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Brussels hosts short film festival with a warm heart

19:54 25/04/2016
Organisers waded through 4,000 films for this 19th edition of the festival where conviviality is key

With 300 films from 26 countries, the Brussels Short Film Festival has become a leading force in uncovering new talent. The film selection is arduous (for just the international competition alone, 45 people watched 4,000 films from 94 countries to select a final 58 films from 26 countries).

Beyond the national, international and next-generation competitions, there are professional networking events, marketing seminars, youth workshops, the Night of the Shorts, some 200 films not in competition, Very Short Shorts (under three minutes) and this year's honoured countries: the Netherlands, and for documentaries, the Balkans.

"It's very difficult to select a wide variety of films," says festival co-founder Céline Masset. "At each moment we are thinking about the audience - it's a festival for the audience and we never forget this important point.

Conviviality, that most important Belgian quality, is at the heart of the festival, now in its 19th edition, says Masset. "It's important for us that the festival be organised in a very convivial atmosphere - that the audience can meet and share a drink with the directors who have come from around the world."

In addition to the six traditional festival venues: Flagey, Bozar, the Vendôme, the Mercelis, the Insas and the marquee erected on Place Fernand Cocq, since last year there is a seventh and free venue: the open air screenings on the Mont des Arts which consist of Best-Ofs from previous years and are a great way for neophytes to discover the festival at no cost.

The 200 out-of-competition films are divided into categories to permit easy scheduling on the part of the festivalgoers. The Oscars present short film Academy Award nominees, the European Film Awards present award-winning shorts from all the major European festivals, plus there is the aforementioned focus on the Netherlands and the Balkans, a road-movie category, and Latino movies selected for the BSFF by the Biarritz Festival of Latin American Cinema and Culture.

The youth programmes have been expanded this year. In addition to the over-12 programme and the eight-to-12 category, there is now a six-to-eight programme for the very young. After the screenings there are movie lessons to familiarise the children with the behind-the-scenes techniques and crafts as well as analysis of the films themselves.

For a truly immersive experience, try the Night of the Short on 30 April from 22.00 to 3.00. And for a special atmosphere there is the "Short but Trash" event which presents films made with "tiny budgets but with uncommon freedom".

The "Very Short Shorts" presents a couple of dozen films all under three minutes - concentrated doses of imagination. And, of course, beyond the opening and closing parties there is the festival dance party with DJ Gunther Vismäth. New this year: two final year students at IAD (Institut des Arts de Diiffusion) will independently take the same story and produce two different movies.

"Since the first edition in 1998, our objectives have stayed the same," says Masset. "To offer the spectator quality, discovery, diversity and enjoyment as well as many opportunities to meet the filmmakers and to offer the professionals networking possibilities and help with marketing their movies. We are thrilled to note that over the years the festival has become a leading force in uncovering new talent."

Brussels Short Film Festival, 27 April-8 May

Written by Richard Harris

Comments

Tom Klarfeld

I was a subtitler at the 17th edition of the BSFF. Nice to know the event is still going strong! The addition of free open-air screenings at the Mont des Arts is a great move on the part of the event organizers. Best of luck to this year's UCL subtitlers!

Apr 27, 2016 06:49
R.Harris

Tom, the live subtitlers are the unsung heroes of the festival. Thanks for the work!

Apr 27, 2016 12:01