05/10/2023 - A series of 25 specially commissioned short films by renowned directors and composers complements a typically rich programme

Directors Paul Schrader, Terence Davies, Jacqueline Lentzou, Ildikó Enyedi, as well as composers Gabriel Yared, Howard Shore, Jung Jae-il, and Colin Stetson, are just a few of the talented artists recruited by the Film Fest Gent to collaborate of 25 short films, commissioned to celebrate the festival’s 50th edition. Home of the World Soundtrack Awards, the Film Fest Gent has always given special attention to film music, and the 25 short films — available to watch online now — all began with an original piece by a world-famous composer. From this music, each director conjured up images for the resulting short film. It is a bold creative experiment of the kind that the festival has always championed, and continues to champion through a rich programme of more than 100 films, shown in the Belgian city from 10 to 21 October.

Festivities will begin with the opening film, the Venice competition title Holly [+see also:
film review
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interview: Fien Troch
film profile] by Belgian director Fien Troch, who has seen all of her films play at the festival. Joining the film in the Galas and Specials category are Estibaliz Urresola Solaguren’s Berlinale title 20,000 Species of Bees [+see also:
film review
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interview: Estíbaliz Urresola
film profile], the Telluride premiere All of Us Strangers [+see also:
film review
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film profile] by the UK’s Andrew Haigh, the Sundance-premiered documentary And the King Said, What a Fantastic Machine [+see also:
film review
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interview: Axel Danielson, Maximilien …
film profile] by Axel Danielson and Maximilien Van Aertryck, the Locarno premiere Do Not Expect Too Much from the End of the World [+see also:
film review
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interview: Radu Jude
film profile] by Romanian filmmaker Radu Jude, Ladj Ly’s Toronto premiere Les Indésirables [+see also:
film review
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interview: Ladj Ly and Giordano Gederl…
film profile], and the Venice-premiered biopic Ferrari [+see also:
film review
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interview: Valentina Bellè
film profile] from US director Michael Mann. Also in this section are several films that first premiered in Cannes, namely the Competition titles About Dry Grasses [+see also:
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interview: Nuri Bilge Ceylan
film profile] by Turkish master Nuri Bilge Ceylan, Fallen Leaves [+see also:
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film profile] by Finnish director Aki Kaurismäki, The Old Oak [+see also:
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film profile] from British veteran Ken Loach, Tran Anh Hung’s delectable French Oscar candidate The Taste of Things [+see also:
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film profile], Wim Wenders’ Perfect Days [+see also:
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film profile], and Marco Bellocchio’s Kidnapped [+see also:
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film profile], as well as the Un Certain Regard winner How to Have Sex [+see also:
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interview: Molly Manning Walker
film profile] by the UK’s Molly Manning Walker, and Katell Quillévéré’s Cannes Premières title Along Came Love [+see also:
film review
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interview: Katell Quillévéré
film profile]. Belgian-Moroccan director Jawad Rhalib’s Amal [+see also:
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interview: Jawad Rhalib
film profile] will be having its world premiere in the section. The Boy and the Heron by Hayao Miyazaki will close out the festival.

The films in the Official Competition, meanwhile, will be vying for the Grand Prix for Best Film and the Georges Delerue Award for Best Soundtrack or Sound Design, handed out by an international jury composed of Canadian-American composer Colin Stetson, Ghent-born director Lukas Dhont, Greek director Jacqueline Lentzou, Canadian actress Anne Dorval, Belfast Film Festival International Programmer and film critic Jessica Kiang, French director Sébastien Lifshitz, and Colombia-born director Juanita Onzaga. Competing in the section are, from Locarno, Astrakan [+see also:
film review
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film profile] by French director David Depesseville, the Golden Leopard winner Critical Zone [+see also:
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film profile] by Iranian filmmaker Ali Ahmadzadeh, and Sweet Dreams [+see also:
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interview: Ena Sendijarević
film profile] by Ena Sendijarević; Un Certain Regard titles Omen [+see also:
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interview: Baloji
film profile] by Belgian director Baloji and The Delinquents [+see also:
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interview: Rodrigo Moreno
film profile] by Argentinian director Rodrigo Moreno; Berlinale titles Here [+see also:
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interview: Bas Devos
film profile] by Belgian director Bas Devos and The Siren [+see also:
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film profile] by Iranian filmmaker Sepideh Farsi; Italian director Matteo Garrone’s Venice competition title Me Captain [+see also:
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film profile]; Yorgos Lanthimos’ Golden Lion winner Poor Things [+see also:
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interview: Suzy Bemba
Q&A: Yorgos Lanthimos
film profile]; and the Sundance title Smoke Sauna Sisterhood [+see also:
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interview: Anna Hints
film profile] by Estonian filmmaker Anna Hints.

Many more films that have had a successful festival run will appear in the Official Selection, such as Elene Naveriani’s Directors’ Fortnight title Blackbird Blackbird Blackberry [+see also:
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interview: Elene Naveriani
film profile], Víctor Erice’s Close Your Eyes [+see also:
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film profile] which was unveiled in Cannes Première, or Claire Simon’s Our Body [+see also:
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film profile] from the Berlinale. Having its world premiere in the section is Zlata, the debut feature from Belgian director Mattias Bavré, a documentary centred on a Ukrainian teenage girl who fled the war and moved to Ghent.

The festival will celebrate video game music with a special concert on Thursday 19 October in Capitole Gent named Press Play: Music in Games. Also worth noting is the world premiere of Gift by Japanese director Ryûsuke Hamaguchi, a shorter and wordless version of his film Evil Does Not Exist which premiered at this year’s Venice Film Festival. Composer Eiko Ishibashi will be performing her score live during the premiere on Wednesday, October 18th at the venue Viernulvier.

The festival will end with the 23rd edition of the World Soundtrack Awards, as part of which two Lifetime Achievement Awards will be presented to Laurence Rosenthal and Nicola Piovani.

(Translated from French)