The first Brussels International Film Festival took place in January 1974, on the initiative of the Chambre Syndicale Belge de la Cinématographie and Dimitri Balachoff.
In 1990 the organisation was taken over by K Com, a communications agency, and from that time it was the only film festival in Belgium supported by both Flemish- and French-speakers.
[1] In its later years, programming comprised seven sections: Competition, which included European and world premiere feature films; Panorama, "an overview of contemporary European cinema"; Premiers (sic); Open-air, with a screening each night in Place Sainte-Croix (Flagey Square); Short film competition; and a Retrospective, featuring the work of great filmmakers such as Bertrand Tavernier, Peter Greenaway, Alan Parker and Jacques Doillon.
[5][6] The 13th Brussels Film Festival was held from 5 to 12 June 2015 and featured French actress Juliette Binoche as its guest of honor.
[9] The 15th edition (2017) had to be cancelled after subsidies were withdrawn, but director Ivan Corbisier mounted a special series for the public, called 14 days of European cinema.