30th Flanders International Film Festival-Ghent : A Celebration Edition
The Flanders International Film Festival-Ghent celebrates its 30th edition this year. More than ever before the festival will focus on music. It will also publish a unique book holding interviews with some 20 film music composers. But there will be plenty of surprises to come in October.
The 'Impact of Music on Film' will be highlighted by different concerts. On October 12 the World Soundtrack Awards will be presented during a festivity with the Nationaal Orkest van België and the renowned composer Patrick Doyle (Gosford Park, Sense and Sensibility). Maurice Jarre will receive a Lifetime Achievement Award during the ceremony.
'The core of this 10 days' feast will always be the competition.', says Jacques Dubrulle, 'A maximum of 15 very different films will be selected for the International Competition.' As always an international jury will pass judgement. All movies in competition will be shown in the Capitole. The president of this year's jury is French star actress Jeanne Moreau. She will be assisted by a.o. the British composer Stephen Warbeck (Shakespeare in Love).
During the closing ceremony on October 18, the following awards will be presented : The Grand Prize of the Flemish community for Best Film, the Georges Delerue Award for Best Music, the Sabam Prize for Best Screenplay and the Robert Wise Award for Best Director.
This year the total prize money on the Ghent Festival will be increased up to 81.000 Euro. The money will entirely go to the Benelux distributors of the winning movies. This way the festival hopes to amend the crisis among art house distributors. Up till now the prize money was shared by distributor, director, composer and screen play writer.
The short film competions will play a major role. The festival features the following competitions : the Prix UIP, the Prize for Best Recent Belgian Short Film, the ACE Award. Finally some 30 short films, shot between 2000 and 2003 will compete for the Prize of Best Flemish Short Film. This last one and its special mentions will be one-off prizes.
The great Italian composer Nicola Piovani, known from his music in La Vita e Bella, will conclude the ceremony with a unique concert in the Kuipke.
In September, the book Moving Music (Lannoo) will be published, holding interviews with major film music composers such as Ennio Morricone, Elmer Bernstein, the late Georges Delerue and a few Belgian names.
During this edition a lot of attention will go to youngsters. To that end the festival organizes the second edition of the composition contest for young talents. For this year's contest the candidates have to compose a piece of music of 3'02'' for the short film Baby's Peril (from 1906). Unlike last year, now both classical compositions and electronic scores will be admitted. A professional jury of people from the movie and music trade will evaluate the works. The winner will be announced during the World Soundtrack Awards Ceremony on October 12 and his winning piece will be performed.
Spectators will once again be shown movies from all over the world in the section WORLD CINEMA. These will be screened exclusively for the festival. Do not miss them.
Just like last year a jury composed of 5 youngsters between 18 and 25 will be shown an interesting range of alternative films from the festival programme. These youngsters will decide which movie will earn the XPLOREZONE Stubru Award.
For the third time running there will be the PLUS PARCOURS, in which movies will be offered to those older than 55.
But there will be more to come during this celebration edition. If you need more information on the festival itself, its program or its guests, visit us on www.filmfestival.be This site was refurbished by THESE DAYS. Please subscribe to our newsletter and you will not miss anyhing.