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Be Film Festival: An end-of-year catch-up of the best Belgian cinema

10:39 15/12/2016
Feature films, shorts and previews, 40 screenings, three parties - the Be Film Festival is back for another year

If it's the last 10 days of the year it's time for the Be Film Festival, the round-up of the best Belgian films of the year plus a few sneak previews.

A total of 40 shorts and full feature films will be screened at the Cinematek and Bozar - and this year the festival opens twice, with a party on 22 December and again on 26 December.

"Is this an excuse to have two opening parties? Of course normally we don't need an excuse to have a party," says Céline Masset, one of the festival's organisers. "Two parties are better than one party and since we are taking a break for Christmas on the 24th and 25th, on the 26th we begin one more time."

There's also the closing night party - so that's three parties for Chimay beers to sponsor to everyone's joy.

For short film aficionados there are three programmes from nominees for this year's Magritte Awards.

Among the feature films which opened this year is the Dardenne Brothers' latest, La Fille Inconnu (Luc Dardenne will be in attendance), also Academy Award contender Felix Van Groeningen's latest film Belgica set in the clubbing world of 1980s Ghent.

Also showing, just released and making a splash is the film King of the Belgians by American Jessica Woodworth and Belgian Peter Brosens. Read more about the film here...

Eric Van Looy's De Premier - in which the Belgian prime minister is kidnapped and his family is held hostage to force him to assassinate the American president at an upcoming summit meeting - is on this year's bill.

Visitors can also see films by Joachim Lafosse, Bouli Lanners and newcomer Solange Cicurel whose Faut pas lui dire (Don't Tell Her) is a cleverly written and performed comedy of manners, a genre not often found in Belgian cinema.

Unexpected is The Land of the Enlightened by Pieter-Jan De Pue, a "hybrid documentary" (documentary and fiction seamlessly blended) about Afghanistan where we follow young boys deep into this land as they form wild gangs to control trade routes, sell explosives from mines left over from war and dream of the day when the Americans will leave.

Another sneak preview is the film Low Notes, the first feature film by Brussels-based French director Laurier Fourniau, which is entirely in English as it takes place in Los Angeles - a twisted "finding oneself" tale.

New this year, the festival is offering holiday packages which include two nights at a four-star hotel, spa sessions, full access pass, VIP screenings and dinner for two at the Be Bar, the festival's heart where one can eat, drink, dance and talk.

www.befilmfestival.be
Full access pass €20 until 14 December, €28 thereafter

Written by Richard Harris