Brussels International Film Festival

What Brussels International Film Festival does

The Brussels International Film Festival (BRIFF) is a Belgian non-profit annual film festival founded in 2018 and operated by asbl Un Soir... Un Grain, headquartered at Avenue Maurice 1, 1050 Brussels. BRIFF runs a 9-day program of film screenings across three competitions — International, National, and Directors' Week (the last co-organized with ARRF) — plus retrospectives, cartes blanches, special screenings, and open-air screenings at Mont des Arts. The 9th edition (September 4–12, 2026) represents a deliberate calendar shift from June to the back-to-school season, opening with 'Notre Salut' by Emmanuel Marre, winner of the Best Screenplay Award at Cannes 2026. The festival uses three core Brussels cinema venues (UGC De Brouckère, Cinéma Palace, Cinéma Galeries) plus Bozar for special events, and concentrates its festival village at Place de Brouckère. A core team of roughly 13–17 staff is supported by external collaborators and an outsourced PR agency (Be Culture).

The festival operates a diversified revenue model spanning five streams: individual screening tickets (10.50 EUR full price), tiered PASS subscriptions (35–70 EUR escalating by purchase date), opening/closing ceremony tickets (13 EUR), film submission fees for the International Competition (30–75 EUR by deadline, free for the National Competition), professional accreditation fees, and B2B sponsorship/partnership revenue. A parallel Industry program (Brussels CoProMarket, PiTCH, Meet & Write, What's Next) serves producers, directors, and distributors. Youth and educational programs — including the Jury Jeune (ages 18–25), film criticism workshops, and school screenings at 4.50 EUR per student — form a secondary audience pillar. Institutional backing from Region of Brussels-Capital, Ville de Bruxelles, Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, COCOF, VAF, WBI, VisitBrussels, and Loterie Nationale underpins the financial base alongside corporate sponsors such as Circles Group, PlayRight, and Eye-Lite.

Technically, BRIFF is a content/event business, not a technology platform. Operations run on a WordPress website (briff.be), the third-party ticketing system utick.io/Pierrot, partner cinema box offices for on-site sales, and standard social channels (Instagram) plus email and earned media through RTBF, Le Soir, BRUZZ, and others. There is no proprietary technology, no AI tooling, and no data product. Customer segments are four: general public cinephiles, schools, film industry professionals, and young cinephiles — with no material single-buyer concentration on the demand side, though public-sector funding is concentrated among a small number of institutional partners.

Name

Brussels International Film Festival

Legal name

asbl Un Soir... Un Grain

Website

https://briff.be

Company type

Private

Founded year

2018

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

Brussels International Film Festival (BRIFF) is a Belgian non-profit annual film festival (founded 2018) running three competitions across Brussels cinemas each September, serving general public cinephiles, schools, film industry professionals, and young audiences through ticketing, passes, and industry programs.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Film Festival & Cultural Events

NAICS

Promoters of Performing Arts, Sports, and Similar Events with Facilities (711310)

SIC

Services-Motion Picture Theaters (7830)

akta.pro primary industry

Film Festivals & Festival Organizers (MPADAKAD)

Keywords

• Film festival events
• Cinema competitions
• Industry film markets
• Event ticketing services
• Cultural film programming

Headquarters

HQ city

Brussels

HQ country

Belgium

HQ region

Europe

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Infrastructure, Others

Revenue model

1. Individual screening tickets: Single admission tickets to individual film screenings sold via the festival's online ticketing system (utick.io) and at partner cinema box offices. Revenue per ticket.
2. Festival PASS: Multi-screening pass packages (PASS, Premium PASS, 5 Screenings PASS) providing access to multiple screenings during the festival period. Sold at escalating price tiers based on purchase date.
3. Film submission fees: Filmmakers and distributors pay submission fees to enter films into one of three competitions. Fees range from 30 EUR (very early bird) to 75 EUR (extended deadline) for the International Competition. National Competition is free to enter.
4. Professional accreditations: Industry professionals pay accreditation fees to access the Industry program, which includes Brussels CoProMarket, PiTCH, Meet & Write, and other professional events.
5. Sponsorship and partnership revenue: The festival generates revenue through B2B partnership formulas, brand visibility packages, and corporate sponsorship arrangements with institutional and private partners.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels7 records

