The festival was born in 2016 thanks to the members of the Cinélabel association.
The aim was to celebrate cinema right in the heart of Liège (a city of 200,000 inhabitants), known for its exceptional cultural heritage, its effervescence, its gastronomy and its festive side.
Until now, Belgium has had no film festival dedicated exclusively to comedy, and there are very few in the world. So there was undeniably a place for it, and now it’s here.
Since the first edition in 2016, Éric Judor (from the duo Éric et Ramzy) has chaired the jury, and the festival has welcomed a host of guests who make comedy shine: Olivier Gourmet, Bouli Lanners, Guy Lecluyse, Daniel Prévost, PEF and Mourade Zeguendi.
This is Patrick Mille’s film, Going to Brazilwon the first Golden Bull for Best Film. A wacky comedy, using the exoticism of Brazil as its main character, but which unfortunately oscillates constantly between laughter and seriousness.
The festival has made accessibility between festival-goers and guests its DNA. After all, the biggest star in cinema is the audience: without them, cinemas wouldn’t be full and platforms wouldn’t exist. This festival exists first and foremost for the public, and it belongs to the people of Liège.
As early as 2017, the festival managed to seduce Gérard Darmon, who agreed to chair the jury for the 2ᵉ edition. An outstanding actor for all comedy fans, whose roles have managed to unite all generations, from La Cité de la peur to Astérix & Obélix Mission Cléopâtre, via Family Business, Le Cœur des hommes and À l’ancienne.
The festival is growing and already has big ambitions. That year, the Italian film
Above all, the FIFCL wants to showcase the whole spectrum of comedy, not just the big popular ones. The festival also likes to screen and promote social, black, slapstick, dramatic, animated, silent and romantic comedies.
In 2018, the festival is honoring a great comedy actress, Josiane Balasko, a key figure in the Splendid troupe, seen in such hits as Les Bronzés, Retour chez ma mère, Gazon maudit, All Inclusive and Le Père Noël est une ordure.
That year, Jonathan Cohen will present Premières vacances with Patrick Cassir and Camille Chamoux as the opening film at the Forum, and Alex Lutz will receive a special award to celebrate his luminous career.
The Israeli romantic comedy Tel Aviv On Fireby Sameh Zoabi, will win the Golden Bull for Best Film. The film stands out for its characteristic blend of surreal humor and triviality.
In 2019, the festival will honor Thierry Lhermitte, who will receive his award from the hands of his friend Gérard Jugnot, who came as a surprise to the Opéra Royal de Wallonie. An emotional moment that will live long in our memories.
The jury is chaired by Mylène Demongeot, a much-loved actress who has appeared in films such as Fantômas, Camping, Faibles femmes, Les Sorcières de Salem and Maison de retraite.
The festival is rewarded for its dynamism, receiving the Best Event of the Year 2019 award from the Union Professionnelle des Métiers de la Communication.
In 2020, the festival will broadcast films digitally and, without the cancellation due to COVID, guests such as Édouard Baer, Jackie Chan and Karin Viard had confirmed their participation.
The following year, the festival returned with a vengeance, with the aim of contributing to the economic, cultural and tourist redeployment of the city of Liège. François Berléand was honored, and the festival organized its very first professional meetings, on the theme: “It’s high time to take Comedy seriously!
As well as programming films, the FIFCL aims to create a professional space and bring together all the cinema professions in Liège, with the aim of launching the first film market exclusively dedicated to comedy films by 2030.
That year, Tolo Toloan Italian comedy written and directed by Checco Zalone, was awarded the Golden Bull for Best Film. The film tells the story of Checco, a Neapolitan comedian who, in order to escape the mafia, goes into exile in Kenya, where he has to deal with the complexities of immigration.
Valentin Conraads
Quentin Laverdure
In 2022, the FIFCL celebrates the 30th anniversary of C’est arrivé près de chez vous, in the presence of Benoît Poelvoorde, Vincent Tavier and André Bonzel, at an absolutely memorable evening. Benoît Poelvoorde receives, with great emotion, his very first prize, won in 1993 at the Sitges Festival, but never recovered until then.
It’s also the year in which FIFCL joins forces with the French festival CineComedies Lens-Liévin to develop the CineComedies Lab writing residency, whose vocation is to encourage the emergence of new talent and actively contribute to the development of the art of comedy in cinema.
The Italian film La mia ombra è tuaby Eugenio Cappuccio, was awarded the prestigious Golden Bull for Best Film. Adapted from the novel by Edoardo Nesi, it follows Emiliano, a young graduate in ancient literature, who accompanies Vittorio, a gruff and reclusive writer, on a journey across Italy to break twenty years of silence on the occasion of a fair in Milan.
By 2023, the FIFCL was booming, and gaining increasing recognition on the Belgian and international scenes. That year, the festival honored Nathalie Baye and welcomed a number of exceptional guests, including Franck Dubosc, Ludivine Reding, Dany Boon, Valérie Lemercier, Nisrin Erradi, Bouli Lanners, Benoît Poelvoorde, Clara McGregor, Gérard Lanvin, Giuseppe Maggio, Jean-Claude Van Damme and Olivier Marchal, as well as almost 300 guests from all over the world.
It’s a film by Quebecer Monia Chokri, Simple comme Sylvainwhich the jury, chaired by Julie Ferrier, awarded the Taureau d’Or for Best Film. The film explores the complexity of love and social class differences through the passionate affair between a 40-year-old intellectual, Sophia, and a building contractor, Sylvain.
Aurore Nivelle
Aurore Nivelle
Last year, for its 9ᵉ edition, the festival continues to acquire its letters of nobility and attract more and more media, with nearly 350 press articles for one edition alone. The edition also features actor Lambert Wilson, known for his roles in Matrix, Babylon A.D., A dress for Mrs. Harris Benedetta, On the Trail of the Marsupilami and Jet Set.
Christian Clavier will present the world premiere of the comedy Jamais sans mon psy, in the presence of the entire film team. Carole Bouquet will chair the international jury, a renowned actress who made her film debut in 1977 with Luis Buñuel’s That Obscure Object of Desire, before seeing her international career explode with roles in Trop belle pour toi, Rien que pour vos yeux, Rive droite, rive gauche, and many others.
It’s the Irish film Kneecap wins the Golden Bull for Best Film. This biographical film, both comic and dramatic, traces the rise of the Northern Irish hip-hop group Kneecap, who sing in both Irish and English.
To celebrate this 10ᵉ edition in style, Jean Reno will be the guest ofexception, crossing the Atlantic Ocean to join Liège and our festival. We’re extremely proud to welcome him, and there will be plenty of surprises in store…
For this anniversary edition, Muriel Robin will also receive an award to celebrate her career at the close of the festival. Numerous national and world premieres will thrill the Liège halls with exceptional guests: Patrick Timsit, André Dussollier, Gilbert Melki, Philippe Duquesne, Reda Kateb, Aloïse Sauvage, James Huth, Théa De Boeck, Anja Verderosa, Aurélien Peyre, Claudia Tagbo, Mourade Zeguendi, Édouard Montoute, Dimitri Verhulst, Sébastien Chassagne, Oussama Kheddam, Thomas Solivéres, Pauline Clément, Emmanuel Patron, Martin Jauvat, Emmanuelle Bercot, Anaïde Rozam… and many more!
Among them, a royal presence for the 4ᵉ consecutive year, as His Royal Highness Prince Laurent will have the pleasure of returning to the FIFCL!
Quentin Laverdure
In 9 years, the festival has brought together 102,847 festival-goers, as well as hundreds of professionals and journalists, and had 38 slabs inaugurated by exceptional guests.