Razor Reel, a company in motion

RAZOR REEL

A COMPANY IN MOTION

After 15 years - 14 Festivals and 1 year of preparation - we thought the time was right to take a look at our past.

Normally, you do that with expert analyses, a list of figures and an extensive discussion of who achieved it all. Here at Razor Reel, we choose to look at what we did rather than who did it. That is the purpose of this brochure. Such an overview is never complete, too much detail obscures the view of the whole, and yes, we could make another one, just as thick with everything that was ever in the works but could not be completed. And no doubt we could make a third, much thicker, with all the ideas we ever had. But in the end, what has been achieved is what counts.

Some projects were more successful than others, no doubt about that, but they were there. We cannot deny that we are a little proud of all those projects that have been realized. Nevertheless, it has not become our own song of praise, but rather an overview, as complete as possible, of the many large and small components that make up the NPO.

An NPO that has grown into a small company, which is constantly in motion and whose engine is powered solely by passion. Passion is the fuel that has kept this engine going for fifteen years now and we hope that there is still enough to keep it going for many more.

Fifteen years is also a good number to really come out with what we are. Not only because we have a rich record of projects, but also because we feel the need to introduce ourselves to anyone who does not yet know Razor Reel.

It’s never complete, we’re bound to have forgotten something, but it’s a good starting point for anyone who wants to know what Razor Reel is all about.

And there’s one thing everyone will agree on: we’re not the victim of our ambition, but the product of our passion.

NPO RAZOR REEL

Sint-Arnolduslaan 47 B-8200 Sint-Michiels BE 0881.647.153 e-mail: info@razorreel.be www.rrfff.be www.facebook.com/rrfff www.instagram.com/razorreel

RAZOR REEL FLANDERS FILM FESTIVAL

Since 2008, RAZOR REEL has organized the RAZOR REEL Flanders Film Festival on an annual basis.

As a Flemish genre film festival, the NPO RAZOR REEL wants to make the genre film known to the general public by means of a broad, fantastic lineup, stimulate the genre film culture and the knowledge of the genre film by means of focus programs, contribute to the promotion of the genre film, offer a stage to debuting talent and promote social cohesion.

The objective of the RAZOR REEL Flanders Film Festival is to stimulate and awaken the imagination of the audience. As a festival we show both current feature films and short films.

For RAZOR REEL it is not only important to show film premieres, but above all to give a curated overview of the current state of affairs of the genre film. Every year, the lineup focuses on current genre film themes, film countries that stand out because of their genre film offerings, innovative genre film directors, etc. In addition, we do not forget the history of the genre film and we pay attention to this as well.

Every edition RAZOR REEL puts some special accents in the program. In 2021, with Trash Mahal, we focused on genre films from South Asia. Films from the Nepalese and Indian film scene were put in the spotlight. Also

in 2021, an emphasis was placed on the wonderful world of Phil Tippett, who changed the film landscape with his superior stop-motion technique.

By means of focus programming (a lecture, documentary, Q&A session with Phil Tippet, current and retro programming), the audience was able to be captivated by Phil Tippett’s world. A topical subject that was in the spotlight in 2021 was the fact that it had been 60 years since Gagarin’s space journey, the first manned space flight. On the occasion of this anniversary, a focus program was put together around space and science fiction films.

Besides a sophisticated film lineup, the RAZOR REEL Flanders Film Festival is also the place to be to award people and films. As a member of the MIFF we organize the Méliès d’Argent competition every year, with this we put European short film talent in the spotlight. Our Young Blood competition focuses on debutant genre film talent. The Audience Award gives the choice to the audience and puts the public’s favorite in the spotlight. Internationally, we are scoring high with our winners. In 2021, the Razor Reel Méliès d’ Argent Last Dance won the Méliès d’Or Award for best European short film in Sitges. We also noticed that our previous Young Blood winners are now building successful careers in the international genre film landscape.

FILM FESTIVAL

RAZOR REEL FLANDERS

No film festival without guests. Since its conception in 2008, the festival has welcomed several international film guests including Ben Wheatley, Martin Kemp and Robin Hardy. In 2021, a corona proof solution was sought to welcome Phil Tippett as a major international guest by means of a live Q&A session.

What is certain is that the RAZOR REEL Flanders Film Festival has for years been firmly established in the international film landscape and is growing within Flanders on an annual basis. With over 30 feature film screenings and 40 short film screenings, RAZOR REEL offers an extensive genre film lineup every year.

In 2022 the RAZOR REEL Flanders Film Festival celebrates its 15th anniversary.

