Overview
Film Fest Gent is Belgium's largest film festival, held annually in October in Ghent. Founded in 1974, the festival attracts over 100,000 visitors and programs more than 100 films. Its distinctive focus on "The Impact of Music on Film" sets it apart from every other major European festival.
The 53rd edition will run October 7-18, 2026. The film submission deadline is July 1, 2026. Entry fees range from EUR 25 to EUR 75.
The festival's international competition features 12-15 feature films judged by an international jury for two prizes: the Grand Prix for Best Film and the Georges Delerue Award for Best Music or Sound Design. Since 2001, the festival hosts the World Soundtrack Awards, the most recognized film scoring prizes in the industry.
Submission Details
- Submission platform: MyFFG account (select "Film professional" profile)
- Entry fee (early bird, until April 30):
- Short films (max 30 minutes): EUR 25 per title
- Medium-length films (31-69 minutes): EUR 30 per title
- Full-length films (70+ minutes): EUR 55 per title
- Entry fee (from May 1):
- Short films: EUR 30 per title
- Medium-length films: EUR 40 per title
- Full-length films: EUR 75 per title
- Deadline: July 1, 2026
- Premiere requirement: Belgian premiere. Only films not previously screened in Belgium will be considered.
- Belgian student shorts: Separate deadline of September 4, 2026. No entry fee. Open to films produced at recognized Belgian film schools between September 1, 2025 and September 4, 2026.
Key Sections
Official Competition (Feature Films)
12-15 feature films selected by the festival's executive committee. An international jury awards:
- Grand Prix for Best Film
- Georges Delerue Award for Best Music or Sound Design
Recent Grand Prix winners:
- 2025: "The Voice of Hind Rajab" by Kaouther Ben Hania
- 2024: "Super Happy Forever" by Kohei Igarashi
International Short Film Competition
Short films, maximum 30 minutes. Competes for jury and audience prizes.
Belgian Student Short Competition
Final works from recognized Belgian film schools. Jury awards Best Belgian Student Short.
Non-Competitive Sections
- International shorts (no production year or length restrictions)
- Global cinema panorama
- Classics and restored films
- Annual special focus programs
Joseph Plateau Award
Introduced in 1985. Originally awarded to Belgian filmmakers. Later evolved into a lifetime achievement award for international film world figures. Recent honorees include Emily Watson and Michel Khleifi (2024).
World Soundtrack Awards
The World Soundtrack Awards (WSA) are presented annually during Film Fest Gent as the festival's closing event. Established in 2001 by the World Soundtrack Academy, the WSA recognizes excellence in film and television music.
WSA Award Categories
- Film Composer of the Year: 2025: Volker Bertelmann for "Conclave" and "The Amateur"
- Television Composer of the Year: 2025: Theodore Shapiro for "Severance" (Season 2)
- Best Original Song: 2025: "El Mal" from "Emilia Perez"
- Discovery of the Year: 2025: Daniel Blumberg for "The Brutalist"
- Public Choice Award: 2025: Laetitia Pansanel-Garric for "Hola Frida"
- WSA Game Music Award: 2025: Lorien Testard for "Clair Obscur: Expedition 33"
- Belgian Film Composer of the Year (powered by Sabam): 2025: Ruben De Gheselle
- Lifetime Achievement Award: 2025: Philip Glass and Michael Nyman
- WSA Industry Award: 2025: The Composers Diversity Collective
WSA Submission Details
- Submission platform: MyFFG account (select "professional" profile)
- Submission fee: EUR 35 (early bird, until May 15). EUR 45 after. Free for WSAcademy members.
- Deadline: June 15, 2026
- Categories requiring WSAcademy membership: Film Composer of the Year, Television Composer of the Year, Best Original Song, WSA Game Music Award
- Categories open to all: Discovery of the Year, Belgian Film Composer of the Year
WSA Composition Contest for Young Composers
Open to composers under 36. Participants write a symphonic score for a selected film or TV excerpt.
- Registration fee: EUR 75 (non-refundable)
- Registration period: March 2 to May 15, 2026
- Prize: World Soundtrack Award for Best Original Composition by a Young Composer, plus Vienna Synchron Stage Package worth EUR 7,899
- Finalists: Three selected by a professional jury. Compositions performed live by the Brussels Philharmonic conducted by Dirk Brosse at the WSA Concert on October 10, 2026.
Awards / Accreditation
Film Fest Gent holds no FIAPF accreditation and is not Oscar-qualifying. The festival's industry function is as a tastemaker and early awards-season indicator.
Official Competition prizes:
- Grand Prix for Best Film - EUR 20,000 distribution grant plus a media campaign worth EUR 30,000. Winning film receives Belgian theatrical distribution through Cineart.
- Georges Delerue Award for Best Music or Sound Design - recognizes the best application of music or sound design in a competition film.
- Special Mention - jury discretionary prize (2025: The Love That Remains by Hlynur Palmason)
Other awards:
- Joseph Plateau Honorary Award - lifetime achievement award (2025: Theresa Russell)
- Best Belgian Student Short - jury prize for Belgian film school works
- Audience Award - for short film competition
What Filmmakers Should Know
Film Fest Gent does not have an attached film market. The festival's value lies in the Grand Prix competition, the Georges Delerue Award for music-driven films, and the World Soundtrack Awards for composers.
