Arts Flanders

The next edition of the BRUSSELS FILM FESTIVAL takes place from 23 to 30 June at Flagey, Brussels. With the coming of the new director Ivan Corbisier some novelties appeared to the program:

A diversified program: a rich and stronger film selection, thus offering more diversity for the public as well as an important promotion platform for professionals. The programming of this 8th edition is structured around six sections:

1. Previously reserved to first and second feature films only, the Official Competition will from now on be open to all European  films and all genres, thus offering the opportunity to keep track of the career of filmmakers discovered previously in, among other festivals, Brussels

2. The section Avant-Premières, allows the audience to discover in exclusive preview the most anticipated European films of the summer and fall.

3. The Panorama section presents a selection of European films, previously not released in Belgium.

4. For the first time, the festival opens up to genre films ! The Europe of Genres section widens the horizon of the festival towards a cinema form, very scarcely shown in festivals, be it thrillers, crime films or comedies.

5. The Open Air Screenings (always for free) attract every night more than a thousand spectators on the Place Ste Croix, in an unforgettable atmosphere, and hopefully in a warm evening glow.

6. For the first time, the festival will host a Short Film Competition , which will allow young Belgian talents to enter the spotlights.

Lots of prizes to celebrate the talent of European filmmakers:Who thinks of competition, thinks of prizes. An international jury will attribute the desired official awards. In order to encourage European cinema, the BRUSSELS FILM FESTIVAL is proud to attribute the following prestigious prizes :

* The GOLDEN IRIS AWARD, for the best feature film, with a value of 10.000€

* NEW ! The festival still wants to encourage young filmmakers by means of the WHITE IRIS AWARD (a reference to the Tour of France) for the best first feature film, with a value of 5.000€

* NEW ! In collaboration with the ASA (Francophone Audiovisual Scriptwriters Association) and the SABAM ( The Belgian Society of Authors, Composers and Editors) the festival will attribute the BEST SCENARIO AWARD - with a value of 2000€

* NEW ! The BEST SHORT FILM AWARD, with a value of 2.100€, will be attributed in collaboration with the UPCB (Union of the Belgian Cinematographic Press), Universciné (the platform for video on demand via the internet) and the ARRF (Association of Belgian Film directors).

* NEW ! The CINEUROPA AWARD - with a value of 5000€ for promotion

* The audience can award their favourite film with the AUDIENCE AWARD, with a value of 2.500€

* Like every year, the television stations RTBF, BeTV and Prime offer a prize for the purchase of a film for television

* NEW ! An award for the best film concept will be attributed to a Belgian project

More information:
www.fffb.be