The 7th Aaaargh Retro Film Festival stands out for its unique atmosphere and captivating programming style. The event celebrates retro and cult genre cinema, providing cinephiles with an immersive experience into the world of classic films, hidden gems, and beloved cult favorites.
The festival takes place at Quai 22. This cultural center, located at the heart of the University of Namur, is perfectly situated just a few steps from the city center, easily accessible with ample parking. It boasts a beautiful screening room as well as a bar and exhibition space. The bar, designed in a lounge style, provides visitors with the opportunity not only to refresh themselves but also to meet others, engage in discussions, and network.
As dedicated fans of genre films, our selection at ARFF is strictly genre-based. We do not accept any other type of short films than the ones that fit into the “genre category” (sci-fi, horror, fantasy…)
Meet our Special GUESTS this year:
Christopher Smith
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Christopher Smith, born in 1970 in Bristol, is a British director known for his talent in the genres of thriller, horror, and black comedy. His journey, starting with short films, has led him to become a versatile director with a distinctive style characterized by dark atmospheres and captivating plots. Among his notable films are Creep, Severance, Triangle, and Black Death. Smith's ability to create stressful situations and manipulate audience expectations has earned him critical acclaim, making him a major figure in British horror cinema.
Harry Kümel
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After honing his skills with short films, Harry Kümel gained experience in television and documentary filmmaking. This apprenticeship provided him with the knowledge and confidence necessary for directing feature films that could be described as "formalist," although he would likely be quite irritated by that term. Elusive and allergic to any intellectualization of his works, we owe him, in addition to the sublime "The Red Lips," the classic "Malpertuis" (1971), an adaptation of Jean Ray's novel featuring Orson Welles and Michel Bouquet, as well as "Repelsteeltje" (1973), a retelling of the Rumpelstiltskin tale starring Rutger Hauer, which he described as a "simple exercise for film school students," according to his own words.
Jérôme Vandewattyne
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Born in 1989, Jérôme spent his childhood and adolescence (and his post-adolescence, actually) devouring as many films as possible. Already, during his schooling at the Institut de la Providence in Wavre, he clandestinely made numerous gory short films in the empty corridors of the Catholic school with his faithful classmates. After completing his secondary education, he founded the music group VHS From Space and then pursued studies in communication at ISFSC, with a thesis project: "She's a Slut," a fake horror trailer for the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFFF). In 2012, BIFFF gave him carte blanche to direct a short film, the stroboscopic "Slutterball." Television doors then opened for him, allowing him to direct two full seasons for the teen web series "What The Fake ?! RTBF," alongside Be tv for which he edited a large number of cinema trailers. At 25, he hopped into the van of the Experimental Tropic Blues Band to follow them on tour for over two years. This experience gave birth to his first feature film: "Spit'n'Split."
Best International Short Award
Best European Short Award
Best Belgian Short Award
Audience Award - determined by audience votes for the best short film from all categories
The winners from each category will receive an Indie-Clips Original Interview: directors will be invited online to discuss the behind-the-scenes of their short film, and share their story to a large audience. This special interview will be published and promoted on indie-clips.com. (https://indie-clips.com/original-interviews).
