The Flanders International Film Festival-Ghent was established in 1974 as a students' film festival, and has since developed into one of Europe's most prominent film events. Every year in October, the festival presents some 120 features and 50 shorts from all across the world to an audience of over 100,000 spectators. The International Federation of Film Producers Associations (IFFPA/FIAPF) recognises this festival as a competitive festival primarily geared towards the 'impact of music on film'. 
With its focus on film music, the Ghent Film Festival has its own unique place in international festivals. Every year, the festival organises film music concerts, giving composers of film scores the platform they deserve. Composers such as Ennio Morricone, Gabriel Yared, Elmer Bernstein, Howard Shore, Georges Delerue, Hans Zimmer, Maurice Jarre, Craig Armstrong and Gustavo Santaolalla are some of the many film music legends who have already taken the stage at Ghent. Since 2001, the Ghent Film Festival also organises the World Soundtrack Awards, the most prestigious soundtrack awards in the world. Trade paper VARIETY placed the festival amongst the "50 must attend festivals" because of it's focus on (film)music.
 Yet there is more to the Ghent Film Festival than just soundtracks alone. Every year, numerous international guests from the world of film flock to Ghent to present their films to the general public. Over the past years, the festival has welcomed filmmakers such as Kathleen Turner, Viggo Mortensen, David Cronenberg, Mike Leigh, François Ozon, Jeanne Moreau, Gina Lollobrigida, Lord Richard Attenborough, Todd Haynes, Sir Peter Ustinov, Sidney Pollack, Jane Birkin, Luc Besson, Morgan Freeman, Faith Akin, Robert Altman, Juliette Binoche, Sandra Bullock, Bertrand Tavernier, Brad Pitt, Ken Loach and Alain Resnais.

Shorts :

This festival awards a UIP Prize for a Short Film. Registration: forms to be filled out only for films selected. The festival does not return cassettes and DVDs sent for preselection by the applicant.