14/09/2026 - Following a trophy in Cannes, Emmanuel Marre’s second feature has triumphed in the 9th Brussels International Film Festival’s International Competition

l-r: Swann Arlaud, Emmanuel Marre and Sandrine Blancke during the presentation of A Man of His Time at the BRIFF (© BRIFF)

Presented as the opening film of the Brussels International Film Festival (BRIFF) and of the gathering’s International Competition, A Man of His Time - the second feature by filmmaker Emmanuel Marre after Zero Fucks Given, co-directed by Julie Lecoustre – has been awarded the Grand Prize by a jury composed of Belgian actress Myriem Akheddiou, Belgian director Frédéric Fonteyne, Franco-Belgian filmmaker Alexe Poukine and French actor Zinedine Soualem, who stated: “Beyond its formal singularity, this feature film compels us as an audience to question our own acts of cowardice, our desire to get ahead, and the way in which we all shape the history we share. And it reminds us that a film can be controversial and divide opinion whilst also putting passion for sometimes irreconcilable differences back at the very heart of our passion for film.” A Man of His Time will be released in French and Belgian cinemas on 30 September.

The Jury Prize was awarded to Rose by Austrian filmmaker Markus Schleinzer, which earned Sandra Hüller the Silver Bear for Best Leading Performance at the most recent Berlinale, while a Special Mention was happily received for Katharina Rivilis’s debut feature I’ll Be Gone in June. The Audience Award went to Six Months in a Pink and Blue Building by Mexican director Bruno Santamaria Razo.

The BRIFF also hosts a National Competition, which this year revolved around nine Belgian feature films judged by a jury composed of Ava Cahen (general delegate of Cannes Critics’ Week), Caroline Maleville (head of Programming at the Cinémathèque Française) and Sara Wikler (writing consultant). They awarded their Grand Prize to Tom Adjibi’s mischievous and transgressive mockumentary, This Is Not a French Film, which previously scooped a Special Mention in CPH:DOX and which is released in Belgium on 16 September.

The Jury Prize went to Lou Colpé’s refined documentary Like a Fortress, which is a delicate filmed diary of grief and friendship, while Tom Boccara and Wided Ouassale’s first feature film, La Bucolie, earned its filmmakers - who also star in the movie - the Best Actor and Best Actress awards. The title was likewise recognised by audiences who singled it out for the Audience Award.

The festival’s Director’s Week line-up shines a light on emerging filmmakers whose singular writing and vision chart the future of European cinema. This section’s jury was composed of French filmmaker Blandine Lenoir, French director Erwan Le Duc, Belgian director Claude Schmitz, and French cinematographer Irina Lubtchansky. The jury awarded its Grand Prix to the German film Home Stories by Eva Trobisch, and the Jury Prize to Shana by France’s Lila Pinell. The Director’s Week titles were also assessed by a Youth Jury, who entrusted their prize to Ivan & Hadoum by Spaniard Ian de la Rosa, and a Special Mention to Dimitri Planchon and Jean-Paul Guigue’s striking animated film Blaise.

The winners are as follows: 

International Competition

Grand Prize
A Man of His Time - Emmanuel Marre (Belgium/France)

Jury Prize
Rose - Markus Schleinzer (Austria/Germany)

Special Mention
I’ll Be Gone in June - Katharina Rivals (Germany/Switzerland/United States)

Audience Award
Six Months in a Pink and Blue Building - Bruno Santamaria Razo (Mexico/Brazil/Denmark)

National Competition

Grand Prize
This Is Not a French Film - Tom Adjibi (Belgium/France)

Jury Prize
Like a Fortress - Lou Colpé (Belgium)

Best Actress
Wided Ouassale - La Bucolie (Belgium)

Best Actor
Tom Boccara - La Bucolie

Audience Award
La Bucolie - Tom Boccara, Wided Ouassale

Director’s Week

Grand Prize
Home Stories - Eva Trobisch (Germany)

Jury Prize
Shana - Lila Pinell (France)

Young Jury Prize
Ivan & Hadoum - Ian de la Rosa (Spain/Germany/Belgium)
Special Mention
Blaise - Dimitri Planchon, Jean-Paul Guigue (France)

Other awards

FIPRESCI Prize
The Incomer - Louis Paxton (United Kingdom)

Be TV Prize
The Meltdown - Manuela Martelli (Chile/United States/Spain/Mexico)

(Translated from French)