The latest film and festival news
Director Ken Loach, who won the Golden Palm at Cannes with his latest film, presented the film in an impressive personal way.
The most anticipated day of September must be 22/9, because it marks the release of Film Fest Gent’s official programme and the start of our ticket sale.
Every year, Film Fest Gent strives to offer a platform for its domestic cinema. We are proud to announce that we will present no less than 9 new Belgian titles in different sections at this 43rd edition. These titles will receive their national or world premiere in Ghent.
The festival announces its first international titles in various sections. The Official Competition includes the British-Belgian co-production “A Quiet Passion” by Terence Davies starring Cynthia Nixon. Two feature films from the last Cannes edition also stand a chance to win Best Film or Best Music & Sound: the Romanian drama “Bacalaureat” by Cristian Mungiu and remarkable Italian “Fai bei sogni" by Marco Bellocchio starring Bérénice Bejo.
Film Fest Gent will open the 43rd edition on 11 October with Cannes Palme d’Or winner “I, Daniel Blake”. It will be the third time that the filmmaker himself will attend the biggest festival in Belgium.
This first wave of World Soundtrack Award Nominees include multiple Academy Award® winners and nominees, a past Discovery of the Year winner, and the best of contemporary television music. The nominees announced include Academy Award®-winners Ennio Morricone, John Williams, and Sam Smith; Academy Award®-nominees Carter Burwell and Thomas Newman; and recent Discovery of the Year winner Daniel Pemberton. The inaugural Television Composer of the Year nominees include EMMY® winners Bear McCreary, Jeff Beal, and Sean Callery, and nominees Mac Quayle and Ramin Djawadi.
At 16th edition of the World Soundtrack Awards Gala on the 19th of October, the winner of the Public Choice Award will be announced, and it is up to you to select your favorite. For the first time, the nominees for the Public Choice Award were chosen by members of the International Film Music Critics Association (IFMCA).
Via this poll we offer you the chance to vote for your favorite Ryuichi Sakamoto track in the last days of our crowdfunding campaign: 'Bringing Sakamoto's filmmusic to your ears'.
Through this campaign we aim to fund a unique Ryuichi Sakamoto album that is focused on his film and TV work rather than on his separate scores. The album will be recorded by Brussels Philharmonic and YOU get to decide which final track will be added to the list of already awesome scores!
The program of the 43rd edition of Film Fest Gent is inspired by cinema from two different corners of the earth: starting with the most Northern point of Europe for its Focus on Nordic Cinema and ending in the far East for the Spotlight on Japan. The Nordic Focus is emphasized by the festivals central campaign image, depicting one of the greatest movie stars the region has ever know: Greta Garbo.
Film Fest Gent announces full program for the 16th World Soundtrack Awards which will showcase the music composed for today’s top television shows and for legendary series from our youth, live performed by Brussels Philharmonic and the Flemish Radio Choir conducted by maestro Dirk Brossé.
To discover new exciting screenwriting talent from around the world Shore Scripts puts the best scripts into the hands of the producers, production companies and agents that have the means to get them made. They’ve amassed a roster of the most respected industry judges of any screenwriting contest in the world. They include 19 Oscar & BAFTA winners, 88 Production Companies & 10 Agents who are all attached to read this years best scripts. A number of writers have gained representation, optioned, sold and even had their scripts made directly from entering Shore Scripts. Read more to check out the current competitons.
** The crowdfunding campaign for the album has ended, recording will start in August 2016. In case you still want to contribute, and receive the perks, please contact liza@filmfestival.be **
World Soundtrack Awards needs your help! Early May we proudly announced our World Soundtrack Lifetime Achievement Award recipient Ryuichi Sakamoto. Like every year we want to treat musiclovers to exclusive renditions of their favourite scores even after the World Soundtrack Gala with a unique album. This album will be a collection of Sakamoto's scores, for the first time focused on his entire body of work in film and television rather than just on one film at a time. The scores will be brought to life by Brussels Philharmonic conducted by Dirk Brossé. To achieve this goal we started a Indiegogo crowdfunding campaign.
