07/04/2025 - Featuring projects from Europe, Latin America and beyond, the market of the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival provides both an on-site and an online platform for genre film professionals

The BIF Market, the professional film industry platform held annually during the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFFF), is poised to return for its ninth edition. This year’s event will take place on site from 14-18 April at Brussels Expo, while its online platform will be active from 8 April-3 May.

Organised by Peymey Diffusion with the support of the City of Brussels and the Brussels Capital Region, the BIF Market is dedicated to genre cinema in its broadest sense. Its focus spans horror, fantasy, science fiction, thrillers, animation, cult films, fairy tales, surrealism and more. As part of the wider BIFFF, which each year screens more than 90 feature-length premieres from five continents – including 35% world, international or European premieres – alongside over 100 short films, the BIF Market attracts over 55,000 visitors, among them a large number of international film professionals.

The market hosts a range of activities designed to foster project development, networking and industry collaboration. These include the Pitchbox sessions, Work-in-Progress presentations, info sessions on Belgian and international funding mechanisms, as well as expert panels and master classes. On-site attendees can also participate in curated visits to potential shooting locations in the Brussels region. The hybrid format of the market allows for live-streamed sessions and virtual networking opportunities for those participating online, ensuring accessibility for professionals unable to attend in person.

Among the key segments of this year’s edition is the Hatching Ravens Showcase, which will present nine international projects on site and three more online. Through several international partnerships, the market will also feature national showcases. These include the Spanish Showcase in collaboration with the ICAA and the Dutch Showcase, supported by the Netherlands Film Fund. From the Americas, the market will host the Mexican Showcase in partnership with IMCINE, the Colombian Showcase supported by PROIMAGENES, the Uruguayan Showcase with ACAU, and the Dominican Showcase in collaboration with DGCINE. The European Genre Forum Showcase will spotlight two recent alumni projects, while Ventana Sur’s Blood Window will present four Latin American genre films. Additionally, the Ravens Eggs section will highlight six emerging projects from Belgium and France.

A major highlight of the BIF Market is the Fantastic Belgian Pitchbox Session, offering 12 selected genre projects by Belgian-based filmmakers the opportunity to be pitched to an international jury of industry experts. This initiative provides exposure, professional feedback, and the potential to connect with investors, distributors and collaborators. Projects are evaluated on their artistic quality, commercial viability and originality.

The participating projects will be vying for several industry prizes. The RTBF Award, valued at €17,500, is intended for the development of a project aimed at platform distribution. The SABAM for Culture Award offers a €1,000 writing support grant. The ARPi Award includes a three-month mentorship programme through its incubator, providing hands-on industry experience and expert guidance. Finally, the AMPLO Award grants €1,500 to support the early development of a project, helping it move from concept to a production-ready stage.

Here is the complete selection for the 2025 BIF Market:

Hatching Ravens

International Showcase

The Advent – Gonçalo Almeida (Portugal)
Producers: Isabel Pestana, Maria João Mayer (Maria & Meyer)

Nightsong – Sid Bennett (Canada/Denmark/UK/Ireland/Sweden)
Producer: Jack Pollington (Fancy a Jam Pictures)

The Vampire of Sheung Shui – Shreyom Ghosh (Hong Kong)
Producer: Michael J Werner (Tasia Films Limited)

Drive in Bloodbath – Julien Ivanowich (France)
Producer: Julien Ivanowich (Carnages)

90 Minutes – Sean McConville (UK)
Producer: Stéphanie Joalland (Frenzy Films)

Asphalt – Minos Nikolakakis (Greece)
Producers: Vassilis Economou, Minos Nikolakakis (Asphalt)

Children of the Sun – Wanjiru Njendu (USA)
Producer: Jenna Payne (Disaster Capital Productions)

The Mark – Franck Richard (France)
Producer: Jérémie Chevret (Duno Films)

The Heirlooms – Devina Sofiyanti (Indonesia/Japan/Taiwan)
Producer: Beta Giovanni Rahmadeva (QUN Films)

S.E.A.N.C.E. – Tiago Teixeira (UK)
Producer: Dario Bocchini (Studio Domu)

In the Moorland – Michael Winiecki (Austria)
Producers: Lola Basara, Peter Hengl (Capra Film)

Where the Mountain Women Sing – Juefang Zhang (Germany/Mongolia/USA)
Producer: Kathleen Lee (When Pigs Fly Films Ltd)

Spanish Showcase

Hunch – Marisa Crespo, Moisés Romera (Spain)
Producer: Marisa Crespo (Proyecta Films & Media SL)

Triangle – Joseph Diaz (Spain)
Producer: Coque Serrano (La Charito Films)

