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"My Boy"
Lauren Fripont :: Belgium :: 2021
A brother and sister are playing together, as their mother watches. They let their imagination run wild and take on all kinds of roles, from heroes to monsters. When the boy decides to play a magic girl, his mother puts an abrupt end to the fun.
coming-of-ageanimation -
'Cyclofolie'
Maxim Dierick :: :: 2021
Teenager Clément flees into his fantasy world on his bicycle. He puts on loud music to forget his parents’ fighting, until the battery of his headphones dies. Escape is no longer a possibility.
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120 seconds to get elected
Denis Villeneuve :: Canada :: 2006
A politician has just a couple of minutes to convince people to vote for him, and tries to seduce his audience with promises he thinks they want to hear.
experimental -
A Country in A Corner
Neema Ngelime :: :: 2021
The filmmaker searches for the remedy of homesickness by wandering around in an African quarter in Brussels
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A Day's Work
Max Kerkhoff :: Germany :: 2021
Two different perspectives on an immense project. A battered landscape that seems to belong in a dystopian film. There is movement, a certain regularity becomes visible. The broad outline of an immense construction project contrasts with small, human actions.
documentary -
A guide to burn another human
José Permar :: :: 2021
Police officers, martial arts instructors, and civil demonstrators share their training while reflecting on where we draw the line for a potentially dangerous person and how we learn to attack or defend in consequence. Along with rehearsals and archive fo
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A new Life, a new fight
Elettra Bisogno, Hazem Alqaddi :: :: 2021
A meeting between two strangers sparks a desire to understand each other through the medium of film. They both simultaneously start recording their surroundings on camera, crafting the resulting footage, they, Elettra from Italy and Hazem from Gaza, becom
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Aardkruipers
Suus Van Laere :: ::
Aardkruipers wants to put a world in the spotlight that exists right under our noses, but is overlooked by everyone. A documentary that tries to escape human interpretations and projections, by looking for a purer form of observation in which objectivity
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Abbiosis
Lucía García :: Spain :: 2021
A silent invasion of an inaudible and invisible being that expands indefinitely in our world. Can two parallel realities coexist without noticing each other? What are our limitations in noticing the world around us?
dance -
Ada
David Williamson :: Belgium :: 2020
Best cinematography 2020 (David Williamson).
Ada faces a tough choice. She could plead guilty to a murder she did not commit, or she could try and prove her innocence in front of a jury.
drama -
Altötting
Andreas Hykade :: Germany :: 2020
In the small town of Altötting, a boy goes to a chapel with his mother. When he sees a statue of Mary there, he is completely entranced. His love for Mary grows and becomes more and more intense.
animation -
An Irish Goodbye
Tom Berkeley, Ross White :: Ireland :: 2021
Following the death of their mother, two estranged brothers discover her unfulfilled bucket list. They decide to complete it.
comedy -
An Orgy In Joshua Tree
Josh Zuckerman :: United States :: 2019
A nervous guy is invited to a weekend in Joshua Tree with three couples. He is terrified and intrigued. Has he been invited to an orgy?
comedy -
Anamesa
Julian Schwandner :: Belgium :: 2021
An atmospheric representation of the connection three friends - Maria, Markos and Julian - share with the same island in Greece. Looking back on their upbringing there, their visits and their move, they create a beautiful picture of their experience of the island. However, inevitably they start asking some questions.
documentary -
And if not now, when?
Guy De Troyer :: :: 2021
Marrakech was in 1940 the hometown to 25.000 Jews, today only about 100 remain. This essay documentary makes an intimate journey into the world of Paulette, one of the last remaining Jews who decided to stay and is reflecting on a universal question: wher
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Angelmakers
Charlotte Woerlee :: :: 2021
A conceptual short film about the global issue of abortion laws. Zofia Nowak has an unwanted pregnancy and wants an abortion. When the law in her own country does not allow it, she looks for a law that does apply to her body.
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Angina Pectoris
Filip Mojzes :: Croatia :: 2020
Zoran is always up to something, running from here to there, always working. He doesn’t take any breaks and has trouble finding peace of mind. Sometimes running away seems like the easiest way out, but it turns out to be harder than he thought.
drama -
Are you not afraid
Tobias van Raaij :: ::
The nine-year-old Anne lives on her father's farm. When she finds out that her favorite calf is about to go to the slaughter, she devises a plan and does everything to save her calf.
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Armadila
Gorana Jovanovic :: Serbia :: 2020
Sanja is a tough 13-year-old girl who doesn’t like to show her emotions to anyone, least of all her crush Darko. But when she starts to suspect that something has happened to her troublesome but beloved dog Krle, it becomes harder to keep her feelings under wraps.
drama -
At Night We Fly
Gert-Jan Verdeyen :: Belgium :: 2021
Three non-binary friends wander the streets at night. They feel free, unburdened by the daily reality. At last they can be themselves, at least until the sun rises again.
slice-of-life -
Atopia
Olivier De Vos :: :: 2021
Where to flow with all my liquidity? Atopia is an introspective essay about the search for a place that exists between reality and imagination: a placeless place made up out of dreams and a longing for gender fluidity. Slowly, the grains of the compresse
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Avec le Do de la Cuillère
Clement Crosnier, Nedellec Anouk, Laurent Wassouf, Nolwenn Petereau, Edgard Cros, Théoline Chapas, Lucas Ancel :: France :: 2019
A woman faces a lot of work: a huge stack of dirty dishes in a restaurant kitchen. But a boring task becomes a lot less tedious when you can make music.
animation -
Baden in blauw
Pauwel Billiau :: Belgium :: 2018
While Isaac tries to escape from his world of melancholia, his attraction to de beauty of Blue starts to dominate his life. Blue slowly takes Isaac down a road full of insecurity and defeatism to a point where he’s completely lost.
coming-of-age -
BAMI
Eline Vanderbemden :: Belgium :: 2021
A grandmother has to put dinner on the table for her enormous family. She needs extra hands to get the job done, literally. As everything goes wrong, she becomes so stressed that she slowly turns into a monster.
dramaanimation -
Bella
Thelyia Petraki :: Greece :: 2020
Greece 1986-1987, a little before the fall of State Socialism and just at the end of the Cold War. In front of Anthi’s eyes the country is changing, the world is changing and with them Christos seems to be changing too.
drama -
Bémol
Oana Lacroix :: Switzerland :: 2021
Everyone calms down when the nightingale without feathers starts to sing. His song lulls a bear to sleep, calms bickering squirrels and soothes the swans. But then the nightingale catches a cold.
animation -
BenzTown
Gottfried Mentor :: Germany :: 2021
A town is driven mad. The city of Stuttgart fights back with heavy action against its traffic chaos. With far reaching consequences. Other cities might follow the signal...
animation -
Binge Loving
Thomas Deknop :: Belgium :: 2021
A woman suspects her husband has a lover he meets up with in Brussels. She asks a private detective to get to the bottom of this. But the more she interferes, the harder his job becomes.
mystery -
Bird of Paradise
Grimm Merckaert :: Belgium :: 2021
Portrait of Elias Monson. We see the drag queen doing makeup, going on dates and especially talking about labels in our contemporary society.
documentary -
Blue Bed
Lize Cuveele :: :: 2021
Blue Bed follows a couple in the intimate frame of their bed. In their dynamic we discover the beauty of young love and the obstacles that come with it. This youthfull documentary tells a unique yet recognizable story of two people who love each other but
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Blue Fear
Marie Jacotey, Lola Halifa-Legrand :: France :: 2020
A couple on the roads of Provence. Nils is driving Flora to his parents for the first time when they get ambushed. Whilst she’s made prisoner, he flees. During a night in the pinewood, she has to face her doubts.
animation -
Bompa
Faizan Ali :: :: 2021
Laura's grandpa has been living in his house for the past 25 years. Due to his old age affecting his mobility, all he wished for was to enjoy a cigarette in front of a beautiful sunset by the beach. Sharing the same love for painting, together Laura and g
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Boos
Frederike Migom :: Belgium :: 2020
Children can be angry or aggressive at times. Sometimes it gets so bad that the situation at home or at school can not go on any longer. Often these children are labeled as naughty or unmanageable, but is that really the case? We meet these children in the psychiatry department of a children's hospital.
documentary -
Bos
Steffen Geypens :: Belgium :: 2019
The forest is suspiciously quiet. The wind rustles through the ferns, the sunlight bounces off the moist forest floor, there is not an animal in sight. Where is the hidden lake? The only thing disturbing the peace is the panting of two jogging teenagers. When they reach an open space, there is quite a bit of tension.
experimental -
Bottle Rocket
Wes Anderson :: United States :: 1994
Dignan picks up his friend Anthony from the psychiatric hospital where he ended up after a nervous breakdown. But it’s not like Dignan is all that stable himself. He drags Anthony and their friend Bob into a frenzied heist plan.
drama -
Broken: A Lockdown Story
TJ O'Grady Peyton :: Ireland :: 2021
A man plunges from the sky, a militia chases down two siblings, a woman weeps in a derelict house: vignettes from a surreal family breakdown, visions from an unreliable narration who speaks only in idioms.