The Lifetime Achievement Award will be presented to Ryuichi Sakamoto on October 19 at the World Soundtrack Awards in Ghent, following the festival's spotlight on Japanese cinema. A selection of his work will be performed by Brussels Philharmonic conducted by Dirk Brossé on a unique compilation album focusing on Sakamoto's film scores. For this album Film Fest Gent will launch a crowdfunding campaign.
The 16th edition of the World Soundtrack Awards shines the spotlight on television scores, showcasing the music from the most beloved television shows in recent history. Brussels Philharmonic and the Flemish Radio Choir will perform the scores from series including Fargo, Homeland, House of Cards, Sherlock and The Leftovers with composers JEFF RUSSO, SEAN CALLERY, JEFF BEAL, DAVID ARNOLD and MAX RICHTER in attendance. For the first time, the World Soundtrack Awards will feature two concert programs: the World Soundtrack Awards Gala – the traditional award ceremony and concert – on October 19th and a second WSA Concert without ceremony on October 20th.
On Wednesday 21 October, the international jury of Film Fest Gent, led by jury president Sir Alan Parker, announced the winners of the different competitions. 'Ixcanul' by Jayro Bustamante won the Grand Prix for Best Film. The Georges Delerue Award for Best Soundtrack went to Johnnie Burn for the soundtrack of 'The Lobster' by Yorgos Lanthimos. The winners of the different short film competitions were also revealed.
This year’s international jury consisted of jury president Sir Alan Parker, Marjane Satrapi, Caroline Strubbe, Boyd van Hoeij and Franco Lolli.
Film Fest Gent is bringing Alexander Skarsgård and director Marielle Heller to the festival, together with the Belgian distributor of ‘The Diary of a Teenage Girl’ Lumière and producer Caviar. On Tuesday 20 October, the film will conclude the youth competition of the festival where the jury will announce the winner of the Explore Award.
On Wednesday 14 October, Christopher Plummer will receive the Joseph Plateau Honorary Award at the 42nd Film Fest Gent. With this accolade, the festival honours guests who have made a special contribution to the art of filmmaking. “If there is one actor deserving of the Joseph Plateau Award then it is this immensely versatile and talented Canadian icon", claims the festival’s artistic director, Patrick Duynslaegher. Film Fest Gent will also screen 'Remember' the latest film by Atom Egoyan, starring Christopher Plummer.
Mark the 24th of September in your calender, because that is when the official programme of the 42nd edition of Film Fest Gent will be announced!
British director Alan Parker will be presiding over the international jury during the 42nd edition of Film Fest Gent. Alan Parker interspersed his purely British films with bigger American productions, although these were never intended as superficial Hollywood entertainment. “If you haven’t got something to say, I don’t think you should be a film-maker” is his motto. He will talk about his work and of course about cinema with Patrick Duynslaegher
The 42nd edition of Film Fest Gent (13 - 24 October 2015) is approaching and also the 15th edition of the World Soundtrack Awards Ceremony & Concert on saturday 14 October 2015 will be a beautiful edition!
'Black', the second feature by Adil El Arbi & Bilall Fillah, is selected for the 42nd Film Fest Gent (13-24 Oct). The film features new faces such as Martha Canga Antonio and Aboubakr Bensaïhi. The film will have its world premiere at Toronto International Film Festival (TIFF) on September 11th and will be screened at Film Fest Gent on October 19th.
Robert Zemeckis’ forthcoming thriller ‘The Walk’, starring Joseph Gordon-Levitt as Philippe Petit, the charismatic high-wire artist who unforgettably traversed the Twin Towers in 1974, will pre-open the 42nd Film Fest Gent (FFGent). In addition to 'The Walk' FFGent will also hold a ‘Back to the Future’ marathon in celebration of the 30th anniversary of Zemeckis’ famous trilogy. Finally the festival will close with the 15th World Soundtrack Awards, including the concert premiere of the film music of 'The Walk' in the presence of its central guest and composer Alan Silvestri.
Missed a film during Film Fest Gent? No worries, also this year some festival films will be screened in the cinema!
Great Scott! On Wednesday 21 October 2015, we’ll celebrate the 30th anniversary of return of Marty McFly. At Film Fest Gent you can enjoy the entire trilogy of ‘Back To The Future’ on the big screen.
