National pride Koen De Bouw can finally take on his Mastership of the Ostend Film Festival. The Flemish actor already hosted the FFO Nights, but in January it is time for the real thing. As befits an FFO Master, De Bouw was given control over his own film route. He baptized his eclectic Master selection 'Going Mental' and wants to draw attention to the importance of mental health. From 21 January onwards, you can visit CC De Grote Post for a few of De Bouw's theatrical, poetic but above all comforting and healing cinema.

Last week, the Consultative Committee decided that cinemas, theatres and concert halls had to be closed. As a direct result, the Ostend Film Festival, which was planned from 21 to 29 January, could not take place. On Tuesday, the Council of State suspended this decision. The question quickly arose whether FFO could still take place on the planned date. However, the advancing Omicron variant is still causing too many uncertainties, so the Board of Directors of FFO has taken the well-considered decision to postpone the festival to early March.

On Friday 21 January, Koen De Bouw will not only kick off the first winter edition of the Ostend Film Festival, but also present his latest film Nowhere. Nowhere is directed and written by Peter Monsaert and stars Koen De Bouw (The Man Who Sold His Skin) and Noa Tambwe Kabati (wtFock, Welp). Sebastien Dewaele (Undercover, Eigen Kweek), Sofie Decleir (De Dag), Karlijn Sileghem (Home) and Ruth Becquart (Chaussée D'Amour) complete the cast.

The Ostend Film Festival Film (FFO) proudly announces the European premiere of Belgian director Dries Vos's latest work: 'The Couple Next Door'. The international star-studded cast, including Sam Heughan ('Outlander'), Eleanor Tomlinson ('Poldark'), Jessica De Gouw ('The Secrets She Keeps'), and Alfred Enoch ('How to Get Away with Murder'), will present the series to the audience on Sunday, January 28.

The Ostend Film Festival ends with an attendence rate of more than 28 000 visitors. During 9 days (March 4 to 12) the festival celebrated the premiers of 74 feature films and 16 short films. 10 temporary employees and 100 volunteers welcomed more than 90 (inter)national guests. The festival ended with Flemish film and television awards, The Ensors. The Film Dealer and the TV series Beau Séjour 2 and Soil were the big winners of the night.

The decision to close the cinemas forces the Ostend Film Festival (FFO) to postpone our nine-day film festival from 21 to 29 January to a later date. Despite the limited capacity, strict distancing rules, the obligation to wear a mask and improved air circulation, it was decided on Wednesday 22 December that cinemas must close until at least 28 January. But FFO is not cancelled: as soon as the cinemas reopen, FFO will be back at it again.

During the fifteenth edition of the Ostend Film Festival, the winners within each competition were announced. 'Godland,' 'Le bleu du caftan' and 'Safe Place' were the absolute winners. 'Dalva,' 'Burning Days' and 'The Woodcutter Story' received a special mention from the juries.