Kazakh Film 'Steppenwolf' Wins Top Prize at Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival

The 42nd Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFFF) concluded with Kazakh director Adilkhan Yerzhanov's film 'Steppenwolf' winning the Golden Raven, the festival's top prize. The neo-Western spin on Hermann Hesse's classic novel competed against eight other films in the International Competition.

'Steppenwolf' had its world premiere at the International Film Festival Rotterdam on January 31, 2024. The film also won the Prix de la Critique at the Reims Polar, the 4th Thriller Film Festival in France, on April 11.

The Silver Raven was shared by the American romantic comedy-musical horror 'Your Monster' and the German-American co-production 'Cuckoo'. In the European Competition, German director Birgit Möller's film 'Franky Five Star' took home the Silver Méliès.

Other notable winners at the BIFFF included the Spanish film 'Flies' and thriller 'Ellipsis', as well as the Japanese film 'River', which won multiple awards.

The Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival, running since 1983, showcases a diverse range of genre movies. Over its 42-year history, the festival has screened more than 4,000 films. This year's edition attracted 47,000 visitors, marking a 10% increase from the previous year, indicating a strong recovery and growing interest in the festival post-pandemic.

Festival organizers expressed satisfaction with the event's success and the quality of the films presented. "We are thrilled to see such a strong turnout and enthusiasm from the audience," said festival director Freddy Bozzo. "The Golden Raven win for 'Steppenwolf' is well-deserved, and we look forward to seeing more innovative and captivating films from around the world in future editions of the BIFFF."

Key Takeaways

• Kazakh film 'Steppenwolf' won top prize at Brussels Fantastic Film Fest.
• 'Steppenwolf' also won awards at Reims Polar and Thriller Film Fest in France.
• Silver Raven shared by American 'Your Monster' and German-American 'Cuckoo'.
• German film 'Franky Five Star' won Silver Méliès in European Competition.
• BIFFF attracted 47,000 visitors, a 10% increase from previous year.