23e Internationaal Filmfestival van Vlaanderen-Gent 1996

This year, the festival focuses on British cinema. Great Britain has been at the forefront of European film history since the dawn of film. In addition to premieres of new British shorts and features, the retrospective 'The Memory of Film' also includes British cinema. British actor Glenn Berry personally introduces his new film Beautiful Thing, while director John Irvin does the same for his film A Month by the Lake.

As always, the festival offers a platform to home-grown filmmakers. Young Flemish filmmakers get a chance to show their work to foreign professionals here. The festival also often plays an intermediary role for selections of Belgian and Flemish short films at foreign festivals. Starting this year, a substantial prize is reserved for the best home-grown short films, giving new talented filmmakers a leg up for their next film.

Some true film legends attend the festival. Legendary Swedish actor Max Von Sydow attends the premiere of Hamsun and Arthur Penn, whose film Bonnie and Clyde was a turning point in American film history, presents his latest film Inside. The festival closes with a special screening of The Hunchback of Notre Dame at St Peter's Abbey in the presence of voice actor Tom Hulce.