CAST DUYSTER & CATALOGUS © STIPPY PICTURES

VOLUNTEERS

A film festival is more than just a bunch of films on the big screen.

It is also a close group of friends, acquaintances, visitors and obviously volunteers.

A large group that rotates a bit every year, but in which there is a fixed recurring core. People who don’t mind making their hands dirty time and time. Whether it is for the setup of all equipment, hall monitor, bartender or reception, to help with the projection or to build a cinema room.

They are an indispensable link in our organization and their role is just as important as any other.

VOLUNTEERS RRFFF 2021 © FREDERICK DEBEDTS

ROBIN BROOS © STIPPY PICTURES

MELIES D’ARGENT

The RAZOR REEL Flanders Film Festival has been a member of the Méliès International Festivals Federation (MIFF) for 10 years, a close-knit network of 26 fantastic film festivals from 19 countries, with a worldwide audience of over 800,000, making it a vital economic and cultural player in the fantastic film world.

The mission of MIFF is to promote European fantastic film productions throughout Europe and the world. The Federation fulfils this mission through its network of festivals in Europe, its supporting members in Asia, North America and South America, and its Méliès Awards for outstanding European genre film. The festivals are important platforms for genre films in their respective regions. They all work closely together within the Federation network but embody diversity and individual artistic identity through their different program choices, including selections for the Méliès competition.

RAZOR REEL, as a member of the MIFF, organizes the annual Méliès d’Argent competition for best European fantastic short film.

This competition is a recognition of quality and creativity and generates unique visibility for film and its directors. The winners are showcased by all festivals of the Federation, including its supporting members, thus encouraging their distribution throughout the world. In addition, every winner of a Méliès d’Argent will take part in the competition to win the Méliès d’Or Award. The Méliès d’Or Award stands for quality, creativity and imagination.

RAZOR REEL

FILM FESTIVAL

RAZOR REEL WINNER MELIES D’OR 2021

YOUNG BLOOD

The RAZOR REEL Flanders Film Festival has been supporting debutant film talent since its first year.

With the YOUNG BLOOD competition, the RAZOR REEL Flanders Film Festival has been offering a platform to debut filmmakers (first or second film) since 2012, thus placing these talented newcomers in the spotlight.

The YOUNG BLOOD AWARD rewards the best international debutant genre filmmaker and is a recognition of quality and creativity.

Over the years, many YOUNG BLOOD winners have built a successful career within the fantastic film industry.

AUDIENCE AWARD

No film festival without an audience! With our AUDIENCE AWARD or audience award, we leave the choice to the audience. Every year, the audience chooses an AUDIENCE AWARD. That this does not necessarily have to be a film was proven by Robin Broos in 2021, as he won the AUDIENCE AWARD with his lecture A Sci-Fi Soundtrack.

AND

THE WINNERS ARE... 2021 LECTURE: “A SCI-FI SOUNDTRACK” (Robin Broos) 2020 NO AUDIENCE AWARD (Covid-19) 2019 J’AI PERDU MON CORPS (Jérémy Clapin) 2018 DEADTECTIVES (Tony West) 2017 BAD GENIUS (Baz Poonpiriya) 2016 THE TENANTS DOWNSTAIRS (Adam Tsuei) 2015 DEATHGASM (Jason Lei Howden) 2014 DEAD SNOW 2 (Tommy Wirkola) 2013 THE DEAD 2: INDIA (Howard J. Ford & Jonathan Ford ) 2012 COCKNEYS VS. ZOMBIES (Matthias Hoene)

“A SCI-FI SOUNDTRACK” (Robin Broos) AUDIENCE AWARD RAZOR REEL 2021 © STIPPY PICTURES

FANTASTIC GUESTS

When you say film festival, you also say FILM GUESTS.

Directors, actors, producers, but also people who play a sometimes less visible role behind the scenes paid us a visit.

No big Hollywood names at our festival but all of them have had something to add to the films we screen.

Especially young filmmakers were present but also some big names from the European and American film world. Robin Hardy, Ruggero Deodato, Paco Plaza, Jane March, Martin Kemp, Xavier Gens, Jake West, Amanda Fuller, Richard Stanley, Simon Boswell, Martin Kemp, Ben Wheatley, Howard J. Ford, Aaron Keshales, Navot Papushado, Simon Rumley, Adam Tsuei...

