Belgian actress Violet Braeckman has been named one of the ten European Shooting Stars for 2026 by the European Film Promotion. The 29-year-old Flemish performer was awarded in recognition of a body of work that demonstrates versatility across the mediums of film and television.
Jury members described her chameleon-like abilities and capacity to vanish into a variety of roles.
A Growing European Profile
Braeckman has kept a busy schedule, splitting her time between screen roles and organisational work in arts curation and festivals. Recent credits include appearances in projects such as Heysel 85, First Zone and The Age of Magic, as well as the Netflix series The Twelve.
The Shooting Stars programme provides a structured route into the international market, with introductions to buyers, festival programmers and casting directors who attend the Berlin Film Festival. Previous Belgian recipients of the award have gone on to have substantial international careers.
Braeckman’s dual involvement in arts curation and performance means she has a broad understanding of the independent film scene across Europe. Industry contacts note her preparation methods, which are focused on textual analysis and transformation when required.
Her social media presence is more professional than personal, with posts typically linked to project releases and festival appearances.
The 2026 Shooting Stars Selection
The 2026 selection sees her placed alongside actors from Albania, Austria, France, Germany, Ireland, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway and Portugal. This creates a cohort who will share networking opportunities throughout the year.
For a performer working in the Dutch- and French-language markets of Belgium, the Shooting Stars tag provides a route to wider European and international visibility without the need to relocate to bigger production centres immediately.
With the recognition now attached to her name, Braeckman enters a potentially important stage of her career, where her European profile can develop into wider international opportunities.
