FIFA Mons: a film festival with a big heart

The most eagerly awaited festival in the region will open its doors from 10 to 17 February 2017: it will be a breath of fresh air for our troubled times when barbarism is trying to get a foothold…

Although the focus of the festival is to reflect the spirit of the times and also present films which are directly linked to life as it is on the outside, dark, hard, violent, it also intends to infuse a dose of optimism and hope!

The competition

As a filmmaker who is concerned by the evolution of society and the human relations which are tied up within it, Radu Mihaileanu will be at the head of the international jury. He is a familiar face at the festival, having been one of the "Coups de Cœur" in 2013. Let us hope that his usual energy and passion will fuel the debates! The Romanian actor, screenwriter and producer has lived in France since leaving Romania in 1980, which was under the Ceausescu dictatorship at the time. He studied filmmaking before going on to work as an assistant director, notably with Marco Ferreri with whom he collaborated on the adaptation of "Plato's Dialogues" for the television film "Le Banquet" in 1989. He enjoyed rapid international success and received numerous awards, in particular at the Venice, Sundance and Cannes Film Festivals. "Le Concert" was released in 2009 and attracted almost 1.9 million viewers in France. It went on to become a worldwide success and ended up with a Golden Globe Award nomination. He returned with "The Source" in the official selection at the Cannes Film Festival in 2011. He is currently reviving the great tradition of romantic drama with his adaptation of Nicole Krauss' novel "The History of Love", a moving story which captivates with its generosity, realism and beauty, and which is undoubtedly one of the best films of the year. An artist and man who you definitely need to discover!

The festival loves its public!

For its 33rd edition, FIFA-Mons will present around one hundred short and full-length films. Besides the competing films, various themes including "A meeting of minds", "Lights from Elsewhere", "A Panorama of Italian and Belgian cinema", "International Competition and Belgian Competition", will also dazzle audiences. And don't forget that FIFA-Mons is also about the exciting activities that take place in the background, and are all linked to cinema: evening events, meetings, conferences, classes, etc., with, in the General Quarter, the 'Cinévillage' at the Congres Hotel Van Der Valk. This edition is the perfect opportunity to enjoy an unrivalled cinematic experience!

You can find all practical information at www.fifa-mons.be and keep updated with all the day-to-day news from FIFA-Mons via Facebook (type Festival International du Film d’Amour de Mons), Twitter : @FIFAMons and Instagram : https//:www.instagram.com/fifamons/