28e Internationaal Filmfestival van Vlaanderen-Gent 2001

This year the festival shows an extensive selection of films in the “World cinema” programme. In that section there is also the sub programme “A Look Apart”, curated by Cris Bierinckx, consisting of films that ride the line between urgency and modesty.
Lovers of film classics are also well provided, the programme “Memory of Film” is very elaborate this year. The silent film Orlacs Hände is shown for instance, accompanied by a brand new soundtrack by Henrig Lohner, but there are also different homages. For example: one dedicated to the famous producers Richard D. Zanuck and Lili Fini Zanuck, which is the reason of Richard’s visit to Ghent. French director Bertrand Tavernier is also present at the festival because of his homage. To top off his visit, he receives the Joseph Plateau Award.

The main reason why 2001 marks a very special edition is because of the birth of the World Soundtrack Awards. A competition with eight different awards all focussed on film music. Apart from “Soundtrack Composer of the Year” (awarded to John Williams), there is for instance also a “Most Creative Use of Existing Material on a Soundtrack” prize (awarded to Moulin Rouge!) and the “Lifetime Achievement Award” (awarded to Elmer Bernstein). Bernstein is guest of honour at the festival this year and gives a double concert at the night of the Awards with Gabriel Yared.

Also new this year is the Public Choice Joseph Plateau Award, where the best Belgian film of the past year is chosen by the audience of the festival.