What do you have to know as a volunteer?

What can you do?

Volunteers ensure a warm welcome to the public at the various festival locations, help organise events and promote the festival. On this page, you will find more information about the different volunteer positions. Read it carefully first so that you can indicate your preferred positions when you apply.
How and when can I apply as a volunteer?

You can do so from March 2024 onwards via the registration form on this page. You will also find this in your MyFFG account. If you don't have an account yet, you need to register first. In the form, we ask for your personal information, your previous experience at FFG and your preferred positions.

Everyone is welcome to apply, regardless of your background or views. However, you must be at least 18 years old.

Is it your first time? Then you can provide a brief explanation about yourself during registration. We will then invite you for an introductory interview.

Have you already rolled up your sleeves for Film Fest Gent in the past? There is no need for an interview then, but it can always be requested!
What do we expect from you?

As a volunteer, you are our ambassador and point of contact for our general public.

We expect you to commit to a fixed number of working shifts.

Most of your shifts will be during the festival period. Depending on the position, you may also be required to work before or after the festival.
How are tasks and shifts distributed?

When registering, you can submit your preferred functions. Based on that, we will invite you to fill in a shift picker in September. In it, you can choose a number of shifts yourself and also specify your availabilities. We will distribute the remaining shifts based on availabilities.
Will my acommodation and transport be compensated?

As a volunteer, you must provide your own accommodation and transport. Any travel and accommodation expenses cannot be reimbursed by the festival. However, expenses made as part of your assignment will be compensated.
What can you expect from us?

You will experience the festival from the front row and we are incredibly grateful to you. Undoubtedly, you will feel gratified to help bring films and stories from all over the world to FFG audiences. You will also meet many different people during the festival and gain relevant work experience.

In return for your voluntary commitment, you will receive an accreditation pass that will give you access to all film screenings outside your working hours and as long as there are seats at the start of the screening. For this, we ask for a minimum commitment that can vary depending on the position. The standard minimum is 8 shifts. For some teams, we ask for a larger commitment. You also get a t-shirt on top.

You will receive a volunteer agreement (unpaid) and will be insured.
And during the rest of the year?

During the year, we also organise more activities with, by and for our volunteers. Stay tuned via the volunteer newsletter and facebook page.

Become a volunteer at Film Fest Gent 2024

Audience reception

We have all kinds of jobs available for our volunteers. Do you prefer working with lots of people around you and are not afraid to speak to the public? Then audience reception is for you! You can do ticket control or sales in the heart of the festival at the Kinepolis site, or on location at Sphinx Cinema or Studio Skoop.

Venue and Ticket Control

From the moment visitors arrive at the venue entrance or ticket control, you contribute to the smooth and pleasant experience of their festival. You check tickets or accreditation passes with scanner or visually. You ensure that visitors stand at the right venue or find their way to the right screening room. You help ensure a timely start, check whether the doors are closed and keep an eye on things. After the screening, you encourage people to vote for the audience award.

Your qualities: you are customer-friendly and love to help people out

Working hours: October - daytime or evening - combinable with other
Box Office Sales & Information desk

You will be in charge of the evening ticket sales at the box offices of one of the festival locations Kinepolis, Sphinx or Studio Skoop. With your broadest smile you welcome the public and answer all their questions about the festival and film screenings. You ensure the smooth and correct handling of ticket sales. You can also help at the information desk in Kinepolis. There you ensure a friendly and smooth welcome for guests, public and other volunteers. You are the first point of contact for information and help visitors with practical problems such as forgotten tickets and lost objects.

Before the start of the festival, you will receive (compulsory) training in reception and the Ticketmatic ticketing software.

Your qualities:

Strong digital skills: you are fluent in learning and using a new software
Good communication skills
Friendly attitude and you like helping people
You remain calm in difficult situation
You speak basic Dutch or English (min. one of level B1/B2)

Working hours: October - 1 (compulsory) training course + min. 4 shifts (approx. 4h) at the information desk (afternoon or evening) or at the box office (19 -23h)
Combinable with other positions
Press & Industry Office

In the Press & Industry Office at Kinepolis, you will work at the info and ticket desk for press and film industry professionals and film students. This is where they receive their accreditation, a pass that allows them to easily enjoy the festival. You get to know the different types of accreditations, which give different access rights to cinemas and events. In the Press & Industry Office, you ensure smooth and professional handling of the printing of the accreditation passes and tickets from the ticket software. You also help the accredited with other practical questions. For this, you will enjoy a (mandatory) training a few days before the festival (also as a returning volunteer).

You will also sell Film Fest Gent merchandise and CDs in the festival shop.

Your qualities:
Strong digital skills: you are fluent in learning and using a new software
Good communication skills
You like helping people
Professional, customer-friendly attitude and a neat appearance
You speak Dutch or English (min. one of level B1/B2)

Working hours: October - 1 (compulsory) training course + at least 4 shifts (approx. 4h) - in the morning or afternoon
Before the start of the festival, you will receive (compulsory) training in reception and the Ticketmatic ticketing software.
Combinable with other positions
Audience support schools and families

Fancy welcoming our youngest visitors to the world of film? Film Fest Gent organises several KIDSPROOF events and welcomes several classes from nursery, primary and secondary education at Kinepolis every festival morning. Lots of enthusiastic children on the floor, calls for lots of enthusiastic volunteers! As audience supervisor, you will receive the classes and guide them to the halls. You support the set-up, take-down and audience supervision of events.

Your qualities: you are good with children (and their parents) - enthusiastic - you like to roll up your sleeves

Working hours: October - in the morning and the morning for school performances - events on Wednesday afternoon and Sunday
Combinable with other positions

Flying team

You will be part of a team of Flying Volunteers supporting the FFG team in preparation for and during the festival. In weeks prior to the festival, you may contribute to different areas such as festival promotion and production. Some of the tasks: moving festival services, testing delivered material, organising the office, distributing campaign material,... For this, you work together with various festival teams and are managed by the volunteer coordinator.

Would you like to help make people enthusiastic about visiting the festival? Then we can also really use your help at the annual culture market and the Student Kick Off in Ghent.

During the festival, you will be involved in various areas, especially in the set-up, take-down and audience supervision of events for schools, professionals or the general public. The base for this is in Kinepolis Ghent.

In addition, you are sometimes on standby to help out when volunteers drop out or in areas where there is a sudden unexpected rush (bar, box office, etc.). For this, you are also prepared to follow some training courses prior to the festival.

Your qualities: you like to literally roll up your sleeves - real team player - you are not afraid of drudgery and piling up work - you like to go on the road

Working hours: September and October We are counting on your commitment in September and October. You can help us regularly before and during the festival. We can talk about your possibilities togheter. Keep in mind at least 1 day or 7h/week in September and then half-time in October (until 20/10).

Not combinable with other positions

At the Film Fest Café

Film Fest Café on the festival site will be the beating heart of Film Fest Gent.

Every year we are looking for a team of motivated bartenders to serve visitors and guests. Do you already have experience in catering or behind the bar at larger events? Do you enjoy tapping a nicely poured beer or composing a delicious cappuccino? Is this your way of contributing to a nice festival experience? Then you're the bar volunteer we're looking for!

Together with the entire Film Fest Café team of volunteers and bar managers, you will be responsible for smooth, quality and hospitable service: you will take orders, ensure correct preparation of drinks and settlement of orders, and maintain the orderliness and cleanliness of the bar and café.

Working hours: October - during the day or in the evening - 8 shifts minimum (+- 35 h)

Not combinable with other positions