In 2018, TJ O'Grady-Peyton was at Kortfilmfestival Leuven with the comical short film Wave, in which a man after a coma speaks a language that nobody else understands. His most recent short film is more alienating and surrealistic, but again language, and more specifically expressions, play a special role.
drama -
Brutes
Raoul Kirsima :: Estonia :: 2021
Uku's passions are travel, food and sex. His last day starts out with all 3 in mind and as luck would have it, he meets Briis, who has very similar tastes. If only we all had more time to do what we love.
drama -
Bug
Abel Bos :: Belgium :: 2021
Sam, an introverted 12-year-old who is crazy about film, follows a tough girl called Bobby for a full day, with his camera. In order to make the video a bit more spectacular, he tries to add all kinds of things - but Bobby is not entirely on board.
coming-of-age -
Buiten piste
Martin Burnod, Aélis Ensergueix, Nicolas Lopez, Clément Masson, Julia Monti :: France :: 2019
Two young chameleons hunt a beetle in the African desert. The chase will take them to an unsettling place.
animation -
Burn the Time
Rasim Asan :: :: 2021
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Burning Clouds
Yentl De Baets :: Belgium :: 2021
A cold winter night and a meteorite passing by, that is all it takes for a young woman, an unemployed man and a factory worker to connect.
drama -
Career Day
Mika Tervonen :: Finland :: 2018
A hitman brings his daughter to work for a career day. Going through a conflict makes them see each other in a different light.
comedythriller -
Carnations
Martijn Van de Wiele :: ::
An artificial summer rules the greenhouse. Carnations are tended to by workers’ hands. In a multitude of splendid colours they grow towards the sun, until they’re ready to fulfill their cut flower destiny.
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Carrousel
Jasmine Elsen :: Belgium :: 2020
Rose growns up in the park, where she befriends snails. It is their park, with familiar residents and unique customs. One day, intruders threaten her world. Or is it the other way around?
animation -
Chorus
Heleen Declercq, Line Pillet :: Belgium :: 2021
Robin and Eve’s love is impossible. You can feel thoroughly lonely even when you are in a relationship.
slice-of-life -
Closing Time
Tommaso Santambrogio :: Italy :: 2021
Returning from a dinner with friends, a young couple is suddenly locked out of the house. While the dog barks and the tiredness and frustration increase, the situation quickly bring out the problems of their relationship.
drama -
Coagulation
Noar Sahiti :: Kosovo :: 2021
At the turn of the century, a 9-year-old boy and his mother travel to the capital city to undergo a medical procedure.
drama -
Come, Sweet Death
Jolke Van Aerde :: ::
A sick child spends its numbered days confined to bed, waiting for Death to come. Silence slowly fills its room. The curtains veil the nights in blue. As Death moves closer, a series of strangely familiar visitors pass by. We are taken on a fantastical jo
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Consent
Amber Vallance :: Belgium :: 2021
Slip under the covers of two characters who show that consent is not only necessary, but sexy too.
dramaanimation -
Container
Simon Wood, Meghna Singh :: South Africa :: 2021
A large shipping container always reveals another, often hidden, aspect of our consumer society. Each one offers a new insight into the world of people who work behind the scenes, the hidden servants of the world economy, then and now.
fiction -
Covid Love
Rene Nuijens :: Netherlands :: 2021
After months of lockdown, bars and restaurants are back in business. But dating remains a bit uncomfy.
comedy -
Creatura
Giada Bossi :: Italy :: 2021
In a small mountain town, Nina is a 16yo rhythmic gymnast who secretly adores Gio, the coolest girl in town, when Gio suddenly forces herself into her life and starts to shape her to her own will in a sadistic yet mysterious game that becomes irreversible.
coming-of-age -
Dad's Sneakers
Olha Zhurba :: Ukraine :: 2021
An immersive insight into the last hours of 13-year-old Sasha’s life in a boarding school for children deprived of parental care. He is one of the luckiest – an American family finally adopted him. Today he will move to another country forever but there’s something that doesn’t let him go.
coming-of-age -
DAISYWORLD
Anaïs Kabore :: ::
For one night the viewer becomes a shapeshifter led by a few unsuspecting teenagers. Throughout the movie new ways of seeing beyond the human are explored.
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Darker
Frank van den Bogaart :: ::
Rhena’s father tells a story about Atlas, a forest-entity who whispers the stories of the death to his trees. That same night he disappears into this forest. Rhena does everything in her power to get her father back.
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Daydreamers
Ante Pask :: Belgium :: 2021
A father and his daughter are very passionate about motorcycles. An eye condition jeopardizes their shared hobby.
drama -
De appelboomman
Alla Vartanyan :: Russia :: 2019
A tree spirit lives in a farmer’s apple tree. For years the apple tree produced a lot of apples. But now the tree, like the farmer, is getting old.
animation -
De bobslee
Nicolas Deveaux :: France :: 2019
Puffins feast on a box of delicious sardines. But a seal is too quick for them: he steals the sardines and flees in a bobsled.
animation -
De dag die wit was
Wannes Vanspauwen :: Belgium :: 2021
A group of strangers is stuck in traffic, on a foggy road. The weather doesn’t seem to change and they become increasingly anxious.
mystery -
De kleine sneeuwman
Aleksey Pochivalov :: Russia :: 2021
When a little snowman's nose is gone, luckily Mom can come up with a spare carrot. Then she discovers that all carrots have disappeared.
animation -
De prinses en de bandiet
Mariya Sosnina, Mikhail Aldashin :: Russia :: 2020
A princess is madly in love with a bandit. To win his heart, she gives him all the expensive things in her palace… But is the bandit really in love with her?
animation -
De schat
Guillaume Cosenza, Dorian Spiess, Philipp Merten, Alexandre Manzanares, Silvan Moutte-roulet :: France :: 2020
Two explorers come across an immense lost statue deep in the ocean. They want to take the statue with them in their boat, but an enamored octopus disagrees.
animation -
De Warme Ster
Anna Kuzina :: Russia :: 2020
An industrious owl tries to keep things tidy in the starry night sky. He accidentally drops a star, which falls to the ground and is found by some children. It quickly becomes their favourite toy.
This cute animated film for the little ones excels in its downright heart-warming atmosphere. The drawing style is reminiscent of crayon drawings: cheerful, full, yet soft colours and unsharp edges without any sharp delineation. A Russian gem with a nostalgic touch.
animation -
Despite What I Expect
Farah Hasanbegovi? :: :: 2021
Frustrated by how the world keeps trying to end, a girl runs away to space to meditate on loss and its role in life.
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Deszcz
Malina Maria Mackiewicz :: Australia :: 2019
Everyone wants exactly what everybody else has. When a man falls from the roof of a large building, he is rescued by a superhero. Now everyone wants to be saved.
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Dig Your Own Grave
Kirk Larsen :: United States :: 2019
A man is forced to dig his own grave in the desert. But the ground is hard, his tools are shabby and it is not an easy job.
comedythriller -
Displaced
Samir Karahoda :: Kosovo :: 2020
In post-war Kosovo, driven by the ambition to keep their beloved sport alive, two local players wander from one obscure location to another carrying with them their club’s most prized possession: their pingpong table.
drama -
Dochters
Marjolein Verhoeven :: Belgium :: 2021
'Daughters' tells the story of the nine-year-old Nadine who meets her foster sister Romy for the first time. Nadine needs to get used to her new role as a big sister and all the changes that come with it.
coming-of-age -
Doel
Seppe Van Aken :: Belgium :: 2021
A story about the abandoned Flemish polder village of Doel. A portrait of the people who keep the ghost town alive. Who are they, what are their functions and why do they stay?
documentary -
DOR
Jannes Callens :: :: 2021
A Romanian guy living in Brussels returns to his native country and experiences a psychological crisis.
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Dry Sea
Yves Bex, Bart Bossaert :: Belgium :: 2020
A fisherman lives a lonely life at the coastline of a dried up ocean. He is stuck in his past, until a sandstorm washes over him and gives his life a new meaning.
dramaanimation -
Dummy
Laurynas Bareisa :: Lithuania :: 2020
Using a faceless doll a criminal reenacts his brutal crime. Surprisingly he is not the only one being judged.
drama -
Dustin
Naïla Guiguet :: France :: 2020
In an abandoned warehouse, a crowd is dancing as one on techno music. Among them is Dustin, a young transgender, and his friends Felix, Raya and Juan. As the night draws on, collective hysteria morphs into sweet melancholy, and euphoria into yearning for tenderness.
Apart from being a filmmaker, director Naïla Guiguet is a DJ herself and one of the founders of a Parisian collective that organises techno LGBTQ parties. During one of these raves, she shot Dustin, her first professional short film. The cinematography was in the capable hands of Clarie Mathon (Portrait de la jeune fille en feu). Dustin won the jury prize for best European short film at Leuven Int. Short Film Festival.
drama -
Easter Eggs
Nicolas Keppens :: Belgium :: 2020
The Chinese restaurant is empty. The cage full of exotic birds is wide open. Two friends, Jason and Kevin, see this as an opportunity to catch and sell them. But catching these animals isn’t as simple as it seems.
