Discoveries from Belgium World Cinema

'The Colour of the Sacrifice' hands over to these men, for the greater part enlisted by force, who came from the colonized countries and played a crucial role during the Second World war.

Tells the story of Sara, a girl of Greek descent, who lives in a small village on the French Atlantic coast and dreams of traveling to the country of her ancestors. It tells the story of her love for Simon, a young theater manager in Paris.

Sprigs of broom around a murder victim suggest an ancient legend.

We follow Nelle on the day she returns home after a year of solo travel. Excerpts from her travel diary reveal the thoughts of the past year. The joyful reunion with her sister and father is quickly overshadowed by the question: "What now?" How does she want to shape her young adult life? Has she made the right choices recently? At the point where Nelle can no longer avoid these questions, the viewer meets her.

If the house is just a dormitory, a simple place to eat and sleep, then it is no longer the embodiment of our struggle.

Hit Him on the Head with a Hard, Heavy Hammer departs from the handwritten memoir of the filmmaker’s father and his experience of displacement during wartime. Referring to the notion Thomas Hardy termed ‘The Self-Unseeing’ in his eponymous 1901 poem, the film returns to childhood and the matters that harden us: upbringing, social status, education, labour, and familial bonds. The memoir weaves into the film as both a contemplation on mortality and an illustration of fading memory, reflecting on how we pen our pasts and how they can be re-told.

A documentary tale about the fate of a small Palestinian village, saved from destruction in 1949 thanks to the cunning of a handful of inhabitants.

Living away from Lebanon and the war happening there, it is hard for the director to live in Belgium, a country at peace. This peace won’t last too long, as war between Flanders and Wallonia breaks.

In a big metropolis, a mysterious character in the fuzzy outlines drowns himself in its thoughts.

A docu focussing on a party on a beach, in a region called Limburg.

A young woman's search for her cultural identity is prevented by the imperialist agendas of her neighbors.

Warren and the Three Willows takes us into a fantastical macroscopic world, where we come face to face with the threats that nature struggles with. What can we do together to help nature? Through an intimate family portrait, with imaginative touches, we address a global theme on a child's scale.

On the lawless eastern border between Bangladesh and India, lives a group of proud bandits, obsessed with Heath Ledger’s Joker. Re-enacting their past and celebrating their outsider status, they philosophise on their role in society, and the balance between order and chaos. In BAN♡ITS, not just the borders between states are unclear, but the borders between fiction and documentary blur, and ultimately, as do the borders between resistance, art and crime.

As the people of a medieval village celebrate the beginning of summer, the royal family experiences an identity crisis. The king thinks he's made of glass, the princess dreams of becoming the king and the prince is trapped in the body of a donkey.

Simon, a lonely gay man in his 40s, feels noticed by a young cashier in a local nightshop. At first more spontaneously, but then more methodically, he sets his mind to winning him over.

the mobile phone of Alain, a belgium director in his fifties, appears a mysterious picture. Enough time to recognise Luisa, the portuguese actress he loved so passionately 7 years ago, during the shooting of his unfinished film.

Rachita Taneja, creator of SANITARY PANELS, a popular stick figure cartoon series known for its sharp socio-political commentary, has captivated young, liberal Indians. In December 2020, she faced legal prosecution for three of her cartoons, prompting a need for extreme caution not only in her art but also in her involvement in this documentary. The challenges and uncertainties they encounter during filming strengthen the bond between Rachita and the filmmaker, fostering introspection on their beliefs, privileges, and inner struggles. The wait for the legal outcome adds stress, hindering Rachita's work. She seeks guidance and support from like-minded individuals dedicated to amplifying their voices. The film explores Rachita's inner world and her creative expression, depicting a dystopian narrative where freedom of speech rapidly erodes. This documentary showcases the resilience of a young Indian woman facing persecution and censorship with humor and unflinching honesty.

Oryna, an 18-year-old Ukrainian girl, fled her homeland during the Russian invasion of Ukraine, while all her family, including her 7-year-old sister Ksiusha, decided to remain there. The film observes the daily remote communication between Oryna and her younger sister, and reveals their close bonds of sisterhood, which remain strong despite their separation, the constant presence of the war, and the natural process of growing apart.

The succession is there. And it’s not a done deal…

Stage registration of the play by Dutch theatre group Dood Paard and the Flemish theatre group Toneelhuis. The two actors Mokhallad Rasem and Kuno Bakker conduct a series of dialogues about their relationship with each other and their environment. A quest of two wandering souls for common ground. Together, the conversations tell an overarching story about two men who, despite their differences, explore where their lives touch and enrich each other. Or where they might have to leave each other alone. In the candid conversation that arises around these differences, the public is invited to contribute ideas and determine their own position.

While looking for his concert outfit, Alexander will meet two refugees that his roommate had housed the day before. Meeting the other, Alex will become aware of the derisory aspect of his quest.

A tragic comedy of a sweet little girl, who grows up to be a crazy old cat lady.

A story about love and hope of three elderly woman wit a totally different life experience at the end of their journey of life.

A lyrical promotion of Belgium’s North Sea coast that alternates teeming promenades and playful beach games with elegant seafront vistas; shot by John Fernhout and set to Marcel Poot’s score, with commentary by Éric de Haulleville.

A 22-year-old Belgian-Mauritanian girl recounts how a mysterious stain accompanies her every day.

