Get Lost in the Wonder of Film at the Wunderground Film Festival.
Making films is truly the process of creating art – vibrant, living works that evoke emotion and resonate with viewers.
This essential truth often gets lost in today’s world, which sees cinema as a means of commerce and often overlooks obscure and experimental works of great value but limited box office appeal.
That’s where the Wunderground Film Festival steps in, acting as an island oasis for art amidst a sea of commercialism. This contemporary cinema exhibition and film festival places its films where they belong – within the vibrant context of other art forms. This unique juxtaposition of works encourages patrons to engage in an active dialogue – both with the films and with other works of art. This unprecedented interaction of film with paintings, sculptures, and conceptual art challenges the established framework within which patrons experience art.
The oasis that will serve as the site for this haven is as unique as the festival. The Verbeke Foundation in Kemzeke, Belgium, will host the festival in May 2025, as part of its exhibit series, showcasing a series of screenings and video installations.
Art collectors Geert Verbeke and Carla Verbeke-Lens founded the Verbeke Foundation in 2007 to be a place where culture, nature, and ecology are closely intertwined. Evolving through time, the collection has been expanded to include contemporary artworks as well as installations which are predominantly constructed in situ. With 12 hectares (29.7 acres) of scenic area and 20,000 m2 (4.9 acres) of covered space, the Foundation is one of the largest private initiatives for contemporary art in Europe.
Against this expressive and gloriously untidy backdrop, an emotive selection of Wunderground films will include contemporary cinema, underground films, experimental work and minimalist films. The Foundation is open to narrative, documentary, animated shorts and feature films. The selected works will be exhibited and screened over the course of a month, four days a week, in a loop.
We invite you to experience the Wunderground Film Festival for yourself.
All screenings will take place at
Verbeke Foundation (Kemzeke) in Belgium.
Previous editions
Find out more about the award winners of the previous editions:
Proud partner of The Bigger Screen
Wunderground Film Festival is supported by The Bigger Screen, an organization that aims to make film as an art form more accessible and more inclusive.
Supporting Film Festivals: Film festivals are not only a place to share films, but they are a safe haven for film makers to connect, share, and learn. The Bigger Screens supports and engages with over 25 respected international film festivals from mainstays like the 61st Ann Arbor Film Festival and the Brussels Independent Film Festival to emerging events such as the Venice Film Week and The Producer’s Night Los Angeles. These events bring filmmakers and filmgoers together, providing that place to connect and engage in a comfortable setting, away from Hollywood glitz and glamour.
Connecting Cultures Program: Each year, The Bigger Screen selects ten countries and grants filmmakers from those areas the ability to submit their work free of charge to partner festivals all over the world. This opens the door of film exposure to those who may not otherwise be able to enter. As we support inclusivity and shareable films, this program exemplifies our mission.
Local Filmmakers Program: We understand that the cost of making a film can be taxing, so to encourage rising talent, we waive the festival submission fee to local talent. With numerous worldwide locations for festivals, this provides great opportunity for filmmakers around the world to enter the international film scene. This opportunity opens the world of film. Think global, act local, right?
Inclusive Audience Program: Our screenings are always low or even free of charge to provide opportunity for interested film goers to view up and coming, challenging, and inspiring pieces of art, encouraging students, seniors, and those in underprivileged environments to share the experience of film and cinema. We welcome film goers, regardless of income and financial status.
The Tarkovski Grant: All selected filmmakers will receive The Tarkovski Grant, a film festival submission fee waiver package with an average value of about €500. This not only saves you a lot of money, but it also recognizes your work as something to watch for during the selection procedure, making a selection with another partner film festival more likely - but of course, never guaranteed. The Tarkovski Grant supports hundreds of filmmakers each year in their challenging journeys as independent filmmakers, by promoting existing films, no matter the genre, style or length.