In 2017 Nicolas Keppens won the Audience Award with the animated film Wildebeest. Three years later he did it again with Easter Eggs. With a unique drawing style and a dry, tragicomic undertone, he tells a story about friendship, power and vulnerability. Easter Eggs is the EFA candidate of the Berlin Film Festival and one of the 5 films left on the nomination list.
animation -
Een bal en een bult
Anders Beer, PH Dallaire :: Canada :: 2021
When cheerful camel Itchy wanders through the desert in a daze, he is suddenly hit by a tennis ball.
animation -
Empty Places
Geoffroy de Crécy :: France :: 2020
Everything is deserted, there is no one to be seen. Streets, shops and offices are empty. And yet there is constant movement… All kinds of devices and machines continue to work in the melancholic rhythm of automation.
contemplatiefanimation -
Encounters On An Uncertain Spring
Taymour Boulos :: :: 2021
A Lebanese filmmaker living in Portugal learns that his father has been diagnosed with cancer. The medicine needed to cure his father’s illness, however, is not available in Lebanon. The filmmaker starts looking for the medicine needed by his father in Po
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Er wordt voor u gezorgd
Rooze Robbin :: Belgium :: 2021
Selim has to perform community service in a medieval castle that serves as a psychiatric center. He begins to suspect that the staff and patients are hiding something. Selim tries to unravel the secrets and becomes more and more involved, until the situation reaches a boiling point…
thrillerhorror -
Everything Ahead
Mate Ugrin :: Croatia :: 2021
Branka is a young caretaker who has recently moved to an island to look after an elderly woman. After the harsh winter is over and her job is finished, Branka decides to stay on the island for the summer season. She gets a job in tourism, but the pay is meager and the job exhausting, making it just a temporary solution.
drama -
Exoskeletons
Mariana Castiñeiras :: :: 2021
A filmmaker who struggles with her fear of insects meets a neurologist with a peculiar obsession for beetles. Curious about what his passion can teach her, she decides to join him on his expeditions into the Hungarian woods. Exoskeletons is a sensorial c
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Fading Snow
Ania Morawiec :: Poland :: 2021
Mania leaves the place where she feels most at home - the theater and finds her way back home. A quest in Warsaw, in the harsh reality of current day Poland.
drama -
Fall Float Fly
Qurratul Ain Saeed :: Belgium :: 2021
A restless soul travels across a landscape of dreams, feelings and space. She discovers the darkness and light of a human life by getting lost in a fantastical dreamscape.
contemplatiefanimation -
Fall of the Ibis King
Mikai Geronimo, Josh O'Caoimh :: Ireland :: 2021
The antagonist of a dark opera becomes increasingly unsettled following the unlikely return of the former lead actor.
dramaanimation -
Feeling Through
Doug Roland :: United States :: 2019
In New York City, a homeless teenager named Tereek is enjoying a late night with his friends. As they go their separate ways, Tereek notices a deaf and blind man named Artie holding a cane and a sign requesting assistance in crossing the street.
drama -
FLOCK
Cato Catteeuw :: ::
At a spring party, a conflict between their children forces two sisters into an old rivalry. As distrust, jealousy and guilt take hold of Eva and Kristien, both their ugliest and most human traits are revealed.
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Flowers blooming in our throats
Eva Giolo :: Italy, Belgium :: 2020
Everyday activities in different domestic settings. Hands that cut, cook, wash, push or dig into the earth. A fragile balance between routine and restlessness. A cinematic poem in response to the global pandemic of 2020.
contemplatief -
Forestkeeper
Alisa Karo :: Belgium :: 2020
In an isolated forest, the lines between caring for and controlling become increasingly blurry.
fantasyanimation -
Forever
Mitch McGlocklin :: United States :: 2020
A life insurance company uses an artificial-intelligence algorithm to determine the risk of a new applicant. The subsequent denial sparks a period of introspection for the individual in question.
animation -
Free Chips Forever!
Claire Dix :: Ireland :: 2009
Becky and her Dad are invincible chip robbers. Nothing can stand in their way. Nothing that is except her brother Tom..
drama -
Gastarbeiders
Issam Bougrine :: Belgium :: 2021
Brothers Mimoun and Hamidou are guest workers. In 1964, tempted by the glossy brochures, they came to the promised land that was Belgium. They got jobs as miners, hoping to save a lot of money and then return home. But not everything plays out the way they had imagined.
historical -
GAyME
Rani Gijbels :: Belgium :: 2021
A little girl tries to find her way, while dealing with a dominant mother who makes her decisions for her. The conflict is represented in a game loosely based on ‘The Game of Life’.
coming-of-ageanimation -
Gloria
Iza Cracco :: Belgium :: 2021
A woman loses her husband and child in a tragic traffic accident. She tries to leave the past behind her in order to move on with her life.
dramaanimation -
Goodbye To Spring
Khaël Touag :: ::
Sitting in the back of the car, Issam is clinging to his blankie as he listens in on his father musing about manhood to his teenage brother. An unexpected phone call brings them to a parking lot. Issam and his brother wait for their father's return, tryin
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Gotta Fabricate Your Own Gifts
Cyril Schäublin :: Switzerland :: 2021
As snow falls over the city, people discuss a new technology that can read minds and visit a mysterious park, where you can kiss holograms into disappearance.
science-fiction -
Grote kat in de stad
Nina Bisiarina :: Switzerland, France :: 2019
A curious lynx wonders what those lights are in the distance. He leaves the forest and has a crazy night in the city. But then the sun comes up again…
animation -
Gyre
Charlotte Lybaert :: Belgium :: 2019
While she’s out with her friends, Alice notices that the group struggles with her presence. She thinks her friend Lena is to blame. Events that seem trivial at first sight have big consequences. The last drop causes the bucket to overflow.
coming-of-age -
Hanging Over the Atlantic
Fionn Walshe :: Ireland :: 2019
Dursey Island is linked to the mainland by a single cable car. This lifeline allows its people to call Dursey Island home. Each day it brings new people, challenges, and life to this island.
documentary -
Heatwave
Fokion Xenos :: United Kingdom :: 2019
Another hot day in a southern coastal town, where everyone heads to the beach. In no time, the place is as crowded as can be.
animation -
Het loze vissertje
Wim Temmerman :: Belgium :: 2021
A fisherman, who likes to cast his line in the reeds when it rains, competes with a horseman from the city for the grace of a milleress. The story that precedes the famous song.
historical -
Het stilste uur
Olaf Roukens :: :: 2021
70-year-old Thomas looks back on the last evening he and his lost friend Mari spent together. An evening in which they with their partners drank wine, dined, listened to piano playing and danced. As the hours pass before his eyes, Thomas contemplates the
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Hide
Daniel Gray :: Hungary, Canada :: 2020
Two brothers are playing hide and seek at home. While one brother is counting down, the other is hiding in a small closet. Seconds pass and become minutes. Every now and then the boy peeps out of the closet, but he remains hidden. Minutes turn into hours, days turn into years...
animation -
High Jump
Lennert Madou :: Belgium :: 2021
Otto lives in a remote town, where he spends a lot of time with his two best friends. Despite this company, there’s someone he misses dearly. His boyfriend, who is a professional dancer, lives hundreds of miles away.
coming-of-age -
Hitte
Thessa Meijer :: Netherlands :: 2020
During an extreme heat wave, a shy girl seeks refuge in an ice cream shop. But when she looks into the eyes of the charming vendor, she is on thin ice.
comedyhorror -
Horacio
Caroline Cherrier :: France :: 2020
Years ago, Guillaume took the life of his friend Horacio. He is sent to prison for a long time and the memory of what started it all slowly fades. One day, Guillaume is released.
animation -
Horrorscope
Pol Diggler :: Spain :: 2019
An ordinary schoolgirl's life unravels after an evil creature takes over her body. Only her mother, with the help of a strange doctor, will be able to save her.
comedyhorror -
I Don't Feel At Home Anywhere Anymore
Viv Li :: Belgium :: 2021
An art student’s report on returning to Beijing after living abroad for 10 years. Staying with her family mercilessly shows how uprooted she is from her homeland after all these years.
documentary -
In de wolken
Jonas Aerts :: :: 2021
The self-righteous and proud-parading Kamil is an employee of a heavenly company, where their job is to take people's lives when their destined time has come. This office brings all its own facets with it: dull folders, grumpy desk ladies and a clear hier
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In Flow of Words
Eliane Esther Bots :: Netherlands :: 2021
Three interpreters from the (former) Yugoslavia Tribunal in The Hague testify about the impact their work has had on their lives. They have a unique position, because they are literally the link between the speakers and the audience, between witnesses and defendants, between the horror of war and the pragmatism of a court.
documentary -
in Nature
Marcel Barelli :: Switzerland :: 2021
All animal couples in the wild are made up of a male and a female. Right? Wrong. Two female or two male animals can fall for each other too.
mysteryanimation -
In Velvet
Jessica Kennedy, Megan Kennedy :: Ireland :: 2021
An empty swimming pool. A car garage. A child sitting alone on a beach. A man approaches and they embark on a journey. A dance film about the bond between a father and his very young daughter.
dance -
Indéfini.
