5e Internationaal Filmgebeuren Gent 1978

The 5th edition of the International Film Festival of Ghent takes place from 27 January until 3 February 1978. The festival organisation has recovered from the difficult year of 1976, has the support of the city of Ghent and the Ministry of Dutch Culture, and states in the foreword to the programme guide that "the Skoop is doing well at the moment and that the audience is more diverse than ever". This edition therefore translates into a more diverse version than before: three festivals take place during the festival week, each with its own film genre. First of all, there is the category 'Grand Festival', consisting of a selection of remarkable and important films which have never before been shown in Ghent or even in Belgium, and most of which will never be shown again. Secondly, there is the 'Festival of Great Classics': a highly personal selection by programme director Ben Ter Elst consisting of classics that are known by name but usually seen by very few in reality. Finally, there is the Festival of Marginal, Infamous and Erotic Films. Ben Ter Elst says: "It would be odd not the present the films that address these topics, especially at a film festival." The opening film of this edition is Piedra Libre by Leopoldo Torre Nilsson, the festival closes with The Shootist by Don Siegel.