BRIFF 2026: Brussels Turns Into a friendly Cinema City

From 4 to 12 September 2026, the Brussels International Film Festival (BRIFF) returns for nine days of films, talks and encounters across three central cinemas. Avant‑premières, Belgian and international works, three competitions, retrospectives, masterclasses, outdoor screenings: the city will be buzzing with cinema. Thought for both casual viewers and hardcore cinephiles, this 9th edition mixes heritage and new voices, with plenty of entry points for queer and allied audiences to see themselves on screen and in the crowd.

A Festival Rooted in the City

BRIFF is designed as a festival for everyone: people who just love a good film after work, and those who live and breathe cinema. For this edition, the festival spreads across three partner venues: UGC De Brouckère, Cinéma Galeries and Cinéma Palace, creating a triangle of screens in the very heart of Brussels.

Beyond the cinema halls, the festival also spills into public space. The BRIFF Village on Place De Brouckère becomes the social hub with a free terrace, concerts, meetings and casual hangouts. Two open‑air screenings at Mont des Arts add sunset‑friendly sessions where you can watch classics and crowd‑pleasers under the sky, surrounded by the city.

Three Competitions, Many Worlds

At the centre of BRIFF, three competitions highlight the vitality of contemporary cinema. The International Competition gathers films shown in Belgian avant‑première, directed by filmmakers from across the world. Among the announced titles:

• Notre Salut by Emmanuel Marre, which won the Screenplay Prize at the latest Cannes and opens the festival on 4 September.
• Rose by Markus Schleinzer, carried by the magnetic presence of Sandra Hüller, who received the Silver Bear for Best Performance at the last Berlinale.
• Chronicles from the Siege by Abdallah Alkhatib, awarded the GWFF Best First Feature Award at the Berlinale.

The National Competition centres Belgian cinema, in all its diversity and creative energy. Through a selection of key works of the year, it underlines how national production keeps evolving, and helps shine a light on the talents shaping Belgium’s cinematic landscape – a space where queer, feminist and minority narratives have been growing in recent years.

With Directors’ Week, BRIFF also focuses on emerging European filmmakers. This competition gives visibility to new voices whose writing, vision and boldness already sketch the cinema of tomorrow. Early announced titles include Iván & Hadoum by Ian de la Rosa and Home Stories by Eva Trobisch. A Young Jury, aged 18 to 25, awards its own prize within this section, ensuring that younger generations actively shape the conversation.

Focuses and Thematic Sections

Outside the competitions, several sections offer different angles on the world and its stories. Once Upon a Time invites audiences to rediscover film heritage through a selection of works directed by women who have marked cinema history – an essential counterbalance to often male‑centred canons.

Green Planet opens dialogue around environmental issues and contemporary transformations, through screenings, debates and encounters with experts. In a time of climate anxiety, it connects cinematic storytelling with real‑world ecological stakes.

Echoing the Irish presidency of the Council of the European Union, BRIFF also devotes a focus on Irish cinema. The programme includes films such as The Quiet Girl by Colm Bairéad and Young Plato by Neasa Ní Chianáin and Declan McGrath, highlighting an engaged cinema proud of its roots, folklore and landscapes, and attentive to social questions.

Youth & Families: Cinema for All Ages

BRIFF is also built for younger audiences. Its Youth & Families strand offers adapted screenings, creative workshops, casting sessions, introductions to film criticism and activities centred on image. The aim is to let kids and teens discover cinema from multiple perspectives: as viewers, makers, thinkers and players.

For queer and questioning young people in Brussels, this kind of programming can be a gentle way to encounter diverse stories and see themselves reflected – or at least find space to feel curious and safe around film.

A Living Festival Space

The festival is not limited to the dark of the screening rooms. The BRIFF Village on Place De Brouckère acts as the beating heart of the event, with a free‑access terrace, concerts, talks and friendly gatherings. It’s the ideal spot to debrief after a film, meet friends, or simply soak up the festival atmosphere without a ticket.

Meanwhile, the two open‑air screenings at Mont des Arts offer free access to classics and popular films at sunset. It’s a way for the festival to reach people who might not usually go to cinemas, and to reclaim public space for collective viewing – something that resonates strongly with communities used to occupying streets and squares for Pride, protests or outdoor events.

Practical Info

• Festival: Brussels International Film Festival (BRIFF)
• Dates: 4 to 12 September 2026
• Main venues:
  • UGC De Brouckère – Place De Brouckère 38, 1000 Brussels
  • Cinéma Palace – Boulevard Anspach 85, 1000 Brussels
  • Cinéma Galeries – Galerie de la Reine 26, 1000 Brussels
• BRIFF Village: Place De Brouckère, 1000 Brussels
• Programme & info: www.briff.be
• Tickets: https://briff.be/tickets/ – info & booking, plus phone support (+32 2 248 08 72).

The full programme will be revealed soon, but one thing is already clear: whether you’re into bold debuts, political cinema, queer‑coded performances or just good films with friends, BRIFF 2026 is shaping up as one of those moments when Brussels feels like a true cinema city.

KET Magazine is a community‑driven, non‑profit magazine run by volunteers and based in Brussels. You can find our other music and nightlife stories on ket.brussels, and you can always write to us to share your projects or pitch a story: info@ket.brussels