Festival history
A film festival is an intoxicating interlude during which professionals and enthusiasts live, eat, sleep and dream cinema. It’s an opportunity to immerse yourself in a city, meet new people and make new contacts. A spirit, an atmosphere, emotions.
Liège needed one!
2023
The FIFCL has further strengthened its professional credentials with the creation of the Espace Pro: a unique venue featuring the CineComedies Lab writing residency, the Rencontres professionnelles, the partnership with Europe Créative, the salon des formations et métiers du cinéma, the conference on disability in cinema, and the interview with Cédric Kahn about his film "Making Of".
This year's edition is also all about glamour and glitter: Nathalie Baye, Franck Dubosc, Marie-Anne Chazel, Kev Adams, Julie Ferrier, Dany Boon, Yolande Moreau, Jean-Baptiste Maunier, Emmanuelle Devos, Finnegan Oldfield, Valérie Lemercier and Éric Lavaine take to the red carpet. And Gérard Lanvin creates a stir, not to say a riot, alongside his surprise guest(s): Benoît Poelvoorde, Jean-Claude Van Damme, Olivier Marchal and Vincent Roget!
Monia Chokri's Franco-Quebec film "Simple comme Sylvain" won the Golden Bull.
2022 is also the year of a strengthened partnership with the CinéComédie Lab of Lille, sponsored by Benoît Mariage, who is completing his residency in the Cité ardente and will speak with conviction at the2nd Professional Meetings. The subject: the role of screenwriters in cinema in general, and comedy in particular.
2022
Benoît Poelvoorde, Vincent Tavier and André Bonzel celebrate the 30th anniversary of "C'est arrivé près de chez vous" at the FIFCL, during an unforgettable evening, for them as well as for the people of Liège. They also rush to meet André Dussollier, Karin Viard, Kev Adams, Christian Clavier and Patrick Bruel, who fill the rooms and charm the audience.
2022 is also the year of a strengthened partnership with the CinéComédie Lab of Lille, sponsored by Benoît Mariage, who is completing his residency in the Cité ardente and will speak with conviction at the2nd Professional Meetings. The subject: the role of screenwriters in cinema in general, and comedy in particular.
2021
The incredible Professional Meetings will be shaking up conventional wisdom as early as 2021: after too long a hiatus, the desire to share knowledge and know-how is stronger than ever. The FIFCL and the Groupement de Redéploiement Économique de Liège (GRE-Liège) have joined forces to bring together a quality panel on the financing of comedy in Belgium. Screenwriters, producers, representatives of the first Belgian French-speaking public radio and television (RTBF), of the GRE-Liège, of the Walloon pole dedicated to the film industry (Wallimage), Walloons, Flemish, French..., all of them went beyond their territorial and cultural differences to establish, on the sidelines of the FIFCL, an exciting and passionate dialogue, in a constructive, curious and benevolent approach.
2019
The first version of the Festival's TV platform will arrive in 2019, at the same time as the tiles of the now much envied Walk of Fame in the Rue Pont d'Avroy.
2018
La Comédie, a festive beer in the image of a film genre now adored in Liège, sees the light of day in 2018.
2017
Bouli Lanners, Daniel Prévost, Dominique Pinon, Éric Judor, Olivier Gourmet, Jaco Van Dormael, Renaud Rutten will be in the first edition. Thierry Lhermitte, Josiane Balasko, Élie Semoun, Gérard Jugnot, Clovis Cornillac, Alex Lutz, Émilie Bierre, Kev Adams, François Berléand, Michaël Youn, Anne Émond, Guillaume de Tonquédec, Michèle Laroque, Patrice Leconte, Gérard Darmon, Xin Wang, Jean-Marie Poiré, Valérie Bonneton and many others join them over time.
Start of a new adventure
In 2015, Cinélabel ASBL rolled up its sleeves and began a series of fruitful contacts that would lead, in 2016, to the first edition of the Liège International Comedy Film Festival: the FIFCL.
In 8 editions, the FIFCL has had 8 presidents
Carole Bouquet
Julie Ferrier
Bernard Farcy
Vincent Desagnat
Pascal Légitimus
Mylène Demongeot
Stéphane Guillon
Gérard Darmon
Éric Judor
Relive the history of the Golden Bull
2023
The international jury, chaired by Julie Ferrier, awarded the Golden Bull to ” Simple comme Sylvain ” (Canada), directed by Monia Chokri and starring Magalie Lépine Blondeau, Pierre-Yves Cardinal and Christine Beaulieu.
Gérard Lanvin (“Le Boulet” by Alain Berberian and Frédéric Forestier, “Papi Sitter” by Philippe Guillard and “Les Lyonnais” by Olivier Marchal), Nathalie Baye (“Sauve qui peut (la vie)” by Jean-Luc Godard, “Arrête-moi si tu peux” by Steven Spielberg, “Haute Couture” by Sylvie Ohayon), Dany Boon (“Bienvenue chez les Ch’tis” by Dany Boon, “Radin!” by Fred Cavayé, “Une belle course” by Christian Carion), Franck Dubosc (“Camping” by Fabien Onteniente, “Bis” by Dominique Farrugia, “Rumba la vie” by Franck Dubosc) and Marie-Anne Chazel (“Les Bronzés font du ski” by Patrice Leconte, “Le père Noël est une ordure” by Jean-Marie Poiré, as well as “Les Ombres de Lisieux” by Nicolas Guicheteau) are celebrated for their careers and awarded a Taureau d’or d’honneur.
2022
La mia ombra è tua ” (Italy) by Eugenio Cappuccio, starring Marco Giallini, Isabella Ferrari and Claudio Bigagli, won the Golden Bull under the watchful eye of Bernard Farcy, President of the International Jury.
