49th edition of Film Fest Gent to focus on Korean cinema
From 11 to 22 October, Ghent will once again be the film capital of Belgium. During its 49th edition, Film Fest Gent will bring no less than 116 feature films, 40 short films and 3 television series to Ghent's cinemas. This was announced on Thursday in the cinema Sphinx. Film Fest Gent opens with 'Close', Lukas Dhont's second feature film and Belgian Oscar entry: the screening on 11 October at Vooruit is already sold out.
The official competition has 12 films: from a Chinese film noir ('Are You Lonesome Tonight?') over an animated film based on the work of Japanese writer Haruki Murakami ('Blind Willow, Sleeping Woman') to the Ukrainian Oscar entry 'Klondike' about the MH17 disaster. Six male and six female filmmakers have a chance to win the Grand Prix for Best Film and the Georges Delerue Award for Best Soundtrack/Sound Design. As previously announced, this year's film festival turns its gaze to South Korean cinema: it does so with nine recent films, 11 genre films and a film music concert dedicated to Korean composers.
Under the name 'Veerkracht' (Resilience), the festival will be showing films that address the mental health of young people. Those who buy a film ticket can donate an amount to OverKop, an organisation dedicated to young people's mental health. The film festival not only programmes films about young people, but also aims to attract them to the cinema.
Despite rising energy prices, ticket prices will remain the same, the film festival announces. The full programme can be consulted from Thursday on the film festival's website. Visitors can also create a viewing list of their favourite films from the festival and buy tickets.
(TOM)
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© BELGA PHOTO JONAS D'HOLLANDER