Winners Short Film Competition revealed
On the evening of Sunday 11 October, the short film awards were presented at the Film Fest Café, marking the conclusion of the annual short film weekend at Film Fest Gent. The International Short Film Jury, comprising Max Ferguson, Felipe Casanova, and Vladlena Sandu this year, viewed three selections of international short films and a selection of Belgian student short films over the past few days.
The International Short Film Competition, featuring films from seventeen different countries, showcased a wealth of emerging directorial talent. The jury ultimately selected Sawyer Avenue, Sunday Afternoon by Bill Morrison. This short film powerfully depicts the violent actions of ICE agents in Chicago on 12 October 2025, and wins the Award for Best International Short, worth €5,000 and supported by the National Lottery.
The jury was impressed by the quality of the selection in the International Short Film Competition and said of the winning film: "We three are immigrants and we believe that everyone should have the right to live freely where they want. For the Best International Short, we chose a film that documents extreme violence and a loss of humanity in the excuse of 'protecting' borders. A political project that makes humans betray each other. In its final gesture, the film delivers the full names of each criminal, stating the importance of having a record towards future justice. We see the urgency in this film, not only as a document of the situation in contemporary America, but also as a mirror of the authoritarianism that is happening right now in Belgium, France and many many other countries. The film reminds us of the power of protest and through solidarity we find hope. We dedicate this award to those who are putting themselves in danger right now in the fight for their rights. The award of Best International Short goes to Sawyer Avenue, Sunday Afternoon by Bill Morrison."
In the same competition, the jury decided to award a Special Mention to not just one, but two short films.
Regarding Nothing Happens After Your Absence by Ibrahim Omar, in which the filmmaker returns to his home village in Sudan just as war suddenly breaks out, the jury said: "The film playfully and tragically shows us the difficulty of building culture in Sudan which is at war and in a huge humanitarian crisis. While engaging with a younger generation who chooses not to be militarized, the film shows that cinema and culture can be an alternative to war and destruction. We applaud the creative and artistic approach of the director. The special mention goes to Nothing Happens After Your Absence by Ibrahim Omar."
Ein Unfall by Angelika Spangel, in which a series of surprising accidents throws a small village into turmoil, also receives a special mention from the jury: "This film poetically puts into question our relationship with play and games. Exploring the behaviours within a rural community, the film asks: Where is the real border between violence and play? At what point does something become irreversible? At what point must we take responsibility for our own actions? The special mention goes to Ein Unfall by Angelika Spangel."
As every year, there was great interest in the Competition for Belgian Student Shorts, a competition whose roll of honour includes major talents such as Anthony Nti, Kato De Boeck, Adil El Arbi & Bilall Fallah, and Lukas Dhont. Students from recognized film schools in Flanders, Wallonia, and Brussels were eligible to participate in this short film competition.
The jury named A Story in White by N.A. Mosaic the winner of the Award for Best Belgian Student Short, which carries a prize of €5,000, courtesy of Amplo. In a quiet, snow-covered mountain world, the film follows two friends searching together for a feeling they can't quite name, when they encounter a mysterious snowman.
A Special Mention went to Among Your Words, There is a Secret by Hasan Raza. In the film, a filmmaker returns to his hometown of Quetta, Pakistan, after years away to attend his sister's wedding. What begins as a family celebration becomes a rare opportunity to get to know his mother better.
The audience also had the chance to vote for their favorite in the Competition for Belgian Student Shorts, selecting Lukas Gevaert’s Fruits de Merde as the winner of the Audience Award for Best Belgian Student Short; the film follows a family during their traditional New Year's Eve celebration in a single continuous shot, until a winning scratch card ends up on the table. The prize includes a post-production budget of €5,000, supported by Sonhouse.