The Brussels premiere of A24’s Love Lies Bleeding took a distressing turn as attendees faced homophobic and misogynistic remarks, leading to a mass walkout and subsequent protests. The event, hosted by the Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival (BIFFF), turned chaotic as derogatory comments tainted the screening, targeting the film’s queer romance, according to Variety.
The incident erupted despite efforts by festival organizers to maintain order. Jonathan Lenaerts, BIFFF’s press chief, acknowledged the severity of the situation, noting, “10 people out of 1,400 is already 10 too many.” He emphasized the festival’s commitment to ensuring a welcoming environment for all attendees.
Elina Fischer, an attendee, described the atmosphere as “traumatic and horrible,” expressing concern for their safety amidst the hostility. “We were afraid for our lives, because the kinds of people who say such things during a film screening are the kinds of people who assault us. So we got scared and had to get out.”
Witnesses reported escalating tension within the 1,400-seat auditorium, with derogatory comments escalating into verbal and physical aggression. Despite efforts by organizers to maintain order, the atmosphere turned hostile, prompting over 60 attendees to leave in protest.
One attendee, who preferred to be identified as Næ Palm, recalled, “Once we stood up, we started hearing insults directed at us. It became something much nastier. Violent. We were overwhelmed, crying and we said to each other that this wasn’t normal.”
The confrontation extended beyond the screening, as protesters demanded the event be halted. Despite these challenges, the show continued amid the turmoil, prompting a response from law enforcement to maintain order.
In the aftermath, both attendees and festival representatives expressed disappointment over the incident. BIFFF’s Jonathan Lenaerts told Variety, “The humor in the room should never be targeted and mean spirited, and all exceptions are intolerable. To be frank, a gram of shit will spoil a kilo of caviar, and right now, we’re going to do everything we can to remove that gram of shit. We will take direct measures: If someone makes inappropriate comments, they’ll be immediately thrown out.”
Love Lies Bleeding is currently screening in Indian theatres.
