Films 8

Birta

Catastrophe

Fly

Birta

8+

Bragi Thór Hinriksson, Iceland, Dutch subtitles, 85’, 2021 contact / director → Bragi Thór Hinriksson

PREMIERE COMPETITION

Christmas, such a wonderful time! But not for Birta… She overhears her mother worrying about their finances. Will they be able to afford Christmas this year? Birta comes up with all kinds of adventurous ways to help her mother out, but that's not so easy when you’re eleven years old.

Catastrophe

8+

Jamille Van Wijngaarden, The Netherlands, no dialogue, 2’, 2017 contact / sales → Square Eyes

ONLY ONLINE BEST OF

When a bird suddenly drops dead in its cage, the blame surely falls on the cat. The cat tries to make things right again, but it goes from bad to worse…

Fly Vliegen Vuela

8+

Carlos Gómez-Mira, Spain, no dialogue, 15’, 2020 contact / sales → Selected Films

ONLY ONLINE

A young bird is abandoned by his flock. The little chick is afraid because he still has a lot to learn. But then someone special crosses his path and they help each other out. Because life is a game of trial and… flying!

Fox for Edgar Vos voor Edgar Fuchs für Edgar

8+

Pauline Kortmann, Germany, no dialogue, 8’, 2021 contact / director → Pauline Kortmann

PREMIERE COMPETITION ALSO ONLINE

Edgar is not getting a lot of attention and affection from his parents. They are far too busy with their computers and smartphones. Luckily, he meets a fox in the woods. His parents are in for a wake-up call.

Frankenweenie

8+

Tim Burton, United States, Dutch subtitles, 87’, 2012 contact / distributor Belgium → Bevrijdingsfilms

THEME ‘SCIENCE’

Victor is inconsolable when his dog Sparky dies. But he manages to bring back his dog by carrying out a daring science experiment during a stormy night. What once was a cute dog now looks like a little monster that creeps people out. A heartwarming story about a faithful friendship that overcomes all obstacles. Bring tissues!

Fundamentals of art

8+

Kunstbeginselen Základy umění

David Payne, Czech Republic, Dutch subtitles, 6’, 2020 contact / sales → FAMU

PREMIERE COMPETITION ALSO ONLINE

An art teacher dictates exactly what the students have to draw, but a creative girl decides to do her own thing anyway.

Howling

8+

Laura Van Haecke, Belgium, Dutch spoken, 19’, 2020 contact / sales → Serendipity Films

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Bo and her half-sister Rani move to the countryside. Rani's dad picks her up every weekend, but Bo's father never shows up. She often sits alone and learns how to take care of herself. Bo becomes very independent, but sometimes the gnawing feeling of loneliness takes over.

Fox for Edgar

Frankenweenie

Fundamentals of art

Howling

Inside

Marona's fantastic tale

Matilda and the spare head

Inside Binnen

8+

Yann Chapotel, France, no dialogue, 6’, 2020 contact / director → Yann Chapotel

ONLY ONLINE

The coronavirus made all of us experts in staying at home. This film celebrates both our small daily differences and our big similarities.

Marona's fantastic tale

8+

Marona L’extraordinaire voyage de Marona

Anca Damian, France, Romania and Belgium, Dutch spoken, 92’, 2019 contact / distributor Belgium → JEF contact / sales → Charades “Everyone has the right to love and to have delicious bones”. That's what Marona thinks, an adorable street dog with a heart-shaped nose. In her final moments, she reflects on her life. From the cute puppy she once was, to all the people she loved unconditionally: an acrobat, a construction worker and a little girl who promised to always be there for her. A film with a strong emotional impact on children and adults. The swirling animation is dreamy, full of bright sparkling colours, but at times as dark as a nightmare. Marona's beautiful, graphic universe comes from the Belgian illustrator Brecht Evens, and is of dazzling beauty.

Matilda and the spare head 8+ Matilda en het reservehoofd Matilda ir atsarginė galva

Ignas Meilūnas, Lithuania, Dutch subtitles, 13’, 2020 contact / sales → Miyu

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Matilda is able to learn a lot in a short time. Mother likes it; maybe Matilda will become the smartest person in the world! When Matilda's head is full, mother buys a second head, so she can learn even more. But for Matilda those two heads are quite confusing. This funny stopmotion animation film criticizes performance pressure in education.

