The Obskuur Ghent Film Festival 2024, Europe's premier celebration of obscure cinema, concluded its week-long extravaganza last Saturday at the intimate Velvet Room theater. With an eclectic official selection comprising over 30 films from around the world spanning various genres, this year's festival was a resounding success. The organizers extend their heartfelt gratitude to the dedicated audience, a full house every night.

Curator Kris De Meester reflected on the festival: "Obskuur has always been my personal playground—a space where I can push boundaries and dive into the most obscure and challenging cinema. This year, I went 'hardcore' during the selection process, picking films that made me wonder, ‘How on earth will I find an audience for this?’ But seeing the packed theatre, the engaged viewers, and the incredible post-screening discussions reminded me why I love doing this. The energy was electric, and it’s that inspiration that makes me eager to start curating the next edition!"

 

Obskuur Ghent Film Festival proudly presents the award winners of 2023, as determined by the jury members:

 

Best Experimental Film:  

The Lovers Of Avignon (Spain) by Manuel Fernández Ferro

 

Best Narrative Film:  

The Feast (Georgia) by Mariam Bitsadze

 

Best Documentary Film:

David Against Goliath (Canada) by David B. Ricard

 

Best Underground Film: 

Hell of Se (Japan) by Sawa Kawakami

 

Best Minimalistic Film:

Wood Dove (United States) by David Jonathan Orr

 

Best Installation Film:  

Reality Opposition (Australia) by Emma Dawn Northey

 

Best Animated Film: 

Oskar (Canada) by Max Vannienschoot

 

Best Music Video:

LKATM (Belgium) by Mauro Desmedt

 

Best Dance Film:  

We’ll go down the abyss in silence (Japan) by Vincent Guilbert

 

Best Hybrid Film:  

How to grief (Belgium) by Rosie Mondy

 

Best New Voice:  

Nico (United States) by Max Olson

 

Best Connecting Cultures Film: 

New Voices in the City (Belgium) by Ekaterina Gardener

 

Best Super Short Film

The Lovers Of Avignon (Spain) by Manuel Fernández Ferro

 

Audience Award:  

Hell of Se (Japan) by Sawa Kawakami

 

Best Belgian Film:  

Cyclepaths (Belgium) by Anton Cla

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OFFICIAL SELECTION

 

The Lovers Of Avignon (Spain) by Manuel Fernández Ferro

Nico (United States) by Max Olson

Wandering Bird (Belgium) by Victor Dupuis

LKATM (Belgium) by Mauro Desmedt

Poor Boy Long Way From Home (Belgium) by Jonas Hollevoet

A Tropical Boy (Korea) by Lee Jihyeong

Reality Opposition (Australia) by Emma Dawn Northey

I still feel as though I am me (Belgium) by Lucas De Cock

Time Traveling Through Time (Canada) by Ryan Ward

Omens (Belgium) by Maya Wuytack

How to grief (Belgium) by Rosie Mondy

New Voices in the City (Belgium) by Ekaterina Gardener

Oskar (Canada) by Max Vannienschoot

Wasteland (Belgium) by Servaes Dewispelaere

Non Person (Belgium) by Kris De Meester - Out of Competition

David Against Goliath (Canada) by David B. Ricard

Third Wheel (Switzerland) by Kevin Haefelin

We’ll go down the abyss in silence (Japan) by Vincent Guilbert

Hell of Se (Japan) by Sawa Kawakami

The source of a river, a night stream (Spain) by Javier Calvo de Cabrera

Leben (Poland) by Ania Plonka

Dva (Russia) by Alexandra Karelina

Wood Dove (United States) by David Jonathan Orr

Cyclepaths (Belgium) by Anton Cla

I'm not a robot (Netherlands) by Victoria Warmerdam

A Little Longer (Canada) by Connor Kujawinski

The Fuse (Switzerland) by Kevin Haefelin

Dog Years (United States) by Maxfield Biggs

The Feast (Georgia) by Mariam Bitsadze

The Loop (Poland) by Antoni Ferency

New Voices in the City (Belgium) by Ekaterina Gardener

The "Madman" and His Ruins (China) by Xiaolong Zhu

Kissing Ralph (United States) by Daniel Lewinstein

Six (United States) by Diana Cignoni

Sign Action Space (Austria) by Mersolis Schöne

The melody of ashes (Switzerland) by Jonathan Moratal

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