Core offering

BRIFF is an annual international film festival organized in Brussels offering curated film screenings across three competitions (International, National, Directors' Week), accompanied by red carpet ceremonies, professional industry programs (Brussels CoProMarket, PiTCH, Meet & Write, What's Next), youth education programs, and supporting public events like open-air screenings and the BRIFF Village. The festival is funded through ticket sales, PASS subscriptions, film submission fees, professional accreditation fees, and institutional/corporate sponsorship.

Product overview

The Brussels International Film Festival (BRIFF) is an annual film festival held in Brussels offering a comprehensive cinema experience through its core festival featuring three film competitions (International, National, and Directors' Week), special screenings, retrospectives, and family screenings. The festival is bundled with tiered PASS products (Regular, Premium, and 5 Screenings PASS) for access to screenings and ceremonies. Parallel to the festival, BRIFF operates an Industry division offering professional programs including Brussels CoProMarket, PiTCH, Meet & Write, and What's Next. Youth engagement is central with dedicated programs including Jury Jeune, film criticism and filmmaking workshops, and school screenings. Additional offerings include open-air screenings and the BRIFF Village gathering space.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Brussels CoProMarket: A co-production market event connecting filmmakers with co-producers, financial partners, and key industry figures.
• PiTCH
• Meet & Write
• What's Next

Products and services

• Festival Screenings & Competitions Annual film festival featuring three competitive sections (International Competition, National Competition, Directors' Week), special screenings, retrospectives, family screenings, and open-air screenings held in Brussels.
• Festival PASS (Regular, Premium, 5 Screenings) Tiered festival passes providing access to multiple screenings during the festival period, with escalating price tiers based on purchase date. Premium tiers include Opening and Closing Ceremony access.
• Brussels CoProMarket Co-production market connecting filmmakers with co-producers, financial partners, and key industry players for feature-length film projects.
• PiTCH Pitching session for feature-length film projects to industry professionals and potential collaborators.
• Meet & Write Professional writing and development workshops for screenwriters and filmmakers.
• What's Next Industry event focused on emerging trends and future developments in European cinema.
• Youth Programs (Jury Jeune, workshops) Programs for young people including Jury Jeune (young jury aged 18-25), film criticism workshops, filmmaking workshops, and casting sessions.
• School Screenings Age-appropriate film screenings and educational programs for primary and secondary school students, priced at 4.50 EUR per student.
• Open-Air Screenings Free outdoor screenings at Mont des Arts featuring classic cinema and popular films open to all.
• BRIFF Village Festival hub at Place de Brouckère featuring terrace, concerts, meetings, and a convivial atmosphere.

Quantifiable outcome

• 9 editions successfully delivered since 2018
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles4 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Partnerships