FIFCL also celebrates the careers ofAndré Dussollier (“Tanguy” by Étienne Chatiliez, “Le crime est notre affaire” by Pascal Thomas or “Tais-toi!” by Francis Veber), Karin Viard (“Une nuit” by Alex Lutz, “Maria rêve” by Lauriane Escaffre and Yvonnick Muller, “Nouveau départ” by Philippe Lefebvre), Patrick Bruel (“Le Prénom” by Alexandre de La Patellière and Matthieu Delaporte, “Tu veux ou tu veux pas” by Tonie Marshall, “Villa Caprice” by Bernard Stora) and Christian Clavier (“Les Visiteurs” by Jean-Marie Poiré, “Astérix et Obélix : Mission Cléopâtre” by Alain Chabat or “Une heure de tranquillité” by Patrice Leconte): they received a Golden Bull of Honor, as did Gérard Jugnot (Jean-Marie Poiré’s “Le père Noël est une ordure”, Christophe Barratier’s “Faubourg 36” and Gérard Krawczyk’s “L’Auberge rouge”).
Benoît Poelvoorde (“C’est arrivé près de chez vous” by Rémy Belvaux, André Bonzel and Benoît Poelvoorde, “Podium” by Yann Moix, “Le Boulet” by Alain Berberian and Frédéric Forestier), meanwhile, receives (at last) the Best Actor award he received in 1992 from the Stiges Film Festival (Spain) for his performance in “C’est arrivé près de chez vous”. Absent from the ceremony, he was unable to receive the first award of his prestigious career. Better (30 years later) than never!
2021
” Tolo Tolo ” (Italy), directed by Checco Zalone and starring Luca Pasquale Medici, Souleymane Sylla and Manda Touré, was the undisputed winner of this 6th edition, presided over by Vincent Desagnat.
François Berléand (“Le Transporteur” by Louis Leterrier and Corey Yuen, “Les Choristes” by Christophe Barratier, “Mon idole” by Guillaume Canet) and Guillaume de Tonquédec (“Le Prénom” by Alexandre de La Patellière and Matthieu Delaporte, “Plancha” by Éric Lavaine, “SMS” by Gabriel Julien-Laferrière) each receive an honorary Golden Bull. Kev Adams (“Les Profs” by Pierre-François Martin-Laval, “Love Addict” by Frank Bellocq, “Tout là-haut” by Serge Hazanavicius) also received an honorary distinction (coup de cœur du FIFCL).
2020
This year’s Covid-19 reveals a new form of FIFCL. For one week, it becomes the festival of short comedy films, and adds a new jury member: the public! A total of 1,618 spectators cast their votes remotely, under the guidance of President Ambre Grouwels. They reward the short film ” Le syndrome d’Archibald “, by Daniel Perez.
2019
The Golden Bull is awarded to the film ” Docteur ? ” (France), by Tristan Séguéla, starring Michel Blanc, Hakim Jemili and Fadily Camara.
Mylène Demongeot (André Hunebelle’s “Fantomas”, Fabien Onteniente’s “Camping” and Michel Boisrond’s “Faibles Femmes”) chairs the International Jury, which does not prevent her from receiving an honorary distinction. Thierry Lhermitte (“Le Dîner de cons” by Francis Veber, “Ripoux contre ripoux” by Claude Zidi, “La Finale” by Robin Sykes), Clovis Cornillac (“Brice de Nice” by James Huth, “Protéger et servir” by Éric Lavaine, “Monsieur le Maire” by Karine Blanc and Michel Tavarès), Élie Semoun (La saga “Ducobu”, “Asterix at the Olympic Games” by Frédéric Forestier and Thomas Langmann and “Neuilly sa mère! “by Gabriel Julien-Laferrière) are awarded an honorary Golden Bull.
2018
The Golden Bull is awarded to ” Tel Aviv On Fire ” (Israel), directed by Sameh Zoabi, starring Kais Nashif, Lubna Azabal and Yaniv Biton.
Stéphane Guillon chairs the International Jury, while Josiane Balasko (Patrice Leconte’s “Les Bronzés” saga, Jean-Marie Poiré’s “Le père Noël est une ordure”, Éric Lavaine’s “Retour chez ma mère”) receives an honorary Golden Bull for her immense career. Director Jean-Marie Poiré (“Les Visiteurs”, “Papy fait de la résistance”, “Les Anges gardiens”, “L’Opération Corned Beef”) was also honored.
2017
” Se Dio Vuole ” (Italy), by Edoardo Falcone, with Marco Giallini, Alessandro Gassman and Laura Morante, wins the Golden Bull.
Gérard Darmon, President of the International Jury, receives an honorary Golden Bull for his entire career (“La Cité de la peur” by Alain Berberian, “Astérix et Obélix : Mission Cléopâtre” by Alain Chabat and “Le Cœur des hommes” by Marc Esposito). Pierre-François Martin-Laval (“RRRrrrr !!!” by Alain Chabat, “L’Homme parfait” by Xavier Durringer and “Les Meilleurs Amis du monde” by Julien Rambaldi) receives an honorary distinction.
2016
The very first Golden Bull in the history of FIFCL is awarded to the film ” Going To Brazil ” (France), by Patrick Mille, starring Vanessa Guide, Alison Wheeler and Philippine Stindel. Éric Judor is President of the International Jury. Daniel Prévost (“Le Dîner de cons” by Francis Veber, “La Maison du bonheur” by Dany Boon, “Les Petits Ruisseaux” by Pascal Rabaté) receives an Honorary Golden Bull for his entire career.
