Hungarian filmmaker Béla Tarr has passed away on 6 January. As one of the most influential filmmakers of his generation, he forged one of the most uncompromising filmographies in modern cinema.

Every year, the Belgian film school RITCS School of Arts organises a Winter School for its students. The 2026 edition will take place from Monday 12 to Thursday 15 January 2026, bringing together students from different disciplines for four days of transdisciplinary, research-based workshops centred on Italian filmmaker and writer Pier Paolo Pasolini.

In January 2017, Jean-Baptiste Thoret and Nicole Brenez travelled to Rolle to meet Jean-Luc Godard, then 86 years old, at his home. This long, open conversation later became the basis for a film that, for years, could not be released due to rights issues. On 3 January, Thoret released the film for free on YouTube, for an unspecified period of time.

From Friday 16 to Sunday 18 January 2026, Natlab in Eindhoven will host the ninth edition of the Netherlands Silent Film Festival (NSFF).

Bahram Beyzai, a prominent figure of Iranian cinema, passed away on 26 December.

Brigitte Bardot, one of the most recognisable and iconic actresses in 20th‑century cinema, passed away on 28 December. Her later years were marked by controversy: outspoken commentary on immigration, Islam, and national identity led to her alignment with far‑right causes in France and multiple convictions for racism and hate speech.

Sabzian is taking a break. We’ll be back on 5 January. Best wishes and Happy New Year!

CINEMATEK presents a major retrospective dedicated to Fritz Lang, running through 28 February. From the silent era to sound, from Weimar Germany to Hollywood, Lang’s work charts the evolution of cinema itself.

From 12 to 14 December, film screening series Tusind Sole and the Danish Film Institute will host Portuguese filmmaker Pedro Costa.

Bozar in Brussels presents a new “Close‑up” programme on Catalan filmmaker Albert Serra from 6 December 2025 to 4 January 2026, featuring four of his films alongside three additional titles chosen by Serra himself, in dialogue with the spirit of Francisco Goya.