The Belgian capital is home to a wealth of unique independent cinemas, all of which lay on busy and carefully curated programmes of films each month, making it hard to choose what to watch.
The Brussels Times has therefore picked out a selection of the best films and documentaries for cinephiles and curious cinema goers alike that are not to be missed this June.
Ones to watch
'Hit Man' (2024), Cinema Aventure, throughout June
Described as "scorchingly sexy" as well as "intelligent and surprising," 'Hit Man' is based on an almost incredible but true story. The film follows Gary (Glen Powell), a professor who stumbles into the role of posing undercover as a reliable hitman for the police, with the goal of arresting those trying to hire him.
His gift of the gab and ability to switch between different personalities – complete with wigs, disguises and accents – make him the perfect hitman for everyone. But he quickly finds himself in dangerous, dubious territory when he begins to develop feelings for one of his potential clients.
Find more information here.
'Orlando' (1992), various cinemas, until 27 June
Directed by Sally Potter and starring Tilda Swinton, Quentin Crisp and Billy Zane, this fantasy period drama is loosely based on the 1928 novel by Virginia Woolf. The story centres around an androgynous young nobleman named Orlando who receives a generous inheritance from Queen Elisabeth I from her deathbed, on the condition that he never grow old.
A couple of centuries later, the seemingly immortal Orlando wakes one day to find himself transformed into a woman. We follow the now Lady Orlando as she navigates challenges to her title and inheritance, bad luck in love, the wars of British history, right up to the early 1990s.
Find more information here.
'Mud' (2012), Cineflagey, until 28 June
In this slow-burning Southern drama directed by Jeff Nichols, two young boys encounter a fugitive called Mud (Matthew McConaughey) on a small island, and form a pact to help him evade those on his trail and reunite him with his true love (Reese Witherspoon).
The film follows Mud's story about love, truth and loss through the eyes of young adventurers coming of age. Nichols expertly mixes edge-of-your-seat action sequences with the actors' intimate performance – creating an epic and heartwarming yet mournful tale.
Find more information here.
Documentaries
'Orlando, ma biographie politique' (2023), Cinema Galeries, various dates
Also inspired by Virginia Woolf's novel, this experimental documentary directed by Paul B. Preciado premiered at the Berlin International Film Festival. Almost a century after its publication, Preciado speaks to Woolf to tell her that her fictional character Orlando, who transforms into a woman, has become a reality.
The transition of Orlando's body now lies at the root of all non-binary bodies and there are Orlandos all over the world. Preciado brings together 26 contemporary trans and non-binary people, aged eight to 70, to play Orlando, and reconstructs the stages of his personal transformation through authentic voices, writings, theories and images, in search of the truth.
Find more information here.
'Emperors of Nothing' (2023), Cineflagey, until Sunday 23 June
"What a contradiction…trying to reintegrate women and men while removing them from society." At a moment when Belgium's notoriously inhumane prison system is at an all-time low with overcrowding and understaffing, 'Emperors of Nothing' is an essential watch. It combines an exposé of uncomfortable truths with artful black-and-white cinematography.
How do inmates grapple with their incarceration? What difficulties lie behind bars for prisoners and prison employees alike? Cédric Gerbehaye's documentary provides an immersive insight into the most vulnerable (and most resilient) faces of humanity.
Find more information here.
'Leurs Odyssées' (2024), Cinéma Aventure, Monday 17 June
In this documentary film, Amelia, Camille, Mathilda, Jeanne and Marie embark on a thrilling 'bikepacking' adventure between Dijon and Stuttgart for the first time, and give themselves just one week to complete their journey. They ride on roads or paths, solo or in pairs.
Credit: Cinema Aventure
We watch as the girls prepare their trip over the course of several months, sharing their queries, expectations and concerns. But how will they fare in the 800 kilometres to come when they assemble on the starting line?
Find more information here.
Festivals
Brussels International Film Festival (BRIFF), various locations, 25 June to 3 July
The BRIFF is back for its seventh edition, offering film enthusiasts a wide selection of films made in Belgium, Europe and from across the globe. 'Memory' by Mexican director Michel Franco draws attention to social isolation.
It tells the story of Sylvia, a social worker, whose simple and structured life is shaken up when Saul follows her home from their secondary school reunion. Their surprise encounter will profoundly impact both of them as they open a door to the past.
Credit: Brussels International Film Festival
With 'Katika Bluu', Belgian directors Stéphane Vuillet & Stéphane Xhroüet take us to Goma, Democratic Republic of Congo, in September 2022. 16-year-old Bravó is exfiltrated from an armed group by the team of the Transit and Orientation Centre to be reintegrated into society. But the young man, who has only known war and fighting, does not submit to the rules of the centre.
The film has been written, directed and performed entirely by the former child soldiers themselves, working closely with the filmmakers.
Find more information here.
Other languages
'Goodbye Julia' (2023), Cinéma Vendôme, Monday 10 June
Directed by Mohamed Kordofani, this film tells a northern Sudanese retired singer in a tense marriage, Mona, who is wracked with guilt after covering up a murder. She tries to make amends by taking in the deceased's southern Sudanese widow, Julia, and her son, Daniel.
Unable to confess her transgressions to Julia, Mona decides to put the past behind her. But the turmoil shaking the country forces her to confront her sins. This stunning commentary is Kordofani's first feature film and the first ever Sudanese film to be presented in the 'Un Certain Regard' section of the Cannes Film Festival.
Find more information here.
With special thanks to Ellen O'Regan, Maïthé Chini, Ciara Carolan and Thimoté Bozzetto for their contributions.
