Belgium’s Belga Films Faces Challenges, But CEO Shares Optimism for Belga Studios and Independent Films
Belga Films, Belgium’s Oldest Distributor, Enters Liquidation Amid Industry Challenges
In a significant development for Europe’s independent film distribution sector, Belgium’s oldest distributor, Belga Films, has been liquidated. The news, first reported by the Belgian newspaper Le Soir, revealed that the commercial court of Walloon Brabant declared the company’s bankruptcy on February 12, though the ruling only came to light five days later.
This liquidation not only marks the end of Belga Films but also results in the closure of its subsidiary, White Cinema, located in the Docks Bruxsel shopping center. The cinema, which featured eight screens and offered 950 seats, employed 14 full-time staff members.
White Cinema opened in 2017, designed by local architect Renaud Dejeneffe to provide an innovative cinematic experience. However, the post-pandemic landscape proved too challenging for the venue.
Patrick Vandenbosch, CEO of Belga Films, attributed the company’s financial struggles to a significant decline in audience attendance at White Cinema and across the broader Brussels area. He noted that cinema attendance has plummeted by 30% since 2019 and by 40% over the past decade, which he indicated may represent one of the most significant drops in Europe. Vandenbosch also pointed to the city’s Good Mobile traffic harmonization scheme as a factor that reduced accessibility to the venue.
Despite the setbacks faced by Belga Films, Vandenbosch emphasized that the broader Belga Film Group—which includes Belga Studios, a development and film production entity, and the Netherlands-based distribution label Independent Films—will remain unaffected by the closure of Belga Films. "We decided to liquidate the distribution activities of Belga Films including its cinema activities, but this doesn’t affect at all Belga Studios and Independent Films. We have absolutely great perspectives and ambitions with those two activities," he said.
He announced the establishment of the Pyxis Entertainment Ventures production fund, which aims to support Belga Studios’ projects by covering up to 35% of their budgets. Vandenbosch noted that Independent Films also remains operational and unscathed by recent closures.
Looking ahead, he remains optimistic about future developments in the film industry, stating, “The future looks bright—we just need to adapt to the new business model. The industry is globally suffering, but the future belongs to those who adapt to new conditions…the most resilient.”
Upcoming titles slated for release under Independent Films include Christy, Champagne, Paradise, and The Hunger Games: Sunrise on the Reaping.
Founded in 1937 by Elyse Tobback and later joined by brother-in-law Luc Hemelaer in the 1950s, Belga Films has historic significance as Belgium’s oldest and largest independent film distributor. The company has a storied past, having brought notable films such as The Piano, Twilight, 12 Years a Slave, La La Land, and Knives Out to Belgian audiences. Vandenbosch, who has been at the helm since 1988, is the grandson of Luc Hemelaer.