Lenny Somers :: :: 2021
Indéfini is a short film about Sylvie, an 18-year old girl, who lives in social housing with her mother and younger sister. Sylvie celebrates the beginning of the summer with her friends at the park where she and Nicolas (an old friend) meet again after a
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Irradiation
Sava Zivkovic :: Serbia :: 2021
After being escorted to a mysteriously irradiated site, Evgeniy finds himself experiencing strange visions and questioning the very reason he was sent to investigate the site in the first place.
thrilleranimation -
Isaiah
Imke Reintjens :: ::
A masters graduation project, originally shown in an art installation on two separate screens. Isaiah is about the Christian version of the Welsh Mari Lwyd and her connection to Virgin Mary. ?A story of two mothers dealing with loss and opportunities fo
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Jong
Mirte Declercq :: België :: 2021
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Joyriders
Rebecca Daly :: Ireland :: 2006
As ten year old Kylie comes to terms with her grief, she discovers that sometimes imagination can become more powerful than reality.
drama -
Junior
Julia Ducournau :: France, Poland :: 2011
Justine, a.k.a. Junior, is a 13-year old with pimples and her own brand of humor. She's just a tad misogynous. After being diagnosed with stomach flu, Junior's body undergoes a bizarre metamorphosis…
Recently, director Julia Ducournau won the prestigious Golden Palm at the Cannes Film Festival with her film Titane. It was only her second feature, after her equally exceptional debut Grave, a quirky body-horror film about cannibalism. In these two feature films, the character 'Justine' is played by actress Garance Magillier. At the age of 13, she already played the leading role in Ducournau's short film Junior, not coincidentally also a character named Justine.
drama -
Karma
Elles Nijland :: :: 2021
The documentary Karma provides an intimate view into the healthcare facility Widar, a community where both people with and without a mental disability work and live together in harmony. You meet the founders as the documentary takes you on a dive into the
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Kiki the feather
Nicolas Bianco-levrin & Julie Rembauville :: France :: 2020
Kiki the canary only knows his own cage and the old lady who feeds him. He dreams of freedom and one day notices that the door of his cage is open…
animation -
Killing The Afternoon
Margaret Corkery :: Ireland :: 2005
A secluded beach. Teenage girls are working on their suntans while boys try to attract their attention. A group of women take an aqua aerobics class in the sea while a huddle of canoes paddle nearby. A small child digs a hole in the sand while her mother tries to manage a portable barbeque. It is a windy day…….
drama -
Koekoek!
Jörgen Scholtens :: Netherlands :: 2019
Inside a cuckoo clock lives a lonely man. Every hour he is catapulted out of his tiny house to yell 'Cuckoo!’
comedy -
Kom hier
Marieke Elzerman :: Belgium :: 2020
Best actor 2020 (Loes Swaenepoel).
Sam is a timid young woman who works as a dog groomer in an animal shelter in Ostend. When a nervous young woman asks her for help training her dog, Sam decides to help out in her own way.
drama -
Korte Kuitspier
Victoria Warmerdam :: Netherlands :: 2019
Anders is a perfectly normal man, or so he thinks. Until he notices that people around him are teasing him.
comedy -
KRAK
Stan roeland Lievens :: ::
A man crawls out of a banana and explains how he found himself in that fruit. Meanwhile a fish is contemplating her own beauty. These two stories are observed and dissected and cause a reaction that cracks the reality the observer is in.
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L'Homme Inconnu
Anthony Schatteman :: Belgium :: 2021
Flemish author Louis travels to the Côte d’azur, hoping to find some inspiration for his next novel. When he meets the very handsome Tommy, he feels an intense desire.
Anthony Schatteman made his debut at the 2012 short film festival with Kus Me Zachtjes, for which he won the HUMO Award. With L'Homme Inconnu he has been selected for the Flemish Competition for the 5th time. Geert Van Rampelberg stars as a writer torn apart by homoerotic desires in this sun-drenched gem shot on 16mm.
romantisch -
L'homme silencieux
Nyima Cartier :: France :: 2021
Paris-La Défense, the business district.
From the 17th floor of an office building, Pierre is staring out the window: down below, a colleague who was dismissed that morning has been sitting on a bench for hours, alone in the cold. Why won't he go home?
From the heights of his office, Pierre wonders what to do.comedy -
La Posture du Chien
Lennert Bruno Brazil Lefever :: ::
Everytime dusk settles, a dog passes by Isaak asking him to come south. Living in isolation with his parents and their increasingly annoying behaviour. The proposition is getting more and more attractive..
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Last Round
Thomas Vinterberg :: Denmark :: 1993
This film is Danish director Thomas Vinterberg's final project on graduating from the Danish Film School. He combines the dark side of life with bittersweet humour, a theme which will recur in later features, such as Festen. The short film is about the last day and night of a young man in Copenhagen. He has to say goodbye to friends, family, city and life.
drama -
Latitude du Printemps
Zijing Ye, Théophile Coursimault, Sylvain Cuvillier, Noémie Halberstam, Maŷlis Mosny, Chloé Bourdic :: France :: 2020
A dog is left behind, tied to a lamppost. When he meets a sweet boy and a sporty cyclist, everything starts looking up.
In a surprising combination of stop-motion of wooden puppets, plastic attributes and real nature images, this special animated film does not avoid emotions. The sadness of a dog that is dumped, the happiness, but also the quarrels of a new friendship and the shock of an unexpected event. An exceptional animated film that is having an impressive festival circuit.
animation -
Le Voisin de Lou
Victoria Lafaurie, Hector Albouker :: France :: 2021
Vladimir, 17-years-old, is secretly in love with his neighbour Lou. When Lou decides to leave her home to move in with her boyfriend – a man ten years older than her – Vladimir tries to put his jealousy aside to help her.
coming-of-age -
Lendemain
Glenn Dumortier :: :: 2021
A maker, at a crossroads in his life, travels to the campsite where he fell in love for the first time.
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Les curiosités du mal
Victor Trifilieff :: France :: 2021
Overwhelmed by depression, Elias finally agrees to accompany his childhood friend and her whole gang for a stay away from the city. After a first electric evening spent in a huge house with a strange decoration, the group of millennials sinks into the near forest.
horror -
Let it Burn
Adam Starsmark :: Sweden :: 2021
Arabella and her boyfriend David have just broken up. Not yet grounded in the decision, they take on the next question: how should they tell their classmates about it to avoid awkward situations at school? Instead, the discussion leads them into whether the breakup really is a mutual decision.
coming-of-age -
Lethes
Eduardo Brito :: Portugal :: 2021
There is a village in the mountain and a house in the village, where Ema repeats gestures and tasks: she takes care of her grandmother, walks, reads, waits. Until one day the cycle breaks: what happened in the mountain house?
drama -
Letting go
Kim Desmedt :: :: 2021
Letting go is a short film about Helena. A young woman with a mental disorder who is trying to come to terms with her recent break-up. Helena travels on her scooter every day to the company where she, several friends but also her ex-partner Timmy work. Ti
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Little Ox
Raf Wathion, Patrick Vandebroeck :: Belgium :: 2021
A young musk ox moves across the icy tundra plain, with his herd. During their journey, the herd is followed by a pack of wolves who have their eye set on the little ox. He finds it hard to grasp the rules, much to his mother’s frustration.
'Nature is full of strong dramatic stories', thought Raf Wathion and Patrick Vandebroeck, both veterans of the Short Film Festival. The central idea for Little Ox therefore comes from a nature documentary. But in animated film, you choose where to place your camera and you can use CGI to transform nature into a beautiful impressionist painting.
mysteryanimation -
Love, Dad
Diana Cam Van Nguyen :: Czech Republic :: 2021
A daughter finds the letters her father once wrote her from prison. Now, 15 years later, they are estranged from each other.
animation -
L’Ombre Quantique
Frank Ternier :: France :: 2021
A man, behind the wheel of his car. Thoughts come and go, are distorted and disappear again. Images pass by, filled with new ideas and associations. The world is so much bigger than the roads we use to rush on.
animation -
Maalbeek
Ismaël Joffroy Chandoutis :: France :: 2020
Sabine survived the terrorist attacks on the Brussels metro station Maalbeek, but does not remember a thing. And yet there is an abundance of images made by surveillance cameras and television channels. A meditative attempt to supplement images that have been dissolved into nothingness.
Brussels-based director Chandoutis sought and found the perfect visual translation of the fragmentary and imperfect nature of our failing memory in an emerging technique that uses 3D scans and point clouds. Images from security cameras and news footage - like broken memories - become unstable and fragmented. Maalbeek was showered with awards and was one of the candidates for the European Film Awards.
documentary -
Man Or Tree
Varun Raman, Tom Hancock :: United Kingdom :: 2021
In the wilderness, a tree begins to question whether it may actually be a man tripping on hallucinogens.
comedy -
Marco & Polo Go Round
Benjamin Steiger Levine :: Belgium, Canada :: 2021
An unusual scene in Marco and Polo's kitchen on Marco's birthday. Like any couple, they have some glitches in their relationship, but when suddenly gravity fails, their world falls apart.
animation -
Marlon Brando
Vincent Tilanus :: Netherlands :: 2020
Best friends Cas and Naomi are graduating from high school and spend every day together. They have been best friends for years, and feel totally safe with each other. But when their future plans take them in different directions, their relationship wobbles.
