The European Film Festival returns for its 41st edition!
The European Film Festival, an unmissable annual event for cinema lovers, launches its 41st edition in Lille, from March 28 to April 2, 2025.
Bringing together short films from all over Europe, the Festival reveals young talents and promotes the freedom and creativity inherent to the short format. Each year, the competing films, selected by a professional jury, often go on to be nominated for the most prestigious cinematographic awards, such as the Oscars and the César.
A rich and diverse program
Over these six days, a multitude of events will be offered to the public: screenings during the day, thematic evenings mixing short films and activities in unusual locations, as well as conferences and the finals of the Screenplay Competition.
The four partner cinemas, UGC Ciné Cité, Le Majestic, Le Métropole, and L’Univers, will host the screenings, while Place Richebé will be transformed into a lively village offering activities for everyone. The screenings will be an opportunity to discover the selection of the European Film Festival: 52 unique works from all over Europe (21 countries represented), selected from the 2,320 short films received, competing for the Official Competition or the Other Perspectives Competition.
An unforgettable edition
The Festival will launch its 41st edition with a spectacular opening ceremony on Friday, March 28, 2025, at 8 p.m., at Le Métropole. This grand opening will follow the captivating theme “The Odyssey of the 7th Art”.
The event will be an opportunity to enjoy a unique cine-concert performed by the University Orchestra of the Lille Conservatory.
This year, a special screening will be dedicated to On the Line, the latest feature film by Romuald Boulanger, juror of the 41st edition. He is no stranger to the Festival: in 2019, he impressed audiences with Talk, the critically acclaimed short film, from which On the Line is adapted.
This edition of the European Film Festival will conclude on Wednesday, April 2 at 8 p.m. with the closing ceremony. This final evening will be an opportunity to discover the big winners of the Official Competition, the Other Perspectives Competition, and the Screenplay Competition.
Exceptional guests, honored at the César, Oscars, and the Cannes Festival.
For this 41st edition, we are honored to welcome Patrick Chesnais as Guest of Honor. Patrick Chesnais entered the Paris Conservatory at 18, where he won the first comedy prize.
Winner of a César for La Lectrice in 1989, he has starred in numerous remarkable works such as Je ne suis pas là pour être aimé (2005) and won a Molière in 2009 for Cochons d’Inde. A major actor of his generation, he has played in more than 90 films and 60 theater plays. In 2025, he will be featured in Submergées and La Tournée. His remarkable career, punctuated with cinematic successes, makes him an essential figure in cinema.
This year, the jury, which will judge the different short films and present the awards, is composed of prominent film personalities.
Olivier Rabourdin, an actor renowned for almost 40 years, has worked with great directors such as Luc Besson, Xavier Beauvois, and Paul Verhoeven. Nominated for a César for Of Gods and Men, he has also starred in leading roles, including in Eastern Boys and more recently in L’Été dernier, presented at Cannes in 2023.
Mathilde Bisson, a rising actress in French theater and cinema, trained at the National Superior Conservatory of Dramatic Art before shining on stage and screen. Nominated for the Molières for Fleur de cactus and for the César as a Revelation for Au plus près du soleil, she collaborates with major names in French cinema.
Romuald Boulanger, an artist and French producer, has made his mark in radio, television, and cinema, creating programs for M6, TF1, and Disney+, and directing Connectés and On the Line with Mel Gibson, number 1 on Netflix US. A winner of more than 70 festival awards, he continues his rise with the opening of CINE-LINES in 2025.
Lastly, our media juror, Cloé Tralci, is a journalist, programmer, and translator, collaborating with Brefcinema and selecting the Young Creation competition of FIPADOC. A specialist in short films and young creation, she translates audiovisual and literary works and participates in several press juries, including the Poitiers Film Festival and IDFA Amsterdam.
Attractive prices for all
To make culture accessible to all, the Festival offers affordable prices, as well as discounted rates for minors, students, seniors, and job seekers. The culture pass is also valid.
Screenings, thematic evenings, and the opening and closing ceremonies are €7 (€5.5 at a reduced rate). The Pass’Cinéphile, including all competitive screenings and ceremonies, costs €28 (€24 at a reduced rate), and the Pass’Festival, which includes the Pass’Cinéphile plus the three thematic evenings, is €40 (€30 at a reduced rate). This year, a Student Pass for €10, including one screening and the Night of Fear (special horror screening), is also available. Finally, the Guest of Honor conference, the Jury round table, and the finals of the two categories of the Screenplay Competition are free! Even more attractive rates are available with an UGC Unlimited subscription.
Don't miss this exceptional cinematographic event!
Join us to celebrate creativity, innovation, and passion for cinema at the 41st edition of the European Film Festival of Lille.
Book your tickets from March 15 on our website (https://eurofilmfest-lille.com) or visit our village at Place Richebé from March 28 to April 2 to get your tickets.
