationally by The Party Film Sales) and Beyond the Sea by Hippolyte Leibovici (Cookies Films). Mambar Pierrette was selected in World Cinema, and Beyond the Sea was in Short Film Competition. Two co-productions were also selected; The Captain by Matteo Garrone (Tarantula Belgique) and Green Border by Agnieszka Holland (Beluga Tree). The festival took place from October 25 to 29.

The French Film Festival in Tübingen: The German festival of Francophone films has selected a significant number of Belgian Francophone films. In the International Competition, we find Omen by Baloji (produced by Wrong Men and sold internationally by Memento International), The Lost Boys by Zeno Graton (produced by Tarantula Belgique and sold internationally by Indie Sales), Time Out by Eve Duchemin (produced by Kwassa Films and sold internationally by Pyramide International), and the short film Vulnérable by Noureddine Zerrad (Dragons Films Productions). In the Horizons section, A silence by Joachim Lafosse (produced by Stenola Productions and sold internationally by Les Films du Losange), The (Ex)perience of Love by Ann Sirot & Raphaël Balboni (produced by Hélicotronc and sold internationally by Be for films), Turtles by David Lambert (produced by Artémis Productions and sold internationally by Outplay films), and The Falling Star by Dominique Abel & Fiona Gordon (produced by Courage mon Amour Films and sold internationally by Mk2 Films). Finally, in the Africa Focus, we find Mambar Pierrette by Rosine Mbakam (produced by Tândor Productions and sold internationally by The Party Films Sales).

Omen by Baloji and Vulnérable by Noureddine Zerrad both received a Special Mention from the Jury in their respective categories.

Internationale Kurzfilmtage Winterthur : The Swiss festival has selected three Belgian films for its 27th edition! Va-t'en, Alfred ! by Célia Tisserant & Arnaud Demuynck (La Boîte... Productions), Tout l'amour du monde by Guérin Van de Vorst (Ateliers Jeunes Cinéastes!) and Loveboard by Felipe Casanova (self-produces, international sales by Kino Rebelde). The festival takes place from November 7th to 12th.

European Short Film Festival in Brest: Many selections for one of the most important short film festivals. In the European Competition, you'll find Said of a Deer That Sheds its Antlers by Salomé Crickx (Rayuela Productions) and Alice and the Sunflowers by Charlotte Muller and Théo Dégen (Phosphores Films). A Fairy Taleby Zoé Arène (Wrong Men) is presented in the Off Program. In the 2 and 4 years sections, you'll find Carotte produced by Camera-etc, as well as Quand j'avais peur du noir, Go Away, Alfred!, and The Big Tantrum, all directed by Célia Tisserant & Arnaud Demuynck and produced by La Boîte... Productions. Sirocco et le Royaume des courants d'air by Benoît Chieux (co-produced by Take Five) is presented as a Young Audience.

Alice and the Sunflowers by Charlotte Muller and Théo Dégen won the Young UniversCiné Jury Prize.

A busy autumn for belgian cinema at festivals!

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