23/03/2009

The Belgian capital has no shortage of film festivals, including those specialising in fantasy films, African titles, animated works, shorts, Mediterranean and underwater films. However, many foreign films struggle for exposure on Brussels screens throughout the year.

Despite the systematic use of subtitles for foreign-language films exhibited in Brussels theatres (including networks such as UGC and Kinepolis), minor auteur films are under-represented. Many factors, too numerous to list, contribute to this situation and complicate the task of distributors and exhibitors.

These include the costs involved in a national release, which are particularly high due to linguistic reasons. A professional approach means producing bilingual subtitled prints (making it impossible to use the prints released in France or Holland) and launching a double, or even triple promotional campaign (Wallonia, Flanders and Brussels). All this effort for a critical mass of viewers that rarely enables costs to be recouped.

In fact, access to certain films is often through festivals, or community initiatives which depend on grants and other forms of financing. This is the case for the association Sintesi, which promotes better circulation of Italian films in Belgium.

After organising biennial events for almost 15 years, the association turned its attention to hosting bimonthly screenings in order to ensure the year-long presence of Italian films on Belgian screens, showing both classics and new releases. Today, like many other initiatives, the association has been forced to temporarily cease its activities, due to a lack of funds.

Of course, Italian films are not completely absent in Belgium; they’re shown in theatres throughout the year and at the Mediterranean and European film festivals. But despite the abundance of commercial releases, a little diversity has disappeared from Brussels screens.

(Translated from French)