Film Fest Gent

About

A very well-organised film festival focusing on the theme "Music in Films". Highly-endowed prizes facilitate sales within the Benelux states. Launched in 2001, the World Soundtrack awards celebrate the art of film music. The festival is part of the World Soundtrack Summit, an annual gathering of film composers and other professionals in film music. "Pitch Point Benelux (PITCH.BNL) is a platform for producers from Belgium and foreign production companies focusing location and shooting problems. The festival also organises DIGIFORUM & DIGIFEST, focusing on digital cinema (lectures, workshops and screenings).

The purpose of the festival is to promote the art of film making in all its shapes and to emphasise the variety and richness of the medium as an art form. The festival has an Official Selection with films in and out of competition. It also includes various side-sections outlined in articles 8 to 11 below. All films (except for the retrospective titles) will be screened in at least their Belgian première (so not shown in Belgium before). Upon proposal by the organising committee, the festival will award a special award of honour to one or more living film personality in recognition of their merits and contribution to the art of filmmaking.

Awards

• The Grand Prix for Best Film.
• The Georges Delerue Prize for Best Music or Best Application of Music or Best Sound Design

Rules

• All films (except for the retrospective titles) will be screened in at least their Belgian première (so not shown in Belgium before).
• This competition is reserved to non-musical fiction films, i.e. films that do NOT owe their existence to music.
• The non-competing Galas & Specials section, will consist of special event titles (such as opening and closing title) and a series of important new features that are expected to shortly open in Belgian/Benelux cinemas and receive their Belgian premiere at the festival.
• Selection of shorts and medium length films. The festival organizes a competition for European Shorts and one for Belgian student shorts. These shorts have a maximum running time of 30 minutes and were not shown in Flanders before (see separate regulations). Furthermore a selection of noncompeting international short and medium length films is possible. Shorts are either screened in combination with a feature or in a compilation program. Shorts have a running time of maximum 30 minutes. Medium-length films have a running time of 31 to 69 minutes.

Documents and Other Requisite Items

• Fill out the entry form;
• Film prints (DCP, 35 mm, HDCam, Blu-Ray or digital file) are to be sent to the festival under permanent import upon the festival’s written request to the following address: Film Fest Gent - Print Office Leeuwstraat 40b - B-9000 Ghent (Belgium)

The festival will not accept shipment charges of prints sent through other carriers or by mail. Unless written instructions are given by the producer or his representative (before 15 October), the prints will be returned to the sender's address no later than 31 October 2023 at the festival's charge.

Premiere Requirements

National premiere required.

Jury and Organizers

• Secretary General — Mrs. Marijke Vandebuerie
• Program Director — Mr. Wim De Witte