Dutch director Vincent Tilanus had the honour of being the first ever winner of the Peer Award at the 2020 Kortfilmfestival and also received a nomination for the European Film Awards. Later, his film would go on to build a fine festival career, winning awards at Aspen Shortsfest and Go Short, among others. Marlon Brando is a warm and intimate short film with wonderfully natural performances and a warm grainy colour palette. A film that beautifully shows that even a close friendship is not always easy.
drama -
Meal on the Plate
Chenglin Xie :: China, United States :: 2021
You are what you eat. In a world where people start to look like the thing they eat the most of, you can take this quite literally. When a newcomer prefers different eating habits, the visible consequences turn the world upside down.
animation -
Meander
Sam Geyskens, Vincent Everaerts, Lander Haverals :: Belgium :: 2021
Valerie has been addicted to drugs for years. When she tells her son Charly about her latest suicide attempt, he reacts with anger rather than compassion. Caught between the need for new opportunities and the fear of confrontation, they try to save the family ties.
Valerie and her son Charly are one of the three stories from the feature documentary 'Between Us' by directors Sam Geyskens, Vincent Everaerts and Lander Haverals. At the request of Te Gek?! they investigated the influence of addiction on a family. Meander focuses on the most socially accepted but also most recognised form of addiction: medication.
documentary -
Memories
Kristin Johannessen :: Sweden :: 2020
Director Kristin Johannessen suffered from delusions and compulsive disorders for years. While clearing out her childhood room, she finds old film footage she used to make to calm her mind. A personal look back at a turbulent period of mental vulnerability.
documentary -
Migranten
Zoé Devise, Lucas Lermytte, Antoine Dupriez, Aubin Kubiak, Hugo Caby :: France :: 2020
The melting ice caps cause a polar bear mama and her cub to land on a drifting ice floe. Their journey eventually takes them to a totally new land where brown bears live.
animation -
Moeder Dochter
Eyas Almokdad :: ::
A film about a mother-daughter relationship. About lost memory, and the legacy of ancient wars. A story about collective memory, in a divided world. Lilly, a 40-year old politician who fights against immigration, returns to the family house to take car
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Muziek in de kruinen
Filip Diviak :: Czech Republic :: 2020
A homeless musician is evicted from the city. Security guards have broken his instrument, but in the magical forest he can still make music.
animation -
My Own Room
Viet Vu (Quang Trung Pham) :: :: 2021
A Vietnamese filmmaker who recently emigrated to Belgium portrays his relationship with his French partner in their shared apartment. Their story is accompanied by a letter sent back to Vietnam addressing the filmmaker's father. He receives news about his
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My Uncle Tudor
Olga Lucovnicova :: Portugal, Hungary, Belgium, Moldova :: 2020
After 20 years of silence, a filmmaker travels back to the house of her great-grandparents, where she experienced harmful events that left a deep imprint. The long-awaited family gathering runs counter to her attempts to overcome the past.
documentary -
Na de regen
Stijn Van Kerkhoven :: Belgium :: 2020
Cécile’s life is turned upside down after the Alzheimer diagnosis of her husband. In an attempt to keep him close, she loses herself.
drama -
Nature: All Rights Reserved
Sebastian Mulder :: Netherlands :: 2016
Artificial grass on a balcony, a conference room with tree wallpaper, a palm beach in the doctor's waiting room. Simulations of nature are all around us. To what extent does this fake nature meet the needs of city dwellers? And will artificial nature ever replace real nature?
mystery -
Naya – Der Wald hat tausend Augen
Sebastian Mulder :: Netherlands :: 2021
The young female wolf Naya was fitted with a GPS collar in 2017 by German researchers. When the wolf walked from East Germany to Belgium, it made headlines. A fascinating collage of wildlife and surveillance cameras follows Naya on her journey.
mystery -
Newcomers
Camille Ghekiere :: ::
Four newcomers from Colombia, Syria, Dominican Republic and Morocco try to integrate in Ghent, Belgium, and wonder how to deal with love and friendship in this grey country. A moving portrait of lively youngsters, who connect and express themselves throug
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Next Floor
Denis Villeneuve :: Canada :: 2008
During an opulent banquet eleven pampered guests participate in what appears to be a ritualistic culinary carnage. An unexpected sequence of events destabilises the endless symphony of abundance.
drama -
Nha Sunhu
José Magro :: Portugal :: 2020
Issa, an African footballer who plays in Portugal, is contacted by two filmmakers. They want to know more about his life to make a documentary about African footballers in the West. The conversations behind the camera reveal their bias.
drama -
Night by Night
Jules Mathôt :: ::
>>Tijdelijke versie<< De film wordt afgewerkt voor Film Fest Gent. Ik upload een nieuwe versie rond 17 oktober 2021. Alvast bedankt voor jullie begrip. De nacht is blauw en de maan is geel. Een gerenommeerd privé-detective wordt ingehuurd om een e
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Nothing To See Here
Nicolas Bouchez :: :: 2021
In a Portuguese dormitory town, an invisible moon eclipse is about to happen. An observational comedy about the pleasure of looking, in a place where there is seemingly nothing to look at.
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Offro Io
Paola Minaccioni :: Italy :: 2019
A quiet night out with two couples degenerates into a ruthless and violent struggle that nobody is willing to lose.
comedy -
On n'est pas des animaux
Noé Debré :: France :: 2021
Igor is totaly depressed since his ex girlfriend, Marie, became an Instagram celebrity thanks to an activist group about female orgasm. Igor thinks it’s intentional strategy to keep him from finding someone else. He persuates his friend Arnaud to came at Marie’s to sort it out.
A delightful French comedy brimming with clumsy and embarrassing humor that touches on very topical themes such as Instagram fame and the male gaze. We're Not Animals was selected by prestigious festivals such as Sundance Film Festival and Clermont-Ferrand. It is Noé Debré's third short film, who has hitherto caused a furore as a (co-)writer of feature films such as Dheepan (Jacques Audiard), Le fidèle (Michaël Roskam) and recently Stillwater (Tom McCarthy).
comedy -
On the way home you always come across something new
Jasmijn Braet :: ::
'On the way home you always come across something new' is an abstract film that starts from the bicycle. The film was made by rethinking the bike every week and making different images. Due to the repetitiveness of the process, the bicycle is broken into
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Onder de wolken
Vasilisa Tikunova :: Russia :: 2021
Walter the lamb wants more than anything to become a free and beautiful cloud. But the path to his dream turns out to be truly difficult and unpredictable.
animation -
One Thousand and One Attempts to Be an Ocean
Wang Yuyan :: France :: 2020
Made up of micro-fragments of internet films, this video processes information into pure visual energy. The images no longer have any context, the sounds are fragmented. An immersion in an ocean of images without getting a proper grip on them.
essay -
Ontmoeting op het ijs
Nicolas Deveaux :: France :: 2019
A turtle and a mackerel find each other on the ice skating rink and form a beautiful dancing pair.
animation -
Onze grond
Loula Burnus :: Belgium :: 2021
A group of homeless people wanders through a desolate landscape, hoping to find shelter. Their quest is hopeless, they aren’t welcome anywhere. As the world will soon end, they decide to leave the planet.
dance -
Op een bankje
Rich Webber :: United Kingdom :: 2020
A round man sits on a bench and enjoys his sandwich. A figure comes along that also seems to be hungry. Will the man share his lunch?
animation -
Op vakantie
Vera van Wolferen :: Netherlands :: 2020
A car goes on vacation to a beautiful desert island. It is wonderfully quiet... until more and more cars show up for a break.
animation -
Opera
Erick Oh :: South Korea :: 2020
Society in miniature, like a massive pyramid where everything is constantly in motion. A beautifully elaborated mechanical world, refined like the inside of a clock, with perpetual cycles of social processes.
Director Erick Oh earned his spurs at Pixar (where he worked on Inside Out and Finding Dory, among others), but left to do his own thing. He worked for four years on Opera, a feat that was crowned with an Oscar nomination. Inspired by the great frescoes of the Renaissance, Oh created a comprehensive allegory of society and history.
animation -
Où les granges sont des navires
Sakis Brönnimann :: :: 2021
Somewhere in a village at the edge of the Walloon Ardens a bunch of medievalists craft their own reality. 'Où les granges sont des navires' sheds a lush light onto their already existing relationships through vague memories of a literary classic. Love, c
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Over the Top
Justine Cappelle :: Belgium :: 2020
Artist Floris Caes, aka Boccanegra, wants to become a fundamental part of art history and gain world fame by dropping a gold disk on top of one of the Great Pyramids in Giza.
