More than 80 films from 21 countries will be screened during the upcoming Cinemamed film festival in Brussels.
Now in its 28th year, the festival runs for nine days, from 26 November to 4 December, with a programme including 14 ‘avant-première’ preview releases being shown for the first time in Belgium.
Highlights include ‘Furies’, the festival opener, co-produced by George Clooney and directed by Rami Kodeih. In the film, two women whose savings are blocked during an economic crisis plan a heist to get their money back to pay for a life-saving surgery.
Nanni Moretti’s ‘Succederà questa notte’, a comedy drama starring Louis Garrel as a man whose romantic entanglements are beset with bad timing, is the closing title.
The announcement of the festival line-up at the Cinéma Palace, one of eight venues in Brussels where screenings will take place, was preceded by a press preview of tear-jerker ‘Les Yeux verts’, directed by Fanny Liatard and Jérémy Trouil.
The film tells the story of 11-year-old Chaya, who is left to fend for herself when older brother Nour falls into a coma-like condition, known as resignation syndrome, when the family is refused asylum. The two leads, Douae Butarbuch M’Zaouki and Sayyid El Alami, give amazing performances.
‘L’Estranea’, a horror-thriller directed by Paolo Strippoli and Italy’s pick for best international film for the Oscars, is also creating a buzz. It stars Jasmine Trinca as a woman who arrives at her daughter’s apartment to confess a lie that will rock the family to its foundations.
Enduring links
Aurélie Losseau, head of programming for the festival, spoke to The Brussels Times following the announcement of the line-up. “We are excited about the bill. The Cinemamed festival is increasingly high-quality and compelling, attracting a more diverse audience, including people who don’t typically go to the cinema,” she said.
Losseau, who selected the programme from 600 submissions, continued: “What interests us most are the subjects and the discussions sparked by the films.”
She highlighted the enduring links between Belgium and the Mediterranean. “This year, for instance, marks the 80th anniversary of Italian immigration,” she said. “But this festival isn’t just a story of migration. It’s also about creation, production and collaboration. We have nearly 30 Belgian productions and co-productions in the various sections,” she added.
Eight films are in the official competition, vying for the Grand Prix, which includes €5,000 in distribution support, as well as the Prix Cineuropa, Critics’ Prize and Public Jury Prize. The ‘RêVolution Jury’, composed of young talent from the film industry, will also award a prize worth €3,000 for the best film.
Outside of the main competition, films tackling gender equality and active citizenship can also compete for the European Olive Branch film award backed by the European Commission, Anna Lindh Foundation, Halaqat (Goethe-Institut) and Bozar Centre for Fine Arts.
Admission to screenings cost from €3 to €12. The eight venues are: Cinéma Aventure, Cinéma Palace, Cinéma Galeries, Bozar, Cinematek, RITCS, W:Halll, and Espace Magh. Many of the films are sub-titled, though not all in English. Full details are available on the festival website.
Backed by the French Community Commission (COCOF), the festival also features events promoting Mediterranean cuisine, Marché med, and concerts including a set by Charleroi-based act DJane d’Arc after the closing ceremony.
