LOOK!-competition 2026

In the LOOK! competition, you’ll be blown away by the visual storytelling. Powerful stories, carried by stunning imagery. These films are a must-see on the big screen. Moreover, FFO honours the work of the Director of Photography (D.O.P.) – a unique initiative in Europe!

Winner

Movie

Biography
Historical

Silent Friend

The Best Film award within the LOOK! competition goes to ‘Silent Friend’ by Hungarian director Ildikó Enyedi. The jury unanimously agreed that this exceptional film is not only visually striking, but also an emotional tour de force.

Special mention

Movie

Drama

The Garden of Earthly Delights

The jury also gave a special mention to ‘The Garden of Earthly Delights’ by Dutch director Morgan Knibbe. His debut film about inequality, poverty and queer identity in the Philippine capital Manila left them speechless.

'The Garden of Earthly Delights’ dares to look where we often turn away. The film uses aesthetics as confrontation and creates a visual experience that lingers long under the skin.

Jury

Gilles Coulier

Gilles Coulier is a director, screenwriter and producer. He directed the film 'Cargo', for which he won the Jo Röpcke Award in 2017, and series such as 'Bevergem' and the international 'War of the Worlds'. Besides being the director of 'Bevergem', he was also the producer. He did this from De Wereldvrede, the production company he founded together with Gilles De Schryver. This year, Coulier will take on the role of chairman of the LOOK! jury.

Jonas Vermeulen

Jonas Vermeulen is an actor, theatre maker and musician. He studied at the Conservatory in Antwerp and performs with renowned companies such as FC Bergman, Ontroerend Goed, Olympique Dramatique and hetpaleis. On the big screen, he appeared as Frank Verstraeten in 'Zillion', and you may also know him from roles in 'Zot!', 'Studio Tarara' and 'Red Light'.

He is currently touring with his performance 'Opus Apparatus', a hybrid between concert and theatre, which he created with Boris Van Severen. At this edition, Vermeulen not only serves as a jury member, but also joins the main cast of the second season of 'Juliet', which premieres at FFO.

Charlotte Willems

Charlotte Willems is the costume designer behind countless outfits and costumes in a wide range of Flemish productions. Her work includes 'Mr. K', which was screened at FFO last year, as well as the more recent 'This Is Not a Murder Mystery'. Willems has also made her mark beyond Belgium’s borders, designing costumes for international productions such as '55 Steps', in which she dressed Helena Bonham Carter and Hilary Swank.

Ena Sendijarević

Ena Sendijarević is a Bosnian-Dutch director and screenwriter. She graduated from the Amsterdam Film Academy in 2014. Her short film 'Import' premiered at Cannes, and her feature debut 'Take Me Somewhere Nice' received numerous awards. With her latest film 'Sweet Dreams', a satire on Dutch colonial history, she opened the Netherlands Film Festival and went on to win no fewer than six Gouden Kalveren.