Young documentary filmmaker Justine Cappelle was selected for IDFA with her poetic graduation film Maregrave (2017). Over The Top, takes an entirely different tack. With a great sense of timing and visual flair, she lards Floris' story with Millennial imagery. She herself describes the film as a fast food documentary about the yolo generation in search of meaning.
documentary -
Paradisiac
Bas Van Hoeck :: ::
Paradisiac is a kaleidoscopic portrait of the majestic Hotel Mozart, located in the heart of Brussels. For 26 years, the charming Ben Abderrahman has been the owner of the hotel. Every night, Ben goes out into the streets of Brussels, to distribute bread
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Passé Imparfait
Aulona Fetahaj :: Belgium :: 2021
After the demise of her relationship, a young woman travels to Bruges by herself. In the seemingly empty city, she wanders the streets as she tries to come to terms with losing her lover.
slice-of-life -
Passée l'aube
Nicolas Graux :: Belgium :: 2016
Poland. Pawel is convinced that separation and distance have completely dampened his feelings. Until one rainy afternoon he meets an unexpected visitor.
drama -
Passenger
Isobel Knowles, Van Sowerwine :: Australia :: 2019
As an immigrant, you discover your new homeland safely in the back of a taxi. While the driver talks about his own arrival long ago, a new world glides past you.
animation -
Patterns
Kirsten Sheridan :: Ireland :: 1998
Jimmy and Tommy are inseparable brothers. Tommy is older, he is autistic. He lives in a world of patterns he has created in his mind. Jimmy is a visitor to this honest world and falls into its rhythm.
drama -
Patty Are You Bringing Weed in from Jamaica
Matthew Salton :: United States :: 2020
In 1968, a young flight attendant bought 900 pounds of marijuana in Jamaica and tried to smuggle it out, leading to unexpected consequences.
documentary -
Perpetual Night
Pedro Peralta :: Portugal :: 2020
Spain, 1939. During the night two Falangist Guards appear at the house where Paz is taking refuge with her family. Paz immediately understands the fatality of this visit. With no chance to escape, she asks to breastfeed her newborn daughter one last time
drama -
PICTO, a penpal from the past
Saika T Wildemeersch :: Belgium :: 2021
A young, depressed man finds something that dates back to his childhood: a game console with a built in communication system. His correspondent soon becomes his best friend. Nyo feels the color come back into his life, but sadly, it does not last.
dramaanimation -
Pigeon Therapy
Nadia Masri :: Luxembourg :: 2021
After her father passes away, Emma visits a therapist for the very first time. When, during the session, a pigeon flies straight into the window, Emma finds herself taking on the all too familiar role of good samaritan.
drama -
Pilar
Yngwie Boley, J.J. Epping, Diana van Houten :: Netherlands :: 2020
A dangerous intruder gives Pilar the chance to discover the wild animal within and the means to escape the post-apocalyptic village she lives in.
animation -
Play Schengen
Gunhild Enger :: Norway :: 2020
A gaming company is making a videogame for kids about the EU. You play a national bird needing to breed and nest across borders, but you can only fly according to your VISA. We follow two game designers as they transform the European Union into pixel graphics, in an effort to make Schengen catchy for young people. The question is whether it is possible?
Director Gunhild Enger is a regular at Leuven Int. Short Film Festival. In 2012, she won the Jury Prize with her second short film Prematur and three years later she was a member of the jury herself. With Play Schengen, Enger again comes up with an original film and provides the necessary political commentary in a light-hearted way.
comedy -
Poor Kids
Michiel Dhont :: Belgium :: 2017
20-year-old Max is the son of a sailor who lives in a boarding school. During the summer holidays, when other children return to their families, Max stays behind with a few friends. Together they try to make a home for themselves.
Director Michiel Dhont won the Best Debut Award for his graduation film Poor Kids at the Leuven Short Film Festival in 2017, as well as the VAF Wildcard. Tijmen Govaerts, who plays one of the main roles, would also get a role in the award-winning film Girl by Michiel's brother Lukas Dhont a few years later.
coming-of-age -
Postpartum
Henriette Rietz :: Germany :: 2020
An honest testimony from a young mother after the birth of her first child. Suddenly there is a baby, in a world full of pumped-up hormones and sleep deprivation, new thoughts and unprecedented feelings.
animation -
Precious
Paul Mas :: France :: 2020
Julie doesn't fit in at school. She feels different from everybody else. When a new boy with autism joins her class, everything changes.
animation -
Preserved for the future
Minne Coudenys, Siebe Dirckx :: ::
2 young adults leave the student life behind and start their search for what comes next.?What do they take with them? How can they, in this brand-new stage of life, find happiness? Friends and family share advice; this creative documentary tells our sto
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Push This Button If You Begin to Panic
Gabriel Böhmer :: Switzerland, United Kingdom :: 2020
A man goes to the doctor. There he meets administrators keen on experimental surgery and lonely MRI machines. At least the growing hole in his head is becoming quite beautiful.
animation -
Rode Reus
Anne Verbeure :: Belgium :: 2021
A giant, living on top of a mountain, listens to the thoughts and conversations of other people every day. It makes him feel lonely and to make it worse, the flood of voices slowly becomes too much for him to handle.
fantasyanimation -
Samen op de schaatsbaan
Nicolas Deveaux :: France :: 2019
A couple of flamingos are rehearsing their figure skating choreography when field hockey playing elephants invade the ice.
animation -
Sand
Irasj Asanti :: ::
9 year old Aso and his family live in a poor village in northern Iraq. The country is under attack from ISIL, and everyday life is characterized by unjustified violence and murder. When he and his older sister are left home alone when their mother joins t
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Sensual Pill
Sam3 :: Greece :: 2021
A hypnotic journey based on Google Earth satellite images, animated and edited into a fascinating maelstrom of islands, cities, airports, industrial grounds, immense forests, harbors and agricultural fields.
mystery -
Signal 8
Simon Liu :: Hong Kong :: 2019
Simon Liu’s eerie, entrancing portrait of Hong Kong tracks a series of strange disruptions to the city’s urban infrastructure.
documentary -
Silence
Tristan Heanue :: Ireland :: 2019
A couple facing a family crisis sets off on a road trip across Ireland to
visit their daughter. Their support means the world to her, but the parents
admit they can’t always be strong. Sometimes silence says more than a
thousand words.drama -
Sisters
Katarina Rešek - Kukla :: Slovenia :: 2021
Best friends Sina, Mihrije and Jasna refuse to take on the female roles Balkan tradition has in mind for them. They are involved in several fights, but when things get really rough, they receive help from an unexpected ally.
coming-of-age -
Small Change
Cathy Brady :: Ireland :: 2010
Karen, a young single mother is bored by routine. Slot machines have become her secret thrill and addiction. With Christmas looming, a desperate hope for a big win sees her life spiral out of control.
Director Cathy Brady is currently celebrated internationally with her impressive debut feature Wildfire. One of the main roles is played by actress Nora-Jane Noone. It was also Noone who took on the powerful role of the single mother in Brady's very first short film Small Change.
drama -
Snorrie
Victoria Warmerdam :: Netherlands :: 2021
Absurd tragicomedy about thirty-something Freek, who is reuniting with his imaginary friend from the past, who is looking for closure.
Outside Belgium, too, they have discovered Wim Willaert as the perfect actor for tragicomic characters. Dutch director Victoria Warmerdam cast him as a special lost childhood friend in her most recent film. Her previous film, Korte Kuitspier, was at the festival two years ago and can be rediscovered in Comedy Shorts this year.
comedy -
So Sick
Emma Emily Daelman :: ::
Inspired by Mark Fisher's book capitalist realism, the story follows an alien like creature who searches for meaning through meaningless worlds. Even though they move themself forward through these worlds in search of meaning if they stand still, the worl
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So We Live
Rand Abou Fakher :: Belgium :: 2020
Jury Award 2020.
A seemingly normal night for a family in a war zone. One moment looks very ordinary, the next it is all about survival.
The jury of the Flemish Competition was full of praise for So We Live, which manages to tell a compelling and intense story with a seemingly simple plot. The sublime camera work perfectly captures the changing atmosphere in the living room and the authentic performance - the family is also a family in real life - effortlessly transports you into an exciting reality. Our jury prize earned the film a place on the long list for the Oscars in 2022. It will be an exciting year for this film.
drama -
Something To Remember
Niki Lindroth von Bahr :: Sweden :: 2019
Two pigeons visit a zoo without any animals, a snail sadly visits the doctor’s office, something has gone seriously wrong in the CERN laboratory. The voices of various animals form a lament about doom and hope.