XAVIER GENS - 2011

© GUY WINNE

JANE MARCH & MARTIN KEMP - 2011

© STIPPY PICTURES

SIMON RUMLEY, LUCY CLEMENTS & JAKE WEST - 2012

© STIPPY PICTURES

PACO PLAZA - 2009

SIMON BOSWELL & RICHARD STANLEY- 2013 © STIPPY PICTURES

AARON KESHALES & NAVOT PAPUSHADO - 2013

BEN WHEATLEY - 2011

© GUY WINNE

ROBIN HARDY - 2011

© GUY WINNE

PHIL TIPPETT - 2021

© STIPPY PICTURES

HOWARD J. FORD - 2013 © STIPPY PICTURES

FILM FESTIVAL

RAZOR REEL FLANDERS

FILM DIVERSITY

A genre festival like ours is often confronted with stereotypes, yet like a world film festival, we are not so different in what we offer, except that we are open to horror, sci-fi, thrillers and fantasy.

Like these other festivals, we are always looking for special, unprecedented, new films. They do not have to be premieres, but they do have to be quality films. Moreover, it is an added value if the film does not come from the US or the UK.

In recent years, we have always very consciously searched for films from other, sometimes less well-known, film countries with great success. Within the European continent, we ended up in Switzerland, Russia, Iceland, Poland, Macedonia, Croatia, Georgia or Slovenia.

It is clear that we often draw on the European map in the broadest sense of the word, but we also found films from far beyond.

We also showed films from Thailand, Japan, India, South Korea, Hong Kong, Australia, New Zealand, Chile, Turkey, Nepal, Israel, the Philippines, South Africa, China, ...

And we haven’t even mentioned the many short films from all over the world that we have shown in the past 15 years.

Diversity at its best!

NUMBER 37 - Zuid-Afrika

BIG BAD WOLVES - Israël

PODCASTS

For several years now, the RAZOR REEL Flanders Film Festival has been recording LIVE PODCASTS related to film and interacting with our audience. Over the years, we have welcomed the PODCASTS Gremlins Strike Back, Moovies, Kuleshov, De Filmbelgen and Klokslag 12.

In terms of ARTWORK and COMMUNICATION, the film festival has evolved considerably over the years into its own house style with the Bruges swan as the symbol of the RAZOR REEL film festival.

For the design of the campaign image, RAZOR REEL worked together with graphic designers, students and cartoonists.

Since 2019, RAZOR REEL has found a house designer in cartoonist

Wouter Van Ghyseghem

RAZOR REEL FLANDERS FILM FESTIVAL

RAZOR REEL INTERNATIONAL

As a member of the Méliès International Festivals Federation (MIFF), RAZOR REEL has built up a strong international reputation over the years.

Internationally, our programming is invariably picked up by the international press (Screen Anarchy, DreadCentral, FilmFestivals.com, etc.).

We also maintain a good relationship with international sales agents, distributors and genre professionals. As a film festival we work strongly on our international presence by being present on various film markets and film festivals.

Our entire program team is present at the Cannes Marché Du Film every year. The European Film Market (Berlin), Hong Kong Film Market (Filmart), Filmbazaar (India), Sitges Fantastic Film Festival (Sitges), FilmFestival Venice, Maskoon Fantastic Film Festival (Beirut), Grossmann Fantastic Film Festival (Slovenia), Splat Film Fest (Poland), Fancine (Malaga), BUT Film Festival (Netherlands), BIFFF (Brussels)... were visited by one or more members of the organization as programmer or as jury member.

Through our presence on international markets and fairs, we put RAZOR REEL in the spotlight, and, thanks to good prospecting, we are able to put together a strong lineup.

SITGES FANTASTIC FILM FESTIVAL

IFFI INDIA

SPLAT FILM FEST POLEN CANNES FILM FESTIVAL

FILMFESTIVAL VAN VENETIË BERLINALE

FILMART HONG KONG FANCINE MALAGA

FAYARD POP UP CINEMA

FAYARD pop up cinema is a culturally growing project which involves the programming of free open-air films, indoor film screenings and short film screenings on the site of Les Fayards Castle (Pelderijnstraat 54, 8310 Sint-Kruis) during the summer months.

All of this, outdoor in the garden of Castle Les Fayards as well as indoor in a cozy pop-up cinema that was built by the NPO RAZOR REEL.

Since 2019, the NPO RAZOR REEL has been taking care of the general coordination and programming of FAYARD pop up cinema and over 40 outdoor films and 60 indoor film screenings have been programmed there. In addition, a stage was offered several times to beginning short film makers and film students to present their projects.

With its lineup, the NPO RAZOR REEL wants to make film and historical film culture accessible to a broad and diverse audience under the motto: “film culture for everyone”. The focus lies on the programming of unique, distinctive and controversial film screenings from the broad film history.

There is also room for short film screenings and film-related projects.