The Georges Delerue Award makes this festival receptive to films where music or sound design is a central creative element. If your film has a distinctive score or music-driven narrative, Ghent is one of the few major festivals that will specifically recognize that aspect.
The Belgian premiere requirement is strictly enforced. Films that have screened at other Belgian festivals or in Belgian theatrical release are not eligible.
The WSA Discovery of the Year award has historically been a strong predictor of major composing careers. Past winners include Michael Giacchino, Daniel Pemberton, Nicholas Britell, and Simon Franglen.
Festival History
Film Fest Gent was founded in 1974 by Ben Ter Elst, manager of Studio Skoop, and Dirk De Meyer of the Ghent University Film Club. The first edition programmed about 20 titles including Tarkovsky's "Solaris" and Jancso's "Winter Wind."
The film music focus began in the 1980s with silent film screenings accompanied by live music. In 1987, Georges Delerue conducted a new score for "The Russian Casanova" (1927), and Ennio Morricone gave a concert in Ghent. In 1992, the festival changed its name to "Film Festival." In 2001, the festival created the World Soundtrack Academy and Awards. The festival has grown from 20 titles in 1974 to over 100 films and 100,000 visitors annually.
Past Winners
2025 (52nd edition):
- Grand Prix for Best Film: The Voice of Hind Rajab by Kaouther Ben Hania (Tunisia/France/USA). Won the Silver Lion Grand Jury Prize at Venice. Nominated for the Academy Award for Best International Feature.
- Georges Delerue Award: Barrio Triste by Stillz (Colombia/USA)
- Joseph Plateau Honorary Award: Theresa Russell
2024 (51st edition):
- Grand Prix for Best Film: Super Happy Forever by Kohei Igarashi (Japan). World premiered in the Giornate degli Autori at Venice.
- Georges Delerue Award: Grand Tour by Miguel Gomes (Portugal). Gomes previously won the Gent Grand Prix in 2012 with Tabu.
2023 (50th edition):
- Grand Prix for Best Film: Los delincuentes by Rodrigo Moreno (Argentina). Premiered in Cannes Un Certain Regard 2023, distributed by MUBI.
- Georges Delerue Award: Jerskin Fendrix for Poor Things. The film won 4 Academy Awards.
- Special Mention: Greta Lee, Yoo Teo, and John Magaro for Past Lives by Celine Song.
Notable Alumni Films and Where They Ended Up
- Kaouther Ben Hania - won the 2025 Grand Prix with The Voice of Hind Rajab. Two-time Oscar nominee, previously nominated for Four Daughters (2023) and The Man Who Sold His Skin (2021).
- Rodrigo Moreno - won the 2023 Grand Prix with Los delincuentes. Premiered at Cannes, picked up by MUBI.
- Jerskin Fendrix - won the 2023 Georges Delerue Award for his debut score on Poor Things. The film won 4 Oscars.
- Miguel Gomes - won the 2024 Georges Delerue Award with Grand Tour. Previously won the Gent Grand Prix in 2012 with Tabu.
- WSA Discovery of the Year winners - a strong predictor of composing careers. Past winners include Michael Giacchino (Oscar for Up), Daniel Pemberton, Nicholas Britell, and Simon Franglen.
Submission Tips Specific to This Festival
- The Belgian premiere requirement is strictly enforced. Films that have screened at other Belgian festivals or in Belgian theatrical release are not eligible.
- Entry fees range from EUR 25 to EUR 75 depending on film length and date. Early bird deadline is April 30.
- The Georges Delerue Award makes this festival receptive to films where music or sound design is central. Highlight this in your submission materials.
- The Official Competition selects 12-15 features. The Belgian premiere rule limits submissions to films not yet played in Belgium.
- Belgian student shorts have a separate deadline (September 4, 2026) and no entry fee.
- The World Soundtrack Awards have a separate submission process with a deadline of June 15, 2026. WSA fees are EUR 35 (early bird) or EUR 45 after.
- The WSA Composition Contest for Young Composers is open to composers under 36. Finalists get compositions performed live by the Brussels Philharmonic.
Industry Reputation Notes
Film Fest Gent does not have an attached film market. Its industry value is concentrated in the Grand Prix competition and the World Soundtrack Awards.
The Grand Prix has a strong track record of selecting films that go on to major awards. In 2023, all three recognized films (Los delincuentes, Poor Things, Past Lives) became Oscar contenders. In 2025, the Grand Prix winner was an Oscar nominee.
Compared to IFFR, Ghent's competition is not restricted by director filmography. Compared to the BFI London Film Festival, Ghent's 100-film scope is more focused.
The World Soundtrack Awards are the most recognized film scoring prizes in the industry. The WSA Discovery of the Year award has launched multiple composing careers. Over 100,000 visitors attend annually, making it Belgium's largest film festival by audience size.
Watch
See Also
Use the Festival ROI Calculator to weigh submission fees against potential audience reach. For film music and scoring resources, see Audio and Music Tools. For festival strategy guidance, see Film Festival Strategy.