The Swedish Niki Lindroth von Bahr - who was already at Kortfilmfestival Leuven in 2018 - proves time and again that stop-motion animation is perfect for creating a very alienating atmosphere. Her short films starring animals are a far cry from cheerful children's films, but are subtle, uncanny gems full of melancholy, atmospheric portraits in which the aftermath of a tragedy or disaster is palpable.
musicalanimation -
Sorry Baba
Samah Saadi, Yunes Monjar :: ::
Saïd, a young twenty-something of Moroccan descent, was taught from an early age by his father that he should always keep a cool head in order to avoid conflict. As the number of confrontations and conflicts pile up in quick succession, Saïd’s frustration
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Sorry I ate the bell
Jaspers Kristien :: ::
The students run, the coffee flows and the leaves rustle. The school. The teacher - his mission, his vocation. The wind carries away the cries of the courtyard. End of the poem. The plants are made of plastic — but they need water. The bell, the uniforms,
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Spaceman Bruce in: The temple of Oyche
Nicolaas De Groof :: ::
During one of his many travels, Spaceman Bruce finds a map which leads him to the temple of Oyche. Unbeknownst to him, he is being followed by Vinnie, another scavenger eager for riches. When Bruce finally arrives at the temple, he gets ambushed by Vin
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Spit
Sarah Miro Fischer :: Germany :: 2021
One morning Livia wakes up, from a violent fantasy about a man physically abusing her. Out on the town with friends that night, she meets various men. She struggles with desire and boundaries, passion and violence.
drama -
Sprötch
Xavier Seron :: Belgium :: 2020
When his partner is busy working, it is up to the rather chaotic Tom to look after their young son Sam on his own. Despite all the lists and intentions, he forgets about Sam’s guitar lessons. He leaves in a rush, hitting something on the driveway…
comedy -
Stir
Rory Bresnihan :: Ireland :: 2020
A young woman finds herself a prisoner in the home of an old man who has recently lost his wife. As her desperate attempts to escape accelerate, he soon realises that he has taken on more than he can handle.
drama -
Strands of Mind
Adrian Meyer :: Germany :: 2021
Immerse yourself in a wonderful unknown world. A world full of mystery, with radiant beauty and deep, cavernous darkness.
animation -
Stray
Janne van Woensel Kooy :: ::
Stray examines being on the road. The question also arises as to what being at home means. How do you carry home with you when you leave? My character carries a house on his head and wades through unknown landscapes. With oil paint, these landscapes come
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Stroke
Tobias Klemeyer Smith :: Norway :: 2021
Ida and Kaja meets at a café to share their trivial frustrations concerning relationships, tattoos and life itself. Now and then, the conversation is interrupted by their strange waiter.
drama -
Stuff
Sofia de Castro Erzini :: :: 2021
A room full of objects, somewhere in Brussels, closes its blinds, away from the human eye, these objects come alive.
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Sudden Light
Sophie Littman :: United Kingdom :: 2019
Mia takes her sister Squeeze to walk their dog in the fields near their home. The landscape begins to morph around them, tricking them and introducing Mia to a strange man lurking at the edge of a dark wood.
drama -
Summer Planning
Alexandru Mironescu :: Romania :: 2021
All Andrei wants is to leave on a summer camp with his friends, once the school year is over. Meanwhile, his parents are caught up with their divorce.
drama -
T'es morte Hélène
Michiel Blanchart :: France, Belgium :: 2021
Maxime, a young man in search of stability, is literally haunted by the ghost of his girlfriend Hélène, who died recently. Wishing to put an end to this unbearable situation, Maxime finally decides to break with her. But Hélène does not seem ready to accept this decision ...
This international audience favourite has won awards before, including at the Brussels International Festival of Fantasy Film. This wonderfully surrealistic story succeeds in being funny, frightening and heartbreaking in just 20 minutes. A film that stays with you.
horrorcomedy -
Team ELIAS
Glenn Dumortier :: Belgium :: 2020
Elias is a young bodybuilder who dreams big while serving a suspension
documentary -
Techno, Mama
Saulius Baradinskas :: Lithuania :: 2021
Nikita loves to listen to techno music and dreams to go to Berlin and visit the famous club “Berghain”. His mother Irena doesn’t know about his son’s dreams and soon enough their mutual expectations will clash.
Director Saulius Baradinskas, who was also at the festival last year with Golden Minutes, made an extraordinary essay about an inexorable generation gap. This exhilarating Lithuanian film premiered at the Venice Film Festival.
coming-of-age -
The Affected
Rikke Gregersen :: Norway :: 2020
Minutes before take-off, a passenger refuses to sit down in an attempt to prevent the deportation of a man on board of the plane. The pilot suddenly finds himself in a position where he has to take a political stand he has no interest in taking.
comedy -
The Best Orchestra in the World
Henning Backhaus :: Austria :: 2020
It is a big day for Ingbert. He has a blind audition at the prestigious Viennese state orchestra. The only problem is that Ingbert is not your average cello player…
A highly original and unexpected film about a dream that falls apart just because someone is who they are. A beautifully executed metaphor about discrimination and the search for acceptance, but in a surprisingly light-hearted and original story.
comedy -
THE DARK FORTRESS OF AN UNKNOWN GOD
Luciana Lopez Schütz :: :: 2021
A mysterious basilica casts a spell over a young woman. Caught in a state of vertigo, she encounters the building's enigmatic soul. Guided by dream logic and fairy tale tropes, ‘The Dark Fortress of an Unknown God' combines fantasy with a documentary port
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The Devil's Horns salute you from the most diehard flowers
Abraham Escobedo Salas :: :: 2021
The lead singer of the Metal band Reject the Sickness, has to deal with pain and loss within his family, teaching grief to his young daughter in the process. A generational portrait of masculinity within the metal culture.
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The Door
Juanita Wilson :: Ireland :: 2008
A door gets stolen. Nikolai is trying to make sense of all the images that are shown, and that are based on someone's testimony. The viewer bears witness to the universal tragedy of Chernobyl through the eyes of one man.
drama -
The Edge
Zaide Kutay, Géraldine Cammisar :: Switzerland :: 2020
A truck driver drives his load - a Ferris wheel - through a remote desert landscape. His driver's cab is his safe haven, beyond that there is a world of shadows and silhouette
animation -
The Human Voice
Pedro Almodóvar :: Spain :: 2020
A woman returns home and starts waiting for the man who left her. His bags are packed, but he’s a no-show. The dog is restless too, without his owner around.
drama -
The Last Day Of Patriarchy
Olmo Omerzu :: Czech Republic :: 2021
Nina is pregnant with Jakub’s baby. Today, he wants to introduce her to his family. They’re all gathered in the hospital at the bedside of his dying grandfather. Just as the young lady tries to put on a brave face, she is faced with a surprising last wish.
drama -
The Last Organist
Paddy McConnell :: Ireland :: 2019
Truly one of a kind, 93-year-old organist George takes us through his love of music and his move from Belgium to Ireland 67 years ago.
documentary -
The Letter Room
Elvira Lind :: United States :: 2020
When a corrections officer is transferred to the letter room, he soon finds himself enmeshed in a prisoner's deeply private life.
drama -
The Long Goodbye
Aneil Karia :: United Kingdom :: 2020
Riz and his family spend a fun family day at home. In the background, the television is on, showing a demonstration from the far right. When the protest effectively passes by their house, the situation spirals out of control.
drama -
The Martyr
Fernando Pomares :: Spain :: 2020
On their way west, two Syrian brothers illegally cross a border. Their sister tells the story of their journey, a story in which past and present are intertwined. A fragmentary stream of memories, sometimes more of a dream, sometimes a nightmare.
drama -
The Nipple Whisperer
Jan Van Dyck :: Belgium :: 2020
Maurice Sander, aka Magic Sandy, has an exceptional gift. But he left the business when Doris, his muze, fell ill. Over ten years later, she pays him a visit.
With the fantastic French actor Denis Lavant in the lead role, the cult meter of a film immediately rises, but the sophisticated photography and the special art of 'nipple whispering' also contribute to the mysterious, transcendental atmosphere of this festival favourite. Some films start again in your head once the credits start rolling, The Nipple Whisperer is one of them.
mystery -
The Other Side
Luca Peres-Bota :: ::
Bogdan is a Romanian immigrant who with the help of his older cousin, Ovi, gets a job in a restaurant in Belgium. This way he can provide some financial stability for his newborn child and girlfriend who still live in Romania. But while on the job he get
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The Pilgrim
Bram De Jaeger :: :: 2021
A knightly pilgrim wakes up in an unknown world, searching an old tomb. On his journey, he has to fight monsters and resist insanity while he meets a small individual seemingly made of tar. Is the pilgrim's goal more valuable than friendship?
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The Plastic Turtle
Claudia Osejo, Miguel León :: Colombia :: 2020
A turtle lives a quiet life at the bottom of the ocean. But the increasing amount of plastic waste in the sea is causing more and more problems.
animation -
The Present
Farah Nabulsi :: Palestine :: 2020
On his wedding anniversary, Yusef and his young daughter set out in the West Bank to buy his wife a gift. Between soldiers, segregated roads and checkpoints, how easy would it be to go shopping?
drama -
The Quiet
Radheya Jegatheva :: Australia :: 2020
An astronaut in space muses on the immense silence and elusive space he experiences. And how this reminds him of his brother
animation -
The sky was pink
Jules Comes :: Belgium :: 2021
A young actress called Yana is about to make an important and life-changing decision. She risks losing her friends, family and loved ones, but has never felt more sure.
Four years after his Ardennes horror film 'Saint-Hubert', Brussels Dutchman Jules Comes surprises with this atmospheric 'The Sky Was Pink', shot on 35mm. The Liège actress Laura Sépul navigates with great style between the sad sets of the porn industry with their mechanical sex in search of recognition and real love.
drama -
The Tears of Things
Kate Voet :: Belgium :: 2021
Ana tries to deal with the painful memory of the night that wrecked her marriage. Unable to speak, she writes it all down. Her diary slowly becomes a letter to her husband, about how their lack of communication drove them apart.
drama -
To My Father
Angela Al Souliman :: Belgium, Syria :: 2021
Zena is a young woman who faces painful childhood memories after the death of her father. She sets out to find liberation and acceptance from this torturous time in her life.
drama -
Tomorrow
Kim Julliand :: ::
Fluctuating between dream and reality, between memories of the past, observations of the present, and visions of the future, Demain looks at the world through a highly subjective lens, like a child discovering its environment for the first time, fascinate
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Tonalli
Julia Belen Granillo Tostado :: :: 2021
Shadows are our companions; they grow alongside us, they change with us, we can inherit them just as our ancestors left us their names- Nahua belief. ?From her birth, Alma inherited her grandmother’s shadow, however, growing up she began to feel distant f
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Tot ik terugkom
Ramy Moharam Fouad :: Belgium :: 2021
There is a strange tension. An entire generation of young people is getting ready to leave somewhere far away. Aram is not sure how and with whom he could spend his last evening of freedom.
