In 2024, Bozar opened The 23, a 75-seat cinema that brings back its 1920s purpose, originally envisioned by Victor Horta, while reimagining itself with the latest technology. Modern and cosy, it’s all about discovery: Bozar presents an exclusive array of titles that are unavailable elsewhere.

Immersive Cinema: a first in Belgium

Winding through the corridors of the Palace, Bozar offers some truly amazing digital experiences that resonate with its core mission. Every month, we present 360-degree films using immersive technology and virtual reality in our art cinema. This is a Belgian first, as VR is not regularly programmed anywhere else. Whether you’re a seasoned VR aficionado or just intrigued by the medium, these immersive experiences will expand your horizons, evoking tangible yet elusive emotions. It’s a unique sensory journey that transforms the way we experience and feel cinema.

Discover the full extent of our VR program here.

The Digital Experience at Bozar

In 2025, VR will also feature in our exhibitions and other artistic projects. Monira Al Qadiri for example is a groundbreaking artist whose work challenges perceptions and sheds light on global issues with a twist of wit and deep introspection. Her exhibition at Bozar, The Archaeology of Beasts, runs until 9 March 2025. Al Qadiri’s work blends ancient Egyptian mythology with contemporary tools like virtual reality and artificial intelligence. From AI-driven animations to VR recreations of ancient Egyptian heaven, the exhibition bridges the past and the future in surprising ways. “I’m using modern techniques to recreate very ancient imaginations,” Al Qadiri explains. 

Also, from June 18 to 27, discover Songs for a Passerby by Celine Daemen – winner of the Venice Immersive Grand Prize 2023 – an experience at the intersection of theatre, music, visual arts and technology. As you move through the poetic landscape with VR glasses, you ask yourself: am I part of this world or just looking at it? Are we our bodies or do we merely possess them? As in a dream, one event leads you to another. You follow your own 3D character through narrow alleys, get on the metro and meet a preaching choir parading aimlessly through the streets.

A finger on the pulse: seven programme formats 

Seven formats are presented from Wednesday to Sunday, with nine screenings a week. Without providing definitive answers, they broaden our horizons: in the Premieres section we showcase films that have yet to be screened in Belgium, thus broadening the cinematic perspective. The  Close-up programme highlights promising or established filmmakers, while New Voices in Cinema  is a platform for emerging talent. The Our Burning World programme tackles pressing societal issues. On weekends, we host the Family Film Club, offering an opportunity for all ages to discover the wonders of cinema together. In Art & Film , we present titles that resonate with the current exhibitions: this spring, these are Berlinde De Bruyckere’s solo exhibition and When We See Us. Finally, Immersive Cinema explores new narrative dimensions through immersive experiences and Virtual Reality.