The 90's in Brussels, Belgium. Two rather bored young couples play tennis, but sex and love will disturb their lives thoroughly.

In the scorching summer of 1976, we meet café owner Willy and his three sons in the local pub ‘De Sportvriend’. Willy runs the café together with his middle son Achiel, while his eldest son Arthur dreams of fame with his rock band. The youngest, Albert, is Willy’s favorite, and he hopes Albert will win the local cycling race this year. When Barbara, a mysterious woman carrying a great secret, arrives in the village, the lives of the four men are turned upside down. Old dreams, family bonds, and hidden truths are put to the test...

At the age of ten, a young Napoleon Bonaparte thinks his parents are finally coming to take him away from the terrible school where he is being bullied. But because he has been skipping classes while waiting, he is now locked in the vacant dovecote on the French estate as punishment. What begins as a coping with a lack of affection and his own loneliness spills over into an escape into poetic reverie; associative scenes that expose his deeply held feelings.

Industrial film about the Gevaert factory, where photographic and film products are made.

In a green heaven situated in the middle of a modern city, a young boy discovers a foreign creature. Both face the cruelty of human kind, creating a powerful bond beyond the violence and adversity.

Against the backdrop of the First World War, stand-up comedian Wouter Deprez recounts anecdotes about his native village and grandparents. He looks at the past sometimes wistfully, then critically, and digs for bombs, bones and stories...

The link between body and mind is portrayed in the context of materialism; the importance of physical objects to express personal identity in the tangible world. Four categories are shown in the full installation that supported this film; everyday objects, clothing, makeup, and creations in the form of visual art. These form the pillars of self-expression, through which the soul can be made visible. This experimental film shows the union of the mind built from complex identity structures and memories, with the material extensions that hold this enormous value, becoming important to an individual's personal existence. Inspirations from several film and photo works, notably "All About Lily Chou-Chou" (Iwai), "The Rocky Horror Picture Show" (Sharman) and Ana Mendieta are incorporated throughout the video and accompanying photo installation.

They have returned from the east and settled near the Basilica overlooking the city. The rooks have been back in Brussels for ten years now. They have had to make room for themselves among the other corvids - crows, jackdaws, magpies - and the many species that have invaded the city: peregrine falcons, parakeets, Egyptian geese, Canada geese, etc. Faced with these newcomers, city dwellers react according to their sensitivity to wild nature. Some fear for the local species and would like to chase away the intruders. Others are exasperated by the croaking and chattering. Some are pleased that the capital of Europe is home to an increasingly varied biodiversity, despite the incessant overflight of airliners.

Université Libre de Bruxelles, when pseudosciences replaced academic teaching, Alice stumbles upon a book hidden in the campus' library. She then joins Morpheus' secret fraternity to fight obscurantism spreading on the campus.

The growing struggle for Palestinian self-determination between 1960 and 1980 was supported by radical left-wing movements worldwide, also in Japan. This is illustrated by a collection of 16mm films by militant filmmakers from various countries, which were dubbed and screened in Japan. Their Japanese audiences felt oppressed by the US after World War II, and not only sympathized but also identified with the Palestinians.

A contemporary art gallery organizes an exhibition presenting several art performances. The cleaning lady Ilidia has trouble understanding the aim of such performances and gets irritated by the visitors’ behaviors. The evening could end badly…

I started from a place on Left Bank where the children of parents who are absent for an unknown period of time (sailors, immigrants) live together, surrounded by big buildings that isolate them from the rest of the world. Their home is situated near the Scheldt, a river that runs through Belgium. They dream about the water that could take them far far away from here (just like their parents) and try communicating with their father through letters.

The story follows a friendly tree spirit as it makes its escape from the woodcutters.

After graduation, Billie and Lucas are faced with big decisions: move in together as a couple or rather share a flat with friends? Full of affection for each other and curiosity about what’s to come, they feel their way forward, together and individually.

When therapy and medication fail to provide any relief for severe depression, electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) – better known as electroshock therapy – can offer a solution. Mie and Tine have been struggling with depression for years. Their hopes are now pinned on ECT. How are they experiencing their treatment? Are they gradually regaining their old selves? And how are they coping with the fog that remains after an ECT session?

A young man rents a room in an old house. There, he will meet two sisters, and fall in love with one of them.

Post-porn ritual thwarting fears, with intimate and complex emby power, at the borders of comedy and SF. A magical kiss that fucks the norms.

Vlad gets to organize the Vampire Ball this year. It is a great honor for him and he wants to do his utmost to make it a great party. Keelin and Wilko help Vlad organize the prom, but things don't go as expected... A creature from the underworld shows up. Can the Night Watch ensure that the party can go on without a hitch?

A voice announces: «The story begins with a train ride. The main character returns to the city of his childhood for a day.» With his dog, Edouard is passing through Le Touquet, the northern French seaside resort where he grew up. There, he meets Giulia, his childhood sweetheart, who lived on the other side of the bridge, in the fishing village.

In the arid Tunisian village of Bizerte, Khorma -- with his blonde-red hair and quirky habits -- is the town's kindly joke. His guardian is Bou Khaleb, the official announcer of births, deaths, and marriages. When the Bou mistakenly announces the death of a woman rather than her daughter's marriage, the film immerses us in the often-hilarious power struggles amongst the clerics of the "religion business".

What impact do the attacks in our country have on the lives of victims, surviving relatives, investigators, and emergency workers?