Belgian Student Shorts Competition at the 47th edition of Film Fest Ghent
The raison d'être of the competition is to highlight the importance of short films and to encourage young filmmakers. Previous winners Anthony Nti (Boi, 2016; Da Yie, 2019), Kato De Boeck (Provence, 2018), Lukas Dhont (L'infini, 2014) and Adil El Arbi & Bilall Fallah (Broeders, 2011), among others, started their career as filmmakers at Film Fest Ghent.
Film Fest Ghent short film programmer Michiel Philippaerts: "Last year our international jury closed the short film weekend rather delighted after watching the Belgian Student Competition: 'If this is the future of Belgian cinema, then it's a bright one.' With the seven distinctive graduation projects that we selected this year, I am convinced that we can continue in this direction."
This year's submission deadline was postponed to accommodate Belgian film schools and students who could not complete their graduation projects in time due to the corona virus.
Selected Belgian Student Shorts Film Fest Ghent 2020
The jury for the short film competition consists of director and musician Baloji, director Eliza Petkova from Germany and Dorian Jespers, who received an honourable mention in the student short film competition with Sun Dog in Ghent last year and won a Tiger Award in Rotterdam. They will be awarding one of the following films:
1. Eden - Sven Spur - KASK (17’)
2. O - Petronella Van Der Hallen - RITCS (30’)
3. Les rois de la jungle - Victoria Jadot - IAD (17’)
4. Stemmen in bloei - Anke Merckx - KASK (24’)
5. Tussen de bijen en de tarbot - Linnea Lidegran Correia - KASK (6’)
6. Versailles - Hyun Lories - RITCS (19’)
7. Would You Please? - Ada Güvenir - KASK (5’)
Sven Spur kicks off with his piercing quest Eden, which he skillfully assembled to the rhythm of a series of anonymous hookups - in bright shades of red and blue.
In Versailles, Hyun Lories searches for the many faces of our capital and finds them in Sanaa (wonderfully performed by Blu Samu), a young woman trapped between different worlds.
Moreover, Victoria Jadot is also paying tribute to Brussels with Les rois de la jungle. Just like last year with Désirée, this filmmaker knows better than anyone how to capture the chaotic and tender group dynamics of young people.
O by Petronella Van Der Hallen brings dance, music and film together in the prison of Beveren. The result is a delicate film that manages to translate unspeakable feelings that come with imprisonment onto the screen in an ambitious way.
Anke Merckx went to the house of Villa Voortman for her documentary Stemmen in bloei. She captured the inner turmoil of vulnerable visitors in the soothing tones of small impromptu music performances and random ambient soundscapes.
There are two animated films with a sense of poetry on the program this year. Linnea Lidegran Correia unleashes an enchanting stream of dream images on the viewer with Tussen de bijen en de tarbot. You can't help the feeling of being amazed by the shapes, colors and textures that this film evokes.
At last, the comic book-like Would You Please? by Ada Güvenir seduces with its simplicity. With only three colors (blue, yellow, red), the director manages to present a cute and sweet story about loss.
Practical
With the three previously announced programs for the International Short Film Competition - each including a Flemish short film (Howling, Laura Van Haecke; Mosaic, Imge Özbilge & Sine Özbilge; Mia, Christina Vandekerckhove), the program of all short film competitions at Film Fest Ghent 2020 is now complete. Check out the screening dates of this short film programme here.
These film prizes are also made possible thanks to our partners Amplo and ACE Image Factory.