Obskuur Ghent Film Festival

EUROPE’S MOST OBSCURE FILM FESTIVAL
The Obskuur Ghent Film Festival is often referred to as Europe's most obscure film festival. An island oasis for art amidst a sea of commercialism. Sure, it's modest in form, as we mainly focus on screening films and less on the glitter and glamour. The festival focuses on contemporary cinema and video art and places its films where they belong – within the vibrant context of other art forms. The arena that will serve as the backdrop for the Obskuur Ghent Film Festival is the Velvet Room, a two story eclectic art space showcasing contemporary artworks by artists like Nobuyoshi Araki, Larry Clark, Ed Templeton, Per Kirkeby, Curtiz, Shepard 'Obey' Fairey and Ravi Zupa. The screenings in the small and cozy 30 seat movie theatre creates great exposure for the movies and their makers while introducing the audience to some gems they might have missed.

PROVOCATIVE
Our audience demands a challenge, perhaps even a provocation. Sometimes a bit too challenging though. During one of the last screenings of the 2021 edition a couple of people stepped out as the line-up of films was too intense. One person actually almost fainted. The festival is also open to any topic, but not everyone shares that opinion. At least that's we've concluded from a physical attack during the 2022 edition when an anonymous person or group poured paint all over the pavement.

2025 EDITION
In 2025, the festival will continue on its journey and present at least 50 films during a weeklong event. The festival showcases innovative, underground, experimental, and independent movies by aspiring local as well as international filmmakers. We're open to narrative, experimental, documentary, dance, underground and animated films and music video. Where are those new voices?

FOUNDED DURING THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC
Founded in 2020 during the Covid-19 pandemic it was originally created as an answer to the lockdown. Film screenings were not allowed, but exhibitions were. The Obskuur Ghent Film Festival took place at the Alfred Sküll Art Gallery as an exhibition of film and video art, which was allowed back then. Each season the festival screened dozens of films on both the big screen as smaller screens. With its unique multiple walk-in screenings it was able to reach the art loving Ghent audience.

FESTIVAL CURATOR
The festival's curator and director is Kris De Meester, a film director, producer, and entrepreneur known for his independent films. He started his career in 1990, taking on different roles with many of the film industry’s finest. Over the decades, he has teamed up with numerous award-winning directors. Such included big names like Lars von Trier, Terence Davies, Thomas Vinterberg, Timo Vuorensola, Wolfgang Becker, Philippe Grandrieux, and Koen Mortier

ALL SELECTED FILMS RECEIVE A $500 WORTH RETURN
Although the festival has a rather underground feel, it offers great exposure and influence in the film festival industry. All the selected films will receive a film submission fee waiver package worth at least $500. This will allow you to enter your film free of charge in a dozen of other film festivals (Brussels Independent Film Festival, Venice Film Week, Boston Short Film Festival, Super Shorts, …)

Obskuur Ghent Film Festival is
- A Cannes Film Week© qualifying film festival
- An IMDB qualifying film festival
- Named as one of the Top 50 Emerging Film Festivals worldwide by Final Cut Magazine.
- A 'Climate Neutral Film Event', powered by TreePlan.org.
- Part of Ghent Art Week

‘OFF ON’ SELECTION
Next to our physical screenings we’ll also be screening online with the special OFF ON SELECTION. The OFF ON Selection will go online one week prior to the opening of the physical part of the festival and will stay online until the last day of the festival. Viewers will be able to watch, but not download your film. If needed we can geo-block your film to our region.
We’re open to any genre (narrative, web series, made for tv, documentary, experimental …) and especially any duration (which is always an issue for the physical part of the festival). Selected filmmakers will receive all official selection perks (The Tarkovski Grant, The Producer’s Night nomination, …) and are in the running for any of the award titles. When you submit your film for consideration to both a physical section and the Off On Selection it is possible to be selected for both, but this is of course not guaranteed.
Filmmakers that submit their film only to any of the other sections (so any other than the Off On Selection) will not be selected for an online screening.

PROUD PARTNER OF THE BIGGER SCREEN
Obskuur Ghent Film Festival is supported by The Bigger Screen, an organization that aims to make film as an art form more accessible and more inclusive. A short overview of their projects:

- SUPPORTING FILM FESTIVALS: Film festivals are not only a place to share films, but they are a safe haven for film makers to connect, share, and learn. The Bigger Screens supports and engages with over 25 respected international film festivals from mainstays like the 61st Ann Arbor Film Festival and the Brussels Independent Film Festival to emerging events such as the Venice Film Week and The Producer’s Night Los Angeles. These events bring filmmakers and filmgoers together, providing that place to connect and engage in a comfortable setting, away from Hollywood glitz and glamour.

- CONNECTING CULTURES PROGRAM: Each year, The Bigger Screen selects at least ten countries and grants filmmakers from those areas the ability to submit their work free of charge to partner festivals all over the world. This opens the door of film exposure to those who may not otherwise be able to enter. As we support inclusivity and shareable films, this program exemplifies our mission. Check out https://www.connectingculturesprogram.com to see if your country is included in this year’s program and submit your work for free.

- LOCAL FILMMAKERS PROGRAM: To encourage rising talent, we lowered the festival submission fee to local talent and even made it for free when submitted before the Extreme Early Bird Deadline. This provides a great opportunity for local filmmakers to enter the international film scene. Think global, act local, right?

- INCLUSIVE AUDIENCE PROGRAM: Our screenings are always low or even free of charge to provide opportunity for interested film goers to view up and coming, challenging, and inspiring pieces of art, encouraging students, seniors, and those in underprivileged environments to share the experience of film and cinema. We welcome film goers, regardless of income and financial status.

- THE TARKOVSKI GRANT: Read more on this in the 'Awards & Prizes' section below.