With FAYARD pop up cinema, we look beyond the genre film. The selection of films is done in consultation with a professional selection committee. We also offer the possibility to external partners to strengthen the programming with a different perspective. We always make sure that the selection is multifaceted, distinctive and varied, and that it brings

a unique offering within various film genres.

Promoting film culture but also connecting people and bringing about social cohesion and community building are key objectives of FAYARD pop up cinema.

Linked to FAYARD pop up cinema, a cozy summer bar is also organized during the summer months, which is a vibrant meeting place for culture lovers as well as local residents, tourists and interested parties. The summer bar is equipped with a sun terrace, hammock area and a petanque court and is also open to external events.

FAYARD CINEMA

PROGRAM

In FAYARD pop up cinema, NPO RAZOR REEL offers something for everyone!

We show an extensive lineup ranging from genre films, musicals, mainstream films to classics.

With the programming we try to reach a broad target group from all age groups.

In the indoor cinema there is room for children’s screenings. The indoor cinema also offers room for short film presentations by young filmmakers. This, because we always want to support new talent.

© MATTHIAS DESMET

The cozy indoor cinema has room for 50 people. At the moment, the organization focuses mainly on the programming of children’s films, but the indoor cinema is also the perfect location for short film screenings.

Amongst others Stijn Vandamme ‘De Kruispoort’ and Dylan Marey ‘A Song We Wrote’ already presented their respective short film in FAYARD.

EVENTS & SUMMER BAR

Besides pop up cinema, FAYARD is also the perfect event location. During the summer of 2021, 3 B-Salsa Parties and a Tango session were organized on site.

An open-air music quiz was also taking place in collaboration with Gent Quizt. FAYARD also features a cozy summer bar with a petanque court, sun terrace and hammock area

© L@ LATINA

Since 2021, Chateau Les Fayards has also been the base for FAYART pop up art house. The NPO RAZOR REEL saw more potential in the location of the Fayards Castle than just cinema.

With FAYART pop up art house, the NPO RAZOR REEL offers a platform to local and regional art talent to exhibit their work in a unique setting.

The first edition was selected by means of a call for art talent. A jury selected 33 artists from more than 80 submissions to exhibit their work during the summer months in 3 exhibitions of 11 artists each.

In selecting the artists, account was taken of the quality of the work, its innovative and inspiring character, the artist’s artistic career, but also whether or not the artist is an undiscovered talent.

With FAYART pop up art house, the NPO RAZOR REEL wants to focus for the most part on untapped and new talent that hardly ever gets the chance to exhibit somewhere. We noticed that within the artistic field often the same artists are offered a platform and with FAYART pop up art house we want to break a lance and create a unique perspective.

The first edition of FAYART pop up art house was a success. Our visitors were stimulated and look forward to more.

FAYART pop up art house also brings artists into contact with each other, which leads to new collaborations and projects. One project has already grown out of FAYART pop up art house, namely KEI-ART, an art project of Chiara Labbadia and

Philippe Badert, 2 artists who met during the first exhibition of FAYART pop up art house, and who in the meantime have organized their own exhibition KEI-ART in castle Les Fayards.

With FAYART pop up art house we thus provide a nice platform for mainly undiscovered art talent to exhibit their talent within various disciplines. We bring artists into contact with each other and encourage them to develop new projects together. Finally, our visitors can let themselves be entertained by a mix of different art forms.

POP UP ART HOUSE

FAYARD

From Friday 2 July to Sunday 29 August 2021, culture lovers could visit the magnificent Château Les Fayards for the first edition of the free art exhibition FAYART with home-grown talent.

FAYART changed on a three-weekly basis to become a POP-UP ART HOUSE where our visitors could discover new talent in various disciplines.

© JOHAN VANPARYS

During the FAYART pop up art house, the organization tries to exhibit a diverse range of art. There is room for painting, sculpture, photography, glass art, ... The aim is to introduce our audience to different and diverse art forms.

© JOHAN VANPARYS

RAZOR REEL PAST EVENTS

NPO RAZOR REEL is a proactive organization that is always looking ahead for new projects and collaborations.

In the past, NPO RAZOR REEL was responsible for the main organization or co-organization of the following projects:

THE DAY OF THE YOUNG FILMMAKER

A three-year amateur arts project during which a full day of film-oriented workshops, lectures and seminars were organized for amateur film makers and film students. The focus was on talent development. Among others, renowned names such as Piet Sonck, Roman Klochkov and Rebekah Louisa Smith came to give lectures.

XPO ART

An arts project in which amateur artists were given the creative task of linking their art to a film-related theme. In XPO ART, the amateur artists were supported by means of a working brochure with a focus on talent development.

