ROYAL MONACO; Film Fest Gent audience crowns Têtes brûlées by Maja-Ajmia Yde Zellama with the North Sea Port Audience Award

Film Fest Gent audience crowns

Têtes brûlées by Maja-Ajmia Yde Zellama

with the North Sea Port Audience Award

FFG25_©Jeroen Willems

On Monday 20 October, the final award of the 52nd edition of Film Fest Gent was presented. Festivalgoers chose Têtes brûlées, the feature debut of Belgian-Tunisian-Danish  filmmaker Maja-Ajmia Yde Zellama, as the winner of the Audience Award (powered by North Sea Port).

FFG25_©Jeroen Willems

The international juries had already announced their winners, but as always, the audience at Film Fest Gent had the final say. Until Monday 20 October at noon, every festival visitor could cast a vote for the North Sea Port Audience Award. For two weeks, the competition remained tight, with Têtes brûlées ultimately edging out The Voice of Hind Rajab, the Palestinian documentary that received the Grand Prix for Best Film from the International Jury just two days earlier.

FFG25_©Jeroen Willems

With an impressive average score of 4.85 out of 5, Têtes brûlées takes home the North Sea Port Audience Award. The prize includes a distribution grant of €5,000 for the Belgian distributor, along with a media campaign valued at €14,000.

(c) Martin Corlazzoli

'Têtes brûlées'

A few months after a successful run at the Berlinale, Maja-Ajmia Yde Zellama’s striking debut feature celebrated its Belgian premiere at Film Fest Gent. Têtes brûlées intimately follows twelve-year-old Eya as she navigates the grieving process after the death of her brother.

With her debut, the Brussels-based filmmaker expands on the themes of her short film Okht Elmarhoum (2021), which also portrayed a young girl seeking support after a loss. In Têtes brûlées, Zellama deepens this premise into a tender and nuanced portrait of sorrow, resilience, and imagination. The film had its world premiere at the Berlinale, where it received a Special Mention from the Generation 14plus jury.

Maja-Ajmia Yde Zellama attended the screening to personally present the film on Tuesday 14 October, and joined an FFG Talkie on Wednesday 15 October to discuss the vulnerability and strength of young perspectives on grief.

The filmmaker is thrilled to receive the North Sea Port Audience Award: “This is the best prize I could have hoped to win. It’s so symbolic, the audience, and that’s exactly what I wanted to achieve with this film: it’s a story that can resonate with everyone.”

(c) Martin Corlazzoli

North Sea Port Audience Award 2025 - Top 10

1. Têtes brûlées (4,85)
2. The Voice of Hind Rajab (4,79)
3. DJ Ahmet; La petite dernière (4,62)
4. Second Victims (4,78)
5. Het geheim van de meesjes (4,77)
6. Fantastique (4,70)
7. Omaha (4,66)
8. Christy (4,65)
9. Dossier 137 (4,64)
10. Made in EU;Julian (4,63)

FFGENT2025 ┬®AUGUSTinJUNE