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In 1980, the team builds the festival for the first time under the structure of a non-profit organisation. Another first is an official competition, with thirteen features. In the section 'Groot Festival', the audience gets to enjoy films by directors such as Ken Loach, King Hu, R.W. Fassbinder and Carlos Saura.

For the first time, the 8th International Film Event no longer takes place in January but in autumn: from 13 to 22 November 1981. The opening film is Coup de Torchon by the legendary French filmmaker and über-cinephile Bertrand Tavernier, who was one of the first big international guests to come to Ghent for this.

More than ever, the programme presents a wide variety of film genres and production countries. Just as the year before, the team gives a platform to short films, experimental works, youth films and music films. Woody Allen's A Midsummer Night's Sex Comedy opens the festival.

The tenth edition carries the name 'Internationaal Filmgebeuren van Vlaanderen-Gent'. Due to the collaboration with the Festival van Vlaanderen, there's an extra competition (with jury) with the theme 'War and Peace'. Famous film talent is present in Ghent for the festival, including Peter Greenaway and Michel Piccoli.

The 11th Internationaal Filmgebeuren van Vlaanderen-Gent opens with - of course - Michael Radford's 1984. Both the filmmaker and leading actors John Hurt and Suzanna Hamilton join the opening in person. As always, the programma is very diverse, with films made in forty different countries.

The 12th Internationaal Filmgebeuren Vlaanderen-Gent is the first edition with a competition devoted to the 'impact of music on film'. 1985 also marks the handing out of the first Joseph Plateau Award, during the Night of the Film, where Jane Birkin and prime minister Wilfried Martens steal the show.

None other than the star from Hitchcock's Psycho, Anthony Perkins, is one of the eminent guests of the 13th Internationaal Filmgebeuren. He presents the third Psycho film. This edition honours George Roy Hill (a hommage with three films) and Raoul Servais (a hommage). The latter is also the president of the international jury.

In 1987, Ennio Morricone gives a concert in a fully packed Kuipke during the festival. The same year, Georges Delerue composes and performs a new live score to the Russian 1927 film Casanova. The Internationaal Filmgebeuren welcomes Hollywood actor Andy Garcia for the opening film, Brain De Palma's The Untouchables. Also the legendary director Mel Brooks comes to the festival. He presents his newest film Spaceballs.

The 15th-anniversary edition of the Internationaal Filmgebeuren van Vlaanderen-Gent is dedicated to the 'Year of European Film & Television. The opening film is screened in the presence of European parliament member Simone Veil. In the film programme there's a special section with films that have meant a great deal to the festival in the past years. One of the highlights in the 1988 edition is the concert 'A Night of Great Movie Music', with performances by Jean 'Toots' Thielemans, Maurice Jarre, Georges Delerue, Frédéric Devreese and more!

A film music concert becomes a tradition from the late 80s onwards. During the 16th Internationaal Filmgebeuren, the concert Film Music in Europe is one of the major events. The BRT-Philharmonic Orchestra performs with Mikis Theodorakis conducting. In the film programme there is a special focus on Japan. Opening film is Brian De Palma's Casualties of War, while Het Sacrament by Hugo Claus closes the festival.