About Avila

Avila is a Brussels-based non-profit organisation which distributes Belgian auteur cinema in theaters and online. Founded by filmmakers, the platform offers both contemporary and classical, experimental, documentary, and fiction films. The catalogue is a carefully curated selection of films that resonate aesthetically and socially, and contribute to (film) history. Its range consists mainly of films with a unique worldview by directors with a bold cinematic signature who resolutely approach cinema as an art form. 

Belgium produces many exceptional and valuable films that often fail to fully reach their intended audience. Avila seeks to bridge the gap between a film and its public and contributes to a sustainable Belgian film culture on several levels. As a distributor, Avila brings unreleased films to the big screen with care and organises contextualised screenings in Belgium. After their release, the films are published on the streaming  platform where they are accessible worldwide alongside 100 other titles.

General and artistic direction

Ruben Desiere, Olivia Rochette

Financial management and coordination

Daphné De Weirt

Distribution

Marguerite de Saint André

Communication

Niels Putman

Collaborator VOD, distribution and communication

Gilke Geeraerts

Graphic identity / Digital developer

Dirk Deblauwe

Copy editing

Aurélien Garcia, Anton Jäger, Veva Leye, Trevor Perri, Koen Van Baelen

Interns communication and research

Antonin Baunez, Stefanie Van Rompaey, Qiu Yi

Selection committee

Dhiaa Biya, Daphné De Weirt, Ruben Desiere, Gilke Geeraerts, Niels Putman, Olivia Rochette, Marguerite de Saint André, Quinten Wyns

Board of administrators

Jens Buysschaert, Pepa De Maesschalck (chair), Juliette Duret, Michiel Philippaerts

General assembly

Jens Buysschaert, Gerard-Jan Claes, Pepa De Maesschalck, Ruben Desiere, Juliette Duret, Michiel Philippaerts, Rasmus Van Heddeghem, Olivia Rochette

Avila was founded in 2020 by

Gerard-Jan Claes, Ruben Desiere, Olivia Rochette

Have worked for Avila and contributed to its development

Jens Buysschaert, Quinten Wyns, Dhiaa Biya

Interns

Yentl De Baets (2020), Chaimae Elhannouti (2021), Mona Cornelis (2023), Wolfram Vandenbergen (2023) Isaak Vervaecke (2023), Gilke Geeraerts (2023), Yuzi Duan (2024), Bono De Feyter (2024), Mathias Delamare (2024), Korina Hušnjak (2025), Liam Patuzzi (2025)

Many thanks to

Timeau De Keyser, Katrien Desiere, Lennert De Taeye, Nina de Vroome, Hans Galle, Sis Matthé, Niels Putman, David Slotema, Nefertari Vanden Bulcke

Avila is a project of

Projecta vzw
Waterloosesteenweg 37, 1060 Sint-Gillis | BE
VAT | BE 0597.875.039

Avila is supported by

the Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF) of the government of Flanders, la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, de Vlaamse Gemeenschapscommissie and the Brussels Capital Region