Moroccan filmmaker Manal Chahboun competes in the first Walloon Film Festival

Sunday 29 March 2026 - 14:00

Moroccan filmmaker Manal Chahboun has been selected to compete in the official lineup of the first edition of the Walloon Film Festival, scheduled to take place from April 2 to April 25 across several regions in Belgium.

Her short comedy film C.Q.F.D (C’est quasi foutu, docteur), released in 2025, has already gained recognition on the international scene. The 16-minute production won two awards at the Liège International Comedy Film Festival, including Best Short Film and Best Screenplay, thanks to its engaging humor and sensitive portrayal of social themes.

The story follows Hamid, a young man of North African origin who pretends to be a doctor to satisfy his mother’s expectations, while in reality working as a hospital cleaner. As the lie grows, he finds himself caught in a series of improvised and humorous situations to maintain the illusion.

Through this narrative, Chahboun explores themes such as family pressure, identity, and the desire for recognition, while highlighting characters from diverse cultural backgrounds within Belgian society. The film has also been featured at the Brussels International Women’s Film Festival and the International Film and Immigration Festival of Agadir.

Born in Spain and raised in Belgium, Manal Chahboun draws inspiration from her multicultural background. She moved to Brussels in 2022 to pursue studies in film production and directing, while collaborating on various audiovisual projects. Her work has been recognized and supported by institutions such as the Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles and the SACD.

The traveling festival will take place in five provinces, including Namur, Luxembourg, Hainaut, Walloon Brabant, and Liège. Alongside “C.Q.F.D”, nine other French-speaking Belgian short films will compete for audience awards, including a Grand Prize decided by public vote.