There’s something quietly magical about Brussels, the capital of Europe, in late November. The grey skies and winding streets take on a new glow when the cinema becomes more than just a screen; it becomes a meeting point for cultures, stories and voices from the Mediterranean, the cradle of European civilisation and its encounters with other cultures throughout history.
For the 25th edition of Cinemamed, which runs from 27 November to 5 December 2025, the meeting point is at the heart of the festival. Venues include Cinéma Palace, Cinéma Aventure, and other partner sites in Brussels and Wallonia.
Imagine walking in on a crisp evening to find the lobby filled with hushed anticipation and languages mingling in the foyer. You might buy a ticket or wander past the “Marché Med” tables offering food, drinks and music before settling into a darkened auditorium. On screen, you will see stories from Lebanon, Turkey, Tunisia and Croatia, and hear voices that feel unfamiliar yet deeply human. This is the promise of Cinemamed.
At its core, Cinemamed has always aimed to showcase films from the Mediterranean region, a place of rich and layered cultures where histories collide, migrations occur and identities shift. According to the festival’s submission rules, eligible films must be produced in 2024 or 2025, originate from a Mediterranean country, or be directed by someone from that region and deal with a subject specific to Mediterranean countries.
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However, it’s not just about geography: the festival also emphasises story, voice and connection. Whether fiction or documentary, short or long, the films seek to reflect the region’s ever-changing reality, including its youth, traditions, tensions and hopes.
What can you expect this year? The festival is organised into several categories, each offering a different perspective:
Official Competition: This is the flagship section, featuring films that are both cinematically strong and thematically meaningful.
The RêVolution Competition: This section is dedicated to the voices of young people in the Mediterranean, showcasing films that explore the challenges, dreams, and sense of urgency experienced by younger generations.
Panorama: A broader look at Mediterranean cinema, including voices or stories that might not fit into the competition, yet are still important.
MeDoc: Non-competitive documentaries with strong Mediterranean themes that are no less essential.
Coup de Cœur du Court: Short films (under 35 minutes) in French or with French subtitles representing emerging voices.
To this, add conversation panels, filmmaker Q&As, music and the Marché Med (a food and cultural market), where you can linger and meet other attendees and filmmakers.
This anniversary edition will feature almost 80 films, showcasing the finest productions from across the Mediterranean, alongside numerous premieres and guests.
The central theme of this 25th edition, “Living Memory”, highlights memory as an ever-evolving, living space in which the past, present and future are constantly in dialogue. Through works that re-examine history and rekindle memories, Cinemamed invites us to reconsider the present with clarity, emotion and commitment, while envisioning and preparing for our shared future.
This reflection will be embodied by several films, beginning with the opening film, The Ram Child by Marta Bergman. Loosely based on the Mawda case, it tells the poignant story of migration. Jasna Krajinovic’s Rashid, the Child of Sinjar portrays a young Yazidi boy who survived ISIS, while Carla Simón’s Romería evokes post-Franco Spanish society through the quest of a young girl searching for her biological parents. Cherien Dabis’s All That’s Left of You illustrates the repercussions of the Nakba on three generations of the same Palestinian family. Finally, Those Who Watch by Karima Saïdi follows families of different faiths in Brussels’ multi-faith cemetery, exploring the connection between the living and the dead.
Cinemamed 2024 closing ceremony, on 6 December 2024. | Photo: ©Jules Toulet
To celebrate its rich legacy of more than 1,200 films across 24 editions, Cinemamed is presenting a retrospective in collaboration with Cinematek. This will feature a selection of favourites that have left their mark on the festival’s history, juries and audiences. This nod to the past will allow us to rediscover some of the most exquisite films that the festival has presented, and will help to nourish the future.
This exceptional edition will feature sixteen previews, offering numerous opportunities to discover the artists and meet them. These include Ma Frère, directed by Lise Akoka and Romane Guéret, which celebrates the cultural diversity of young people in the Parisian suburbs; and La Grazia, the highly anticipated new film by Paolo Sorrentino.
These films explore several recurring themes: migration and borders, identity and belonging, young people navigating challenging situations, and cultural hybridity. For many viewers, they provide an entry point to stories that they might not otherwise encounter
This means that the festival is not only continuing, but also reaffirming its mission to shine a spotlight on Mediterranean cinema in Brussels, build bridges between cultures and invite audiences to experience stories that transcend borders. For audience members, this means more than just watching a film: it means experiencing a micro-festival culture of small cinemas, intimate Q&As, fresh voices and a sense of community. You’re not just a spectator; you’re part of a dialogue.
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