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The 40th Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFFF) is celebrating its 40th anniversary in the Belgian city from August 29-September 10, 2022.

The Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFFF) is one of the biggest International Fantastic Film Festivals of the world. It is accredited by the Méliès International Festivals Federation (MIFF) as a qualifying festival for the Méliès d’Or (Golden Méliès) awards.

The 2022 Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival has selected 82 short films in 5 program sections: The Belgian competition; the European competition; Eat My Shorts; They’re the Future (films by students destined for a bright genre-future); and Re-animated. The short film program features 6 world premieres, movies shortlisted for the Oscars and a truly global selection that shows tremendous diversity of genres and sensibilities.

“The Belgian Wave”, a program section with a Belgian focus, is a highlight to blow the candles on the 40th anniversary of the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFFF). The lineup includes acclaimed movies, including “Megalomaniac” by Karim Ouelhaj – which just won the Grand prize at Fantasia, “Ritual” by Hans Herbots, “Employee Of The Month” by Véronique Jadin, “Moloss” by Abel Ernest Tembo and Abdelkrim Qissi and “Freaks Out” by Gabriele Mainetti.

The 40th edition of the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival opens with “Vesper”, distributed by The Searchers, directed by Kristina Buozyte and Bruno Samper, who already won the Seventh Orbit Award (BIFFF’s White Raven Competition) in 2013 with “Vanishing Waves”.

The “Fantastic But True” documentary section of the BIFF features “The Found Footage Phenomenon”, “American Badass”, an incredible portrait of legendary actor Michael Madsen, “Once Upon A Time In Uganda”, which follows the amazing journey of Isaac Nabwana, founder of Wakaliwood and member of last year’s international jury, as well as “Alien On Stage” and “De Dick Maas Methode”, both big hits at the online BIFFF 2021.

The 2022 Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival, or the 40th BIFFF, presents 3 thematic masterclasses on the program this year: “Witches: Back in the Picture!”, “Apocalypse My Dear 2: Don’t Look Up” and “Censor Culture”.

• In the “Witches: Back in the Picture!” masterclass, the relationship between representations of “Witch” in cinema (and their evolution through time) and the real historical figure will be reviewed. This masterclass is a journey to the heart of witchcraft, from the historical persecutions of witches to the modern feminist figure, all the while focusing on her many appearances in movies and series.
• Moderated by Cedric Chevalier and Eric Van Poelvoorde, the “Apocalypse My Dear 2: Don’t Look Up” masterclass will raise questions such as “Can our economic system really be durable and sustainable?”
• In the “Censor Culture” masterclass, primary questions about Censorship, including “What about censorship today?”, “What is the impact of television funding, of new identity claims, of social networks?” and “Is there a contemporary form of self-censorship prior to creation?” will be answered by Jake West, Srdjan Spasojevic, Xavier Gens and Kamal Messaoudi.

Two other highly awaited master classes will also be part of the BIFFF’s 40th anniversary:

• Barry Sonnenfeld on Thursday 8 September at 8.30pm, which will be followed on Saturday 10 with the screening of “The Addams Family” in his presence.
• John McTiernan’s masterclass on 1 September at 8.30pm, which will be followed by the exceptional screening of “Predator” on Friday 2 in his presence.

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Scroll down to see the competitions lineup for the 2022 Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival, or the 40th BIFFF.

Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival 2022 competitions lineup

Emerging Raven competition

• “Follow Her” (USA), Sylvia Caminer
• “Kappei” (Japan), Takashi Hirano
• “Midnight” (South-Korea), Oh-seung Kwon
• “Le Visiteur Du Futur” (France), François Descraques
• “Saloum” (Senegal/France), Jean-Luc Herbulot
• “L’employee Du Mois” (Belgium), Véronique Jadin
• “Zalava” (Iran), Arsalan Amiri)
• “Deadstream” (USA), Joseph & Vanessa Winter
• “You Lie You Die” (Spain), Héctor Claramunt
• “Mad Heidi” (Switzerland), Johannes Hartmann & Sandro Klopfstein

Critics Award

• “Redemption Of A Rogue” (Ireland), Philip Doherty
• “Swallowed” (USA), Carter Smith)
• “The Last Client” (Denmark), Anders Rønnow Klarlund
• “Limbo” (Hong Kong/China), Soi Cheang
• “La Pieta” (Argentina/Spain), Eduardo Casanova
• “Piggy” (Spain/France), Carlota Perda
• “Huesera” (Mexico/Peru), Michelle Garza Cervera
• “Summer Scars” (France), Simon Rieth
• “Follow Her” (USA), Sylvia Caminer
• “Saloum” (Senegal/France), Jean-Luc Herbulot

White Raven competition (former 7th Orbit competition)

• “Ajagajantharam” (India), Tinu Pappachan
• “Life Of Mariko In Kabuchiko” (Japan), Eiji Uchida & Shinzo Katayama
• “INU-OH” (Japan), Masaaki Yuasa
• “Swallowed” (USA), Carter Smith
• “River” (Belgium), Laurenzo Vergeynst
• “Redemption Of A Rogue” (Ireland), Philip Doherty
• “The Black Square” (Germany), Peter Meister
• “Dual” (USA/Finland), Riley Stearns

Black Raven competition (former Thriller competition)

• “The Black Minutes” (Mexico), Mario Muñoz Espinosa
• “The Replacement” (Spain/Belgium), Óscar Aibar
• “BLAST” (France), Vanya Peirani-Vignes
• “Nightride” (UK/France/USA), Stephen Fingleton
• “The Last Client” (Denmark), Anders Rønnow Klarlund
• “Tomb Of The River” (South Korea), Young-bin Yoon
• “Special Delivery” (South Korea), Dae-min Park
• “Limbo” (Hong Kong/China), Soi Cheang
• “Diabolik” (Italy), Marco & Antonio Manetti

European Competition (Méliès qualifying)

• “Hinterland” (Austria/Luxembourg), Stefan Rutowitzky
• “Megalomaniac” (Belgium), Karim Ouelhaj
• “Rubikon” (Austria), Magdalena Lauritsch
• “The Five Devils” (France), Léa Mysius
• “La Pieta” (Argentina/Spain), Eduardo Casanova
• “Piggy” (Spain/France), Carlota Perda
• “Moloch” (Netherlands), Nico van den Brink
• “Cop Secret” (Iceland), Hannes Þór Halldórsson

International Competition

• “Huesera” (Mexico/Peru), Michelle Garza Cervera
• “Tiny Cinema” (USA), Tyler Cornack
• “Summer Scars” (France), Simon Rieth
• “Virus 32” (Argentina/Uruguay), Gustavo Hernandez
• “Vesper” (Lithuania/France/Belgium), Kristina Buožytė & Bruno Samper
• “American Carnage” (USA), Diego Hallivis
• “The Witch Part 2: The Other One” (South Korea), Hoon-Jung Park
• “Studio 666” (USA), BJ McDonnell

The Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFFF) is accredited by the Méliès International Festivals Federation (MIFF) as a qualifying festival for the Méliès d’Or (Golden Méliès).

The winner of the Belgian Short Film Competition receives the Grand Prize and will participate to the European Competition and the winner of the European Short Film Competition receives the Méliès d’argent (Silver Méliès) and will participate to the European Competition for the Méliès d’Or (Golden Méliès).

The International program section of the festival is non-competitive but an audience award is rewarded.

The 40th Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFFF) takes pleace in the Belgian city of Brussels from August 29-September 10, 2022.

For more information, please visit the BIFFF official website.

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