The Weak – Laura Muñoz (Spain/Portugal)
Producer: Elisa P Bogalheiro (Producciones 24violets SLU)

Bramble – Imanol Ortiz López (Spain)
Producer: Mary Alexandra Malavé Fernández (Orlok Films)

My Stalker – Xavier Rull (Spain/Mexico/USA)
Producer: Marisa Crespo (Proyecta Films & Media SL)

Dutch Showcase

Bobby Baxter – Sergio Gridelli (Netherlands)
Producer: Corine Meijers (Studio Biarritz)

Möbius – Richard Raaphorst (Netherlands)
Producer: Rob Vermeulen (Holland Harbour Entertainment BV)

Shiny New World – Jan van Gorkum (Netherlands/Belgium)
Producer: Monique van Kessel (Make Way Film)

Mexican Showcase

Lux Noctis – Damiana Acuña (Mexico)
Producer: Javier Sepulveda (Maligno Gorehouse)

Orazal – Gonzalo Romero Holguín (Mexico)
Producer: José Luís Isoard Arrubarrena (Sopa de Piedra Films)

Colombian Showcase

The Annunciation – Alfonso Acosta (Colombia)
Producer: Carolina Mosquera (Cabecitanegra Producciones LTDA)

Panic – Carlos Daniel Malavé, Martin Malavé (Colombia)
Producer: Gabriela Rojas (Rodando Films)

Wolf Women – Máncel Martínez (Colombia)
Producer: Carien Bastos (Faro Rio Entertainment LTDA)

Cali 1984 – Marco Vélez Esquivia (Argentina/Colombia)
Producer: Lina Ortiz Gómez (LYNCH Anima)

Uruguayan Showcase

Game & Fish – Guillermo Carbonell (Uruguay)
Producer: Matías "Lucho" Viera (Murdoc)

Montevideo Vampiro – Christhian Orta (Brazil/Dominican Republic/Uruguay)
Producer: Matías "Lucho" Viera (Cuenco Cine)

Black Water – Santiago Ventura (Spain/Uruguay)
Producer: Javier Ventura (Chesterfilms)

Dancing with the Fish – Santiago Ventura (Argentina/Spain/Uruguay)
Producer: Carlos Rompani (Chesterfilms)

Dominican Showcase

Predicament – Ico Abréu (Dominican Republic/Haiti)
Producer: Ico Abréu (iFILM)

To Die in Brussels – Juan Alfonso Zapata (Belgium/Dominican Republic/Spain)
Producer: Ico Abréu (iFILM)

European Genre Forum Showcase

Godling – Ashley Horner (UK/Cyprus)
Producer: Keith Bell (Pinball Films Ltd)

The Kids Are Feral – Ben Thompson (UK/France)
Producer: Matthias Pachner (Vibrant Youth)

Blood Window Showcase

Iron Beetle – Rodrigo Aragão (Brazil)
Producer: Mayra Alarcón (Fábulas Filmes)

Fragil – Fabián Forte (Argentina/Brazil)
Producer: Fabián Forte (Destino)

Someone Is Recording You – Tamae Garateguy (Argentina/Brazil)
Producer: Gabriel Grieco (Crep Films)

Dog Legs – Matías Rojas Valencia (Chile/Colombia)
Producer: Federico Duran (Rhayuela Films)

Ravens Eggs

What’s Left Is Fire – Mustapha Bandini (Belgium)

Vanishing Vultures – Jean-Philippe Bouix (France)
Producer: Jean-Philippe Bouix (FASCINAHOUSE)

All Monsters Must Die – Clotilde Colson (Belgium)
Producer: Lio Scailteur (Wise Up Productions)

Slim Fast – Natalie Hill (Belgium)

Seed – Sébastien Petit (Belgium)
Producer: Samuel Tilman (Eklektik Productions)

Belladonna – Maxime Pistorio (Belgium/France)
Producer: Raquel Morte (Sequel Prod)

Pitchbox

Les Sentinelles de la Forêt – Fabrice Bottu
Un monde meilleur – Cédric Bourgeois
#mannekenpis – Jean-Baptiste Delannoy
L’enfant de la nuit – Sandra Fassio
Skonss – Alexis Kahil
Le Cri de Reckheim / De Schreeuw van Reckheim – Karel Konings
Impassible – Adrien Léonard
Soledad, les Nuits Immortelles – Valérie Lieko
Traces of Tomorrow – Mathieu Mortelmans, Raoul Groothuizen
Credo – Nicolas Moulin
Prélude – Lisa Sallustio
Ghost Mother – David Tcherepanya