The 16th edition of the Luxembourg City Film Festival (LuxFilmFest) kicks off on 5 March and will continue running until 15 March. Under the banner “Wild, Wild Rose”, this year’s programme embraces fragility, tension and the many shades of pink as both symbol and provocation. Ahead of the opening, artistic director Alexis Juncosa spoke to Cineuropa about the festival’s evolving identity, its Industry Days and Immersive Pavilion, plus his ambitions for Luxembourg as an even more vibrant cultural hub.

Cineuropa: The 2026 edition is themed “Wild, Wild Rose”, with many films exploring fragility, tension and the colour pink as a space of friction. How did this motif emerge?
Alexis Juncosa: This fortuitous profusion of works featuring this colour amused us all the more because it came several months after we had chosen pink for this year's communications. It is undeniably in the air. I see a certain duality in this colour, synonymous with softness for some, tension for others. I naturally make the connection with our programme, which this year will allow us to confront the world's problems or escape them for the duration of the festival.

Over the course of 16 years, LuxFilmFest has become a key platform for Luxembourgish and international cinema. How does this edition reinforce that role?
We are fully in line with the dynamic of so-called “panorama” festivals, with the added advantage of being centrally located and following on from the Berlinale. It's the perfect position, both geographically and in terms of the calendar. We are one of the few events tucked away between the two biggest markets of the year, Berlin and Cannes. At the same time, Luxembourg has made a name for itself in the field of co-production. The combination of these realities naturally leads us to encourage encounters. Above all, it is a great opportunity for the national ecosystem. These meetings are opportunities to design the films of tomorrow.

LUXFILMFEST FABRIC and the Industry Days boast master classes, pitching sessions and debates. How important are these exchanges for the next generation?
This year, we will once again have the opportunity to welcome numerous international festivals and distributors as part of those Industry Days. They will be joined by other European professional organisations, including EAVE, for a Mix&Match event that illustrates our desire to make this event a space for meetings and exchanges. Even FIAPF will honour us with its presence. And as you pointed out, we will have many topics to discuss together. I like the idea that LuxFilmFest is becoming one of those places where we can reflect collectively on what we do. The topics covered in the workshops are closely related to the discussions we have in the selection committee. This therefore directly benefits our work and, hopefully, that of the other participants.

The Immersive Pavilion has expanded across multiple venues, showcasing VR, AR and mixed reality. How do you see these experiences reshaping audience engagement?
We launched our first VR initiative back in 2016. This was still in the early stages of the technology's democratisation, with the launch of the first commercial version of the Oculus Rift, and the entry of giants such as HTC, Sony, HP and Samsung. Two years later, Film Fund Luxembourg became passionate about the tool and turned it into a real powerhouse within our festival. Today, the Luxembourg Pavilion is an international benchmark and hosts the most iconic works, when they are not themselves the result of national creativity. I am really curious to see what these technologies will bring to storytelling, especially as they extend beyond the original framework of headset broadcasting.

With Isabelle Huppert as guest of honour and tributes to Rodrigo Sorogoyen and Craig Quintero, the festival bridges established cinema and experimental forms. How do these tributes contribute to LuxFilmFest’s identity, and what do they offer in terms of dialogue between past, present and emerging trends?
The three personalities being honoured this year are, each in their own way, monuments, but they have the same ability to leave their mark on contemporary creation. It is important for us to salute their achievements. I think it's also quite illustrative of what this country has to offer. It's a place steeped in history, but looking to the future. In Luxembourg, you can take a single stroll through 1,000 years of history and end up at the heart of European space exploration initiatives. Ultimately, we are simply a reflection of this reality.

Looking ahead five years, what ambitions do you have for LuxFilmFest and for Luxembourg’s international presence?
The great fantasy is, of course, that our country will realise – as Spain, for example, is doing in a very spectacular way – the need to move towards a policy of welcoming and inviting cultural actors. All of the regions that have embarked on this path have benefited from a tremendous knock-on effect, which benefits everyone, in terms of the release of works, the opportunities created, and the generation of a festive spirit that can only be hugely beneficial to the image of the country and its capital.