Following a triumphant 40th anniversary edition in 2025, the Love International Film Festival is returning to the Walloon town of Mons between 6 and 14 March, touting a rich and varied line-up which will shine a light on love in all its forms in film. The event will open with a screening of Yann Samuell’s new movie starring Alexandra Lamy, Compostelle, and will close with Kirk Jones’ I Swear [+lee también:
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entrevista: Kirk Jones
ficha de la película], based on the true story of John Davidson who fought to raise awareness of Tourette’s syndrome, which he lived with in the ‘90s.

The International Competition will showcase 8 films. Two Belgian feature film debuts will grace the selection: after an impressive career both as an actor and a director of short fiction films and a documentary, Jean-Benoit Ugeux is making the leap to feature films with Maturity [+lee también:
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entrevista: Jean-Benoît Ugeux
ficha de la película], which sees him playing the lead role in a bitter-sweet reflection on maturity – or immaturity – and what we pass on to others; meanwhile, a sought-after production designer in Belgian and French film, Catherine Cosme (who’s also in the running for a César thanks to The Great Arch [+lee también:
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entrevista: Stéphane Demoustier
ficha de la película]) is presenting Picking Up the Pieces, which tells the story of a sister and brother (Vimala Pons and Yoann Zimmer) who are rattled by their mother’s erratic behaviour. Other first feature films on the agenda are Ingride Santos’ Spanish-Mexican movie Beef [+lee también:
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entrevista: Asaari Bibang
ficha de la película], which tells the story of a young teenage girl of African origin in Barcelona who dreams of becoming a rapper, and Les Invertueuses, which isn’t the very first film by Burkinabe director Chloé Aïcha Boro, who previously distinguished herself in the documentary world (via Al Djanat, The Original Paradise [+lee también:
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ficha de la película]), but it is her first ever fiction feature film.

Likewise set for the festival showcase is Tunisian director Leyla Bouzid’s new title, A voix basse [+lee también:
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entrevista: Leyla Bouzid
ficha de la película], which stars Hiam Abbass and Eya Bouteraa, and which has just been presented in competition in the Berlinale, alongside the latest work by Quebec’s Philippe Falardeau (Monsieur Lazhar, My Salinger Year [+lee también:
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ficha de la película]), Mille secrets mille dangers. Having previously screened in Tribeca and Karlovy Vary, Laurent Slama’s third feature film, A Second Life [+lee también:
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ficha de la película], is also in the line-up, thrusting us alongside the film’s heroine in a Paris awash with the excitement of the Olympic Games. Last but not least, the section will showcase The Stories [+lee también:
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entrevista: Abu Bakr Shawky
ficha de la película] by Egypt’s Abu Bakr Shawky, which was discovered in competition in Tallinn’s Black Nights Festival and which charts the history of his country through the prism of a family during the second half of the 20th century. The international jury will be led by French-US actor and director Jean-Marc Barr and further composed of director Emma Benestan, actress Tiphaine Daviot, actor Enrico Roccaforte, director Nicolas Boukhrief and actress-director Marilyne Canto.

The audience will likewise get to deliver their verdict, choosing their favourite film from a selection of titles with potential mainstream appeal, namely the afore-mentioned movies Picking Up the Pieces and Maturity, alongside Pieces of a Foreign Life by Gaya Jiji, Per te by Alessandro Aronadio, Sukkwan Island [+lee también:
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ficha de la película] by Vladimir de Fontenay, Ceux qui comptent by Jean-Baptiste Leonetti, De la comédie française by Bertrand Usclat and Martin Darondeau, and Juste une illusion by Eric Toledano and Olivier Nakache.

The festival will also host a competition for Belgian short films, with 16 works grappling for victory.