Suspense during the opening night of the Ghent Film Festival

12 Oct 2011

On 11 October the 38th edition of the Ghent Film Festival kicked off with a spectacular opening night, drawing huge interest from the media and the general public. The red carpet was rolled out at the Kinepolis complex for Tomas Alfredson, Alberto Iglesias and Benedict Cumberbatch, the director, composer and actor respectively of this year's opening film, the thriller Tinker, Tailor, Soldier, Spy. Meanwhile, the documentary, Magic Trip, about a legendary road trip across the USA, was shown at Arts Centre Vooruit. So there was something for everyone on this opening night making it the ideal kick-off to twelve days of compelling films, amazing concerts and the highlight of the festival, on 22 October 22: the World Soundtrack Awards.

Anyone who is familiar with the Ghent Film Festival's history knows that the festival has always championed Belgian film, including work by Flemish, Walloon and Brussels film makers as well as all the possible hybrids which make our film landscape so exciting, diverse and interesting. ?The Ghent Film Festival was the first Belgian film festival to train the spotlight on home-grown talent with the Joseph Plateau Awards. And we have decided to continue this tradition this year by awarding the Joseph Plateau Award for Belgian Talent to personalities who have contributed to the national and international reputation of Belgian cinema. ?There can really be no contesting the merit of this year's winners: Chris Lomme, an icon of Flemish film, and the Dardenne brothers, Jean-Pierre and Luc, who put Belgian cinema on the world map with their gripping social dramas.

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