Ramy Moharam Fouad was 18 when he debuted with the music video that would put his brother Tamino on the map. Since then, he has been concentrating more and more on his work as a film director. And with success: last year he was at the short film festival with 'Schaduw, tot je terugkomt' which he co-created with Violet Braeckman, this year he is back with the uncanny 'Tot Ik Terugkom' in which Jolan De Bouw, a fashion model with his father's acting talent, stars as the desperate Aram.drama -
Tout ce que tu veux
Faust Lust Smiatek :: ::
As she struggles to communicate with her girlfriend during sex, a young woman dives back into a childhood memory that troubles her.
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TUSSEN ONS GEZEGD EN GEZWEGEN
Neill De Cock :: ::
How to find your own voice within the given patterns of your environment? TUSSEN ONS GEZEGD EN GEZWEGEN (BETWEEN YOU AND ME) sketches the portrait of Kobe, a native of West Flanders, who feels locked in his daily life. He gradually loses contact with h
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Tutto a posto
Eva Michiels :: :: 2021
Tutto a posto follows Mimmo and his friends in Maasmechelen, a place that feels abandoned for them. The documentary shows how they creatively spend their summer and how they deal with boredom. They do this between the streets and former remains of the min
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Two Distant Strangers
Travon Free, Martin Desmond Roe :: United States :: 2020
A man trying to get home to his dog gets stuck in a time loop that forces him to relive a deadly run-in with a cop.
This topical short film was ultimately the chosen one to win the Oscar. The story is based on the controversial death of George Floyd in 2020 and thus pays special tribute to the victims of police brutality. Rapper Joey Bada$$ plays the lead role.
drama -
Two to Tango
Dimitri Sterkens :: Belgium :: 2021
Twelve world leaders gather in a ballroom for a power play, on life or death. As long as music is being played, they tango. When the music stops, they bring out their weapons. Who will lead the dance? Who will survive?
With 'On attend', Dimitri Sterkens took European immigration policy to task in 2016; with this film, he aims his arrows at the highest level. The expression 'It takes two to tango' refers to the two parties involved in a conflict - or a solution. A striking parable about world politics.
action -
Über Wasser
Jela Hasler :: Switzerland :: 2021
Summer in the city. The coolness of a morning swim in the river quickly vanishes as the heat exacerbates insignificant daily nuisances. As Eli tries to escape the narrowness and agitation of the city, she continues to face aggression. Her rage starts to build up.
drama -
Van de kaart
Stella Raith :: Germany :: 2020
A cheerful little man on a postcard waits for someone to buy him. When he falls off the rack, he sets off on a colorful journey.
animation -
VO
Nicolas Gourault :: France :: 2020
A deadly accident between a self-driving car and a pedestrian sets off an investigation about the role of human workers in training driverless cars. Testimonies from vehicle operators guide us through a night shift where the landscape merges with data from the car’s sensors
documentary -
Wacht
Sophie Kurpershoek :: Belgium :: 2021
Mathilde, who is only ten years old, walks down a long, empty and endless road. Danielle keeps her company. They seem to be on the run, waiting for tomorrow, when their dreams will come true.
coming-of-age -
Wat jij nalaat
Katerina Indesteege :: :: 2021
Early in the morning, between the crackling of the oven, bakers knead dough balls into loaves. In the meantime, a young woman reflects on what it means to be vulnerable. She takes us on a journey in which shaping who we are, is similar to the uncertainty
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We Need It Yesterday
Celia Galan :: Spain :: 2018
An emerging production company is ready to do whatever it takes in order to get the job from an award-winning advertising agency.
comedy -
Weight of the earth in grams
Samia Dzaïr :: ::
Le poids de la Terre en gramme, or 5.148 × 1018, comes from a desire to explore a world that is both alien and familiar. This is a kind of introspection documentary where by filming parts of a an unknown environment, I would be able to make connections wi
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When the Moon was Gibbous
Erika Grace Strada :: Denmark :: 2021
In a strange world, the life of a colorful ensemble of beasts is abruptly interrupted by the arrival of a small group of humans that are determined to subdue one of them.
science-fictionanimation -
White Eye
Tomer Shushan :: Israel :: 2019
A man finds his stolen bicycle, which now belongs to a stranger. While attempting to retrieve it, he struggles to remain human.
drama -
Wildflowers - The Children of Never
Ammen Simpson :: Belgium :: 2020
Best debut 2020.
During a boring summer vacation, new girl Willow tries to find her way in a very special boarding school. She is trying to come to terms with her traumatic past. As she meets the other residents and tries to make friends, she finds out that their dark past is exactly what ties them together.
coming-of-age -
Wuen
Nicolas Lesaffre :: Hong Kong :: 2019
Wuen and his horse are inseparable. After a storm, his horse disappears. He discovers that it has been taken to the city to race.
French artist Nicolas Lesaffer has been active in the world of animation for 20 years. He started out as an animator for Luc Besson (Arthur and the Minimoys) and worked for years as an illustrator for major campaigns for top brands. In addition, he continued to work on his own colourful world of animation, with award-winning films such as Going Ape and Wear your Beautiful Life. Wuen is the provisional highlight, with a wonderful palette of colours and an intriguing contrast between the vast Mongolian grasslands and an immense metropolis in Asia.
animation -
WUK?! Een virtual reality ervaring in het Algemeen Beschaafd West-Vlaams
Joren Vandenbroucke :: Belgium :: 2020
Meet the West-Flemish pub goers in Café 't Hoekske, but don't stare at them too long, because they might get aggressive…
animation -
Yan
Jacinta Agten :: Belgium :: 2021
Yan has lived in a conservative town in Southern Italy for years. But it is not easy to really be himself there. Is true love possible? Or will he have to settle for glances?
slice-of-life -
Yaren en de zon
Joren Slaets, Renate Raman :: Belgium :: 2020
Ten-year-old Yaren leaves for summer camp. She's a bit nervous, because it's not a normal camp. It is a camp for children who have lost an important person in their life. At the camp she meets enthusiastic daredevil Kato. The beginning of a special summer and an equally special friendship.
documentary -
Year One As A Mother
Ning Cai :: :: 2021
A sensitive portrait of the lives of mothers. Their daily life, in which they wander back and forth between happiness and misery, is a complex, detailed, sweet-and-bitter reality. A group of mothers will talk about their experiences of being a mother for
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Yes-People
Gísli Darri Halldórsson :: Iceland :: 2020
It is morning. Different people start their daily lives, at work, at school or just at home. As the day goes on, they are put to the test more and mor
animation -
Young
Kristian Håskjold :: Denmark :: 2021
After discovering a rumor has been spread about her, Pernille agrees to confront the girl suspected to be behind it at a party, but the situation quickly escalates and Pernille feels pressured into actions that cannot be undone.
Danish director Kristian Håskjold was previously at the Leuven Short Film Festival with the short films Forever Now, A Worthy Man and Crocodile Tears. Three years ago, A Worthy Man won the Jury Prize and a nomination for the European Film Awards. Håskjold is unbeatable at capturing authentic emotions in all their layers.
coming-of-age -
Your Wild Dogs Want Freedom
Ece Era :: ::
WORK IN PROGRESS! (grading day 2, mixing, voiceover) Edirne’s city dump, home of many strays, is cleared for the construction of a city prison. Filmmaker reflects on the human animal; his desire to transform wilderness into the civilization and his sup
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Z
Caroline Branders :: Belgium :: 2021
In a post-apocalyptic world, Marc, Stella and four other people who all have a disability have locked themselves inside an empty office building. As the four people are completely dependent on them when it comes to survival, they become increasingly frustrated. When the ration becomes problematic, Marc and Stella see only one possible solution.
science-fiction -
Z bratem
Mattias Bavré :: Belgium :: 2021
Adam and Piotr are two brothers who live in an institution located in a castle in the Polish mountains. They have been abandoned by their mother, so they rely heavily on each other. They spend their days trading mushrooms for cigarettes and going to church.
documentary -
Zeezicht
Dafni Stylianidis :: Belgium :: 2021
Nina struggles with performance anxiety. After a nightmare about a presentation, she refuses to go to school. Fueled by her fears, she ends up in a fantasy world in which she learns to master them.
dramaanimation -
Zware Materie
Toine Mudde, Geert Oomens :: :: 2021
How can you help someone with heavy metal complaints? And what goes on in the head of someone with depression? Due to the growing depression figures increasingly more people are ask ing theirself these questions. By combining different art forms we aim to
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Zwart en wit
Gerd Gockell, Jesús Pérez :: Portugal :: 2020
In each flock there is one black sheep. The others don't like him and exclude him. Then it turns out that only he can save them from a great danger.
animation