Cannes Contenders 2026: Belgium

What always excites me about the Cannes Lions season is that, beyond trends or categories, it becomes a moment where the craft itself comes back into focus. 

The films that stay with you are rarely the loudest ones. They are the ones that trust the audience. Films that understand rhythm, silence, performance, music and atmosphere. Work that doesn’t try to explain every emotion, but lets you feel something.

RSCA - Noblesse Oblige 

What I love about this film by Heleen Declerq is that it feels made for cinema, not just for attention. It is poetic, visually precise and carried by a remarkable sense of sound design. 

The film understands the power of emptiness. It leaves room for interpretation, instead of closing every emotion down. In a time where so much advertising is cut to pieces by speed, this film gives the viewer something rare: calm. It trusts image, silence and rhythm. That confidence makes it stand out.

Bosto - Chopsticks

Rogier Hesp does what he consistently excels at: emotionally grounded storytelling with an incredibly human touch. 

What makes this campaign from Bubka so strong is the contrast between the product and the emotional weight of the narrative. Rice is not an obvious category for intimate storytelling, yet the film succeeds in creating genuine warmth and positive brand association without ever feeling manipulative. 

The soundtrack plays a huge role in that. The singer-songwriter approach gives the film sincerity and softness.

BISTER - 100 Years

I love how this campaign completely ignores the modern pressure to constantly scream for attention. 

Egghunter lets the high-speed train of advertising pass by and instead chooses slowness, familiarity and recognisable human behaviour. There’s something deeply Belgian about it. The humour feels authentic, almost inherited. Like memories of grandparents, family kitchens and awkward little moments around the table. Even the making-of carries that same honesty and charm.

What connects all three pieces for me is confidence in craft. None of them rely on gimmicks. They understand pacing, atmosphere and emotional precision. They prove that commercial filmmaking still has room for poetry, patience and personality.