24 partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Be CulturecoreGTM or Marketing PartnerOfficial press and communication agency for the festival. Handles press contacts, media relations, and communications. Press contact: Charline Mabille (FR) and Florien Doms (NL & EN).
• Region of Brussels-CapitalcoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMajor institutional funder and supporter of the festival. Provides funding and institutional backing for the annual event.
• Ville de BruxellescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCity of Brussels is a core institutional partner providing support for the festival's operations and programming.
• Fédération Wallonie-BruxellescoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerThe Wallonia-Brussels Federation provides institutional and cultural funding support for the festival as a major regional cultural event.
• COCOF (Commission communautaire française)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench-speaking community commission of Brussels providing funding and institutional support for the festival.
• VAF (Vlaams Audiovisueel Fonds)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerFlemish Audiovisual Fund supporting the festival's Flemish/Belgian programming and film industry activities.
• Wallonia-Brussels International (WBI)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerSupports the international dimension and promotion of the festival abroad.
• VisitBrusselscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrussels tourism and promotion agency supporting the festival as a major cultural event for the city.
• CHIMAYminorOthersPrivate sponsor providing hospitality and beverage offerings at the festival.
• UGC De BrouckèrecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorMain partner cinema venue for festival screenings. Located at Place De Brouckère 38, 1000 Brussels. Also serves as primary opening ceremony venue.
• Cinéma PalacecoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner cinema venue for festival screenings. Located at Boulevard Anspach 85, 1000 Brussels.
• Cinéma GaleriescoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorPartner cinema venue for festival screenings and school screenings. Located at Galerie de la Reine 26, 1000 Brussels.
• BozarminorChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorBozar serves as a partner venue for special festival screenings and re-screenings of selected films. Co-organizes giveaways and Q&A events with the festival.
• PlayRightminorOthersBelgian collective management organization for copyright providing actor performance prizes (1,500 EUR for Best Actress, 1,500 EUR for Best Actor).
• Sabam for CultureminorOthersBelgian society of authors, composers, and publishers supporting the festival's cultural programming.
• SACD (Société des Auteurs et Compositeurs Dramatiques)minorOthersFrench-speaking Belgian association for playwrights and screenwriters supporting screenwriter events.
• ARRF (Atelier de Réalisation et de Recherche sur le Film)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerCo-organizer of the Directors' Week competition with BRIFF, providing selection committee expertise and European film industry connections.
• Screen.brusselsminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrussels audiovisual cluster supporting the festival's industry programming and film professional activities.
• hub.brussels / PLAYminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerBrussels enterprise support agency cluster for audiovisual companies supporting industry events.
• UPFF+ (Union des Producteurs de Films de la Fédération)minorOthersFilm producers association supporting professional activities and industry programming.
• NH Collection Brussels CentreminorOthersOfficial hotel partner of the festival, offering accommodation for visiting filmmakers and guests at NH Collection Brussels Centre de Brouckère.
• Le Plaza BrusselsminorOthersHotel partner offering accommodation for festival guests and industry professionals.
• TaxiVertminorOthersOfficial taxi partner offering 5 EUR discount on rides to and from the festival using code 'BRIFF'.
• UnifranceminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerFrench film export agency supporting filmmaker visits from France through embassies and cultural centers.

Scale indicators6 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Zurich Film Festival (ZFF): European fall-window international film festival with industry program and emerging filmmaker focus; overlaps with BRIFF's new September positioning and similar mid-tier festival ambitions.
• Film Fest Gent: Belgium's leading international film festival held annually in Ghent, with a strong industry program and music-film crossover; directly comparable as a Belgian international festival with similar scope and audience.
• International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR): Major European international film festival featuring international premieres, industry activities (CineMart co-production market), and emerging filmmakers; a close functional analog for BRIFF's competition-and-industry structure.
• Locarno Film Festival: Swiss-based summer international film festival renowned for auteur cinema, retrospectives, and industry events (Open Doors); a structural peer in format, scale, and audience profile.
• BFI London Film Festival: Long-established UK international film festival featuring international premieres, industry events, and broad public programming; comparable as a non-French European festival with industry and consumer audiences.
• Karlovy Vary International Film Festival: Central European international film festival with multiple competitions, industry program, and comparable scale; competes with BRIFF for mid-tier European premieres and industry attention.
• Sarajevo Film Festival: Regional European international film festival with CineLink co-production market, industry program, and emerging filmmaker focus; mirrors BRIFF's competition-plus-industry structure and scale.
• Brussels Short Film Festival (BSFF): Operated by the same parent non-profit (Un Soir... Un Grain), BSFF is the short-form counterpart to BRIFF and shares staff and audience, making it the most directly comparable peer.
• Festival International du Film Francophone de Namur (FIFF): Belgian international film festival focused on francophone cinema; comparable in size, mission, and Belgian/European positioning, with overlapping audience and filmmaker pools.

Broad incumbents

• Berlinale (Berlin International Film Festival): Top-tier global A-list festival and European Film Market anchor; an incumbent in the same space with overlapping industry programming and far greater scale and prestige.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat5 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/briff_official
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/brussels-international-film-festival-be

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles2 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Brussels International Film Festival