Nelly Rapp–monster agent 8+ Nelly Rapp–monsteragent

Amanda Adolfsson, Sweden, Dutch subtitles, 93’, 2020 contact / distributor Belgium → In the Air contact / sales → REinvent Studios

PREMIERE COMPETITION

Nelly spends her autumn break with her uncle Hannibal, who leads anything but an ordinary life. He is a monster agent and it his job to make sure all monsters stay where they belong. But why is there a vampire in the basement? Nelly loves everything scary and spooky and can’t wait to help him with his unusual job.

Poupelle of Chimney Town 8+ Poupelle uit schoorsteenstad

Yusuke Hirota, Japan, Dutch subtitles, 100’, 2020 contact / producer → Kiyuki Inc.

PREMIERE

In a town covered by the smoke of thousands of chimneys, the people haven’t seen the sky in centuries. No moon, no sun, and no stars. Because of this, they no longer believe that stars exist, except for Lubicchi. Together with Poupelle, a friendly monster made of garbage, Lubicchi tries to prove the inhabitants of his city wrong.

Sea view Zeezicht

8+

Dafni Stylianidis, Belgium, Dutch spoken, 4’, 2021 contact / director → Dafni Stylianidis

ONLY ONLINE

Giving a presentation in class can be quite scary. Also for Nina. Yet we should always believe in ourselves: if we don't try, we can’t learn from it. Fortunately, our imagination can help us.

Nelly Rapp – monster agent

Poupelle of Chimney Town

Sea view

The school of magical animals

Sneak preview

Toto le héros

Troublemaker Tommy

The school of magical animals 8+ De school van magische dieren Die Schule der magischen Tiere

Gregor Schnitzler, Germany and Austria, Dutch subtitles, 93’, 2021 contact / sales → Global Screen Ida becomes a real star at her new school, full of magic and talking animals. For fans of fantasy and the colourful universe of Harry Potter.

Sneak preview

Surprise surprise! 8+

Toto le héros

8+

Jaco Van Dormael, Belgium, Germany and France, Dutch subtitles, 91’, 1991 contact / sales → mk2 Films One of the most beautiful films ever made in Belgium turns 30 this year. To celebrate, we screen its new 4K restored version. Thomas is convinced that he was switched at birth with his neighbour, Alfred. He blames Alfred, who is rich and successful, for everything that ever went wrong in his life: his sadness, his sister's death, his helpless love life… In his old age, Thomas decides to find Alfred and claim the life he stole from him.

Troublemaker Tommy Tommy de herrieschopper Vigurivänt Volli

8+

Rao Heidmets, Estonia, Dutch subtitles, 15’, 2021 contact / sales → Nuku Film

ONLINE THEME ‘SCIENCE’ ONLY ONLINE

Tommy loves making a mess. Luckily his sister is a talented problem solver. Until they get lost in the forest of an unemployed bear, and everyone has to work together to bring brother and sister back to safety.

The young and prodigious T.S. Spivet De jonge en wonderbaarlijke T.S. Spivet

8+

Jean-Pierre Jeunet, France and Canada, Dutch subtitles, 105’, 2013 contact / distributor Belgium → Bevrijdingsfilms

THEME ‘SCIENCE’

Ten-year-old T.S. Spivet lives in rural Montana with his eccentric family. As an inventor and scientist, he sends articles to various institutions. One day, the Smithsonian Institute invites T.S. to receive a prestigious award in Washington DC. That's the start of an exceptional road trip, culminating in emotional breakthroughs with his family, who is working through a trauma. Based on Reif Larsen's celebrated novel The selected works of T.S. Spivet.

You’re beautiful to me Voor mij ben jij mooi Bei mir bist du schön

8+

Bouwine Pool, The Netherlands, no dialogue, 12’, 2017 contact / sales → Kaboom festival

ONLY ONLINE BEST OF

Grandma is looking forward to her granddaughter's visit. She remembers how sweet she used to be as a baby. Grandma is still living in the past, she prefers to listen to music on her old radio. When her granddaughter comes in, it turns out she has changed a lot! She prefers to play with her gameboy, and wants to go home. Can the bond between them be rebuilt?

The young and prodigious T.S. Spivet

You’re beautiful to me