With XPO ART on Tour, the project was extended to the Flemish libraries, offering an additional exhibition platform to the participating artists.

BRYGGIAS

A fantasy, film and book fair that was organized in cooperation with the Cultural Office of Bruges.

FANTASY WALK

In 2011, the FANTASY WALK was organized in Bruges, a beautiful parade of fantasy figures that made Bruges even more atmospheric.

NATIONAL MOVIE QUIZ

Large-scale movie quiz in the exhibition hall in Bruges. This movie quiz already took place 2 times CAMPUSCOOP Open air cinema on three different student campuses in Bruges. Organized by Brugge Studentenstad in collaboration with NPO RAZOR REEL.

COMIC FAIR

In cooperation with BONTE publishers we have already organized a comic fair several times.

FILMPREMIERES, RAZOR REEL ON TOUR, PARTIES and DOUBLE BILLS

Throughout the year NPO RAZOR REEL always looks for opportunities to organize film premieres or film screenings at other locations such as e.g., KASK Cinema, Budascoop, etc.

RAZOR REEL also regularly organizes a theme party during the RAZOR REEL Flanders Film Festival.

RAZOR REEL DISTRIBUTION

Over the years, RAZOR REEL has released a number of films, which were screened during the film festival, on DVD under the RAZOR REEL SELECTION label.

RAZOR

CAMPUSCOOP

CORONAPROOF STUDENT WELCOME

In September 2020 Bruges Student City organized, in cooperation with the NPO RAZOR REEL, CAMPUSCOOP which was a cozy corona proof alternative for the annual Student Welcome.

With CAMPUSCOOP we brought open air film to the Bruges campuses at 3 different locations, namely Vives Brugge, HoWest and ZoWe Nursing. The concept: free food, a feel-good music film and a pop-up summer bar.

© FOTO’S SEETRU - BRUGGE STUDENTENSTAD

OPEN AIR FILM ON LOCATION

With CAMPUSCOOP the NPO RAZOR REEL brought for the first-time open-air film on another location than FAYARD pop up cinema.

Meanwhile the NPO RAZOR REEL has the necessary logistic and technical material to bring more open-air film on location in the future.

XPO ART

CREATIVE PLATFORM FOR YOUNG ARTISTS

In 2012 and 2013, XPO ART was one of the artistic outlets of the RAZOR REEL Fantastic Film Festival, which grew out of Schemerzone.

With XPO ART, the festival was looking for young artists who wanted to show their creativity and talent to the public through a design assignment.

The best works were exhibited and went on tour in 10 Flemish libraries.

© FOTO’S CERBERUS ONLINE

BRYGGIAS

FANTASY, BOOK AND FILM FAIR

On the occasion of the Fantasy Contest in Bruges, BRYGGIAS was organized. During BRYGGIAS the Exhibition Centre was completely immersed in a Fantasy atmosphere and a unique location for Fantasy lovers! The audience could find a wide range of films, posters, gadgets, film music, fantasy fashion & jewelry, comics and books. The fair also offered a platform to artists who wanted to promote their own fantastic creations to the general audience.

Within this whole event, the Fantasy-Worldwide International Face painting Contest was organized.

© STIPPY PICTURES

© STIPPY PICTURES ©

NATIONAL MOVIE QUIZ

QUIZ TIME!

In 2013 and 2014, the NATIONAL MOVIE QUIZ was organized in the Exhibition Centre in Bruges.

The NATIONAL MOVIE QUIZ was a large-scale Movie Quiz in which more than 40 teams participated. The NPO RAZOR REEL has already organized 2 editions of the NATIONAL MOVIE QUIZ.

© FOTO’S STIPPY PICTURES

RAZOR REEL DISTRIBUTION

In cooperation with Zeno Pictures, RAZOR REEL has distributed a number of genre films that screened during the RAZOR REEL Flanders Film Festival.

The films were released under the RAZOR REEL SELECTION LABEL.

OUR SELECTION

THE DEAD (Howard J. Ford, Jonathan Ford) VILLA CAPTIVE (Emmanuel Silvestre)

THE SEASONING HOUSE (Paul Hyett)

RABIES (Aharon Keshales, Navot Papushado)

YOU CAN’T KILL STEPHEN KING (Ronnie Khalil, Monroe Mann, Jorge Valdés-Iga)

RED, WHITE & BLUE (Simon Rumley)

THE BUNNY GAME (BUTRR) (Adam Rehmeier)

CITADEL (Ciarán Foy)

ROAD GAMES (Abner Pastoll)

© STIPPY PICTURES

A publication by:

NPO RAZOR REEL Sint-Arnolduslaan 47 B-8200 Sint-Michiels