directed by Lars von Trier
In Dogville, Lars von Trier fuses theatre and cinema in a strikingly minimal setting: a bare stage with a floor plan drawn in chalk, and virtually no decor. It takes some adjustment, but once you focus on the performances, the story’s moral layers start to unfold. Tip: surrender to the journey and let the stripped-down setting absorb you. And when you're done, look up 'Verfremdungseffekt' and Bertolt Brecht. Good luck!
directed by Andrei Tarkovsky
A poetic film that blends memory, dream and reality in unconventional ways. Russian director Tarkovsky famously referred to his work as 'poems'—their meaning revealing itself only over time. A second viewing is almost essential. Don’t try to grasp the linear plot too tightly; instead, let the film’s logic flow freely, like a dream. Feel free to pause occasionally to let scenes settle in.
available on Prime Video
available on Apple TV+
directed by Joshua Oppenheimer
Mass murderers re-enacting their atrocities in bizarre, stylized film scenes—that's the bold premise of The Act of Killing. The documentary focuses on the Indonesian anti-communist purge of 1965, which saw an estimated one million people killed. Due to the sensitive nature of the subject, director Joshua Oppenheimer worked mainly with anonymous sources. This is not a film that shocks by what it shows or says, but by how the perpetrators choose to portray themselves.
directed by Charlie Kaufman
Screenwriter Charlie Kaufman (known for Being John Malkovich and Adaptation) made his directorial debut with this introspective and dreamlike film. Synecdoche, New York is a layered, self-reflexive world-within-worlds about life and art—a haunting portrait of an artist trapped in his own creation, brought to life by the unforgettable Philip Seymour Hoffman. Watch out for its shifting sense of time, identity and representation. This is a film that works best when you let it wash over you slowly.
available on Mubi
available on Sooner
directed by David Lynch
Following Lost Highway and Mulholland Drive, David Lynch once again plunges into a surreal, dreamlike vision of Hollywood in Inland Empire. Shot over two and a half years using 'semi-professional' equipment and in old-school 4:3 format, the story was reportedly shaped during editing. Some call it a masterpiece, others find it incomprehensible. Lynch himself saw it as an abstract painting — open to interpretation. My advice: don’t try to make rational sense of it, it's a lost cause.
directed by Yorgos Lanthimos
Poor Things tackles feminist themes in bold, surreal ways — without slipping into moralising. Greek director Yorgos Lanthimos uses exaggerated colour palettes, distorted lenses and hyper-stylised sets to create an entirely new universe. The result feels less like historical fiction, more like a dream version of it. We follow Bella, a young woman who dies by suicide and is brought back to life by Dr. Godwin Baxter—with the brain of her unborn child. Driven by an urge to explore the world beyond the lab, she sets out on a journey of discovery.
directed by John Dower
For his first theatrical documentary, British filmmaker Louis Theroux picked an unusually difficult subject. Known for immersing himself in subcultures, Theroux found Scientology completely impenetrable. Nevertheless, he came up with a solution: instead of relying on ex-members, he stages key moments from the church’s history with actors. From 'welcome speeches' featuring the infamous E-meter to the controversial punishment compound known as The Hole.
directed by Wes Anderson
In his adaptation of Roald Dahl’s short story (and several others), Wes Anderson doesn’t just stay true to the original words, he also adopts its storytelling style. Literally. Instead of traditional scenes, actors narrate the story directly to the camera while moving through stylised sets. With visibly spinning backdrops, painted props and fast transitions, the film flows with a rhythmic, almost musical tempo. It’s a theatrical film experience that continuously breaks the fourth wall—and pulls you right in.
available on Netflix
Music stripped to its essence—where sound meets silence, and silence becomes sound. In a world full of noise, minimalism creates space for stillness, and that’s where its power lies.
With this programme, Ilan Volkov questions the idea of ‘minimal’: what do we label as such, and what else—seen from another angle—might also be considered minimal? An experimental evening with electronics and voice as key elements.
Rave Little Belgium is a book (in the making) and a website tracing the history of electronic music in Belgium. As part of the Brussels Philharmonic LAB-SERIES, the orchestra invites founder and editor-in-chief Koen Galle — music journalist, DJ, label owner, radio host, vinyl collector, and electronic music enthusiast — to give a different lecture before each concert. In each session, he explores a unique aspect of Belgium’s rich electronic music heritage, accompanied by active listening moments.
With the LAB SERIES, the Brussels Philharmonic brings together musical experimentation, interaction, and total experience. Expect bold and eclectic concert nights with unique programmes, pre- and post-concert talks, interactive installations, and immersive listening sessions.
Electronics in the concert hall? Think of it as a spark of invisible magic—something mechanical yet alive, opening up the symphonic sound, enriching it, or pushing back against it. Ilan Volkov brings together four composers who let two sound worlds clash and collide—or seamlessly blend.
Rave Little Belgium is a book (in the making) and a website tracing the history of electronic music in Belgium. As part of the Brussels Philharmonic LAB-SERIES, the orchestra invites founder and editor-in-chief Koen Galle — music journalist, DJ, label owner, radio host, vinyl collector, and electronic music enthusiast — to give a different lecture before each concert. In each session, he explores a unique aspect of Belgium’s rich electronic music heritage, accompanied by active listening moments.
With Ilan Volkov at the helm, the Brussels Philharmonic presents the Second and Sixth Symphonies by Luc Brewaeys: in the latter, Brewaeys brings together everything he stands for - the vibrant coloration of 20th-century spectralism, a bold orchestral configuration and a confrontation with electronics. Clearly influenced by that élan, Daan Janssens composed a new concerto for violin, orchestra and surround electronics.
