Nine days of cinema, previews and meetings in the heart of Brussels
Brussels International Film Festival
The Brussels International Film Festival, better known as BRIFF, returns to the centre of Brussels for its 9th edition. For nine days, the UGC De Brouckère, Cinéma Galeries and Cinéma Palace cinemas host screenings, previews, meetings with film crews and events around the 7th art.
The festival offers three major competitions, dedicated to international and Belgian cinema and to new European voices with the Directors’ Week. In addition, there are special screenings, retrospectives, open-air screenings, concerts and various events aimed at the general public.
And the BRIFF is not only aimed at adult film lovers: the 2026 edition also includes a real Youth & Families component, with screenings adapted to young audiences, creative workshops, introductions to the camera and film criticism and activities around the film industry.
Practical information
- Dates:
- Venues: UGC De Brouckère, Cinéma Galeries and Cinéma Palace
- BRIFF Village: Place De Brouckère
- For whom: general public, teenagers and families depending on the sessions
- Screening ticket: €10.50
- BRIFF Pass: €47 currently, then €55 from September 1
- Pass 5 sessions: 40 €
- Premium Pass: €60 currently, then €70 from September 1
- Note: some special screenings, including the Opening and Closing Ceremonies, have a specific ticketing service
What to do with the children at BRIFF?
The Brussels International Film Festival is developing a programme specially designed to introduce children and teenagers to cinema in a different way than through a simple cinema screening.
Films adapted according to age, creative workshops, discovery of filmmaking techniques, film criticism or handling a camera allow young viewers to pass to the other side of the screen.
Watch a movie with the family
BRIFF 2026 is planning screenings for young audiences and families, to allow children and teenagers to discover cinema in the particular context of a festival.
Beyond the screenings, the idea is to make them experience the 7th art in a different way, between films, encounters and experiences around cinema.
As the 2026 family programme is still being unveiled, the films, schedules and recommended ages will be found in the official programme of the festival before the visit.
Participate in a directing workshop
The BRIFF also offers a directing workshop around animated cinema, accessible from 9 years old and completely free.
For two days, participants discover the different stages of making an animated short film: imagining and writing a collective story, creating the sets and characters, experimenting with stop-motion animation and then participating in the final production.
The workshop is organized in French and led by director Mohammad Babakoohi. Registration is done at the BRIFF Youth Department. The precise dates of the 2026 edition are still to be communicated.
Discover the film industry
The Youth program also allows young people to discover different facets of cinema: handling a camera, making reports, film criticism, meetings with filmmakers and creative activities.
A film casting appointment is also due to return in September 2026 at the BRIFF Village, although detailed information has not yet been released.
The BRIFF Village
During the festival, Place De Brouckère also becomes the meeting point for BRIFF.
The Village hosts a terrace with free access, concerts, meetings and various convivial moments around the cinema. You can therefore enjoy the atmosphere of the festival even without immediately attending a screening.
An opening with “Our Salvation”
The 9th edition of the BRIFF will open on Friday 4 September with Our Salvation, the new film by Emmanuel Marre, presented in a Belgian premiere after winning the Best Screenplay Award at the 2026 Cannes Film Festival.
Two sessions are planned:
- 7:30 p.m. at the UGC De Brouckère, with opening ceremony, presentation of the team and screening of the film.
- 8 p.m. at the Palace Cinema, followed by a meeting with the film team.
Frequently asked questions
The BRIFF takes place from Friday 4 to Saturday 12 September 2026 in several cinemas in the centre of Brussels.
Yes. The festival offers a Youth & Families programme, with screenings adapted according to age as well as workshops and activities allowing children and teenagers to discover filmmaking and the professions of cinema.
The main screenings take place at the UGC De Brouckère, the Cinéma Galeries and the Cinéma Palace, in the centre of Brussels.
Yes. The BRIFF announces a free filmmaking workshop from 9 years old. Other Youth activities are planned during the festival.
It is advisable to buy or book your tickets in advance. Pass holders must also collect a ticket for the selected sessions, subject to availability.
The full price of a classic screening is €10.50. Passes are also available to attend several screenings during the festival. Some special screenings have specific pricing.
News in September in Brussels
Events not to be missed throughout the month of September with the family. Some are free for all. Others require online reservation.
Immersive experiences
They sometimes use VR (virtual reality) and are very trendy with children and teenagers.
Guided tours and self-guided tours
Our selection of guided tours or self-guided tours scheduled in September and October.
Museums and monuments
At the beginning of the school year, let’s take the children and teenagers to visit a museum in Brussels.
