July 28, 2025
Ten years of #JeSuisCharlie: a documentary that keeps the conversation alive
Ten years after the attack on the French satirical magazine Charlie Hebdo, the fight for freedom of expression remains as urgent as ever. The documentary 10 Years of #JeSuisCharlie by VRT CANVAS offers a powerful look at the aftermath of the January 2015 Paris attacks and their lasting impact on cartoonists, journalists, and society at large. The film is shown all summer at the International Cartoon Festival in Knokke-Heist, Belgium, and on December 12 during the European Cartoon Award in The Hague, The Netherlands ,followed by a debate with international experts.
A mirror of our time
Satire is still far from self-evident, as current events show. The documentary goes beyond a retrospective and highlights how cartoonists around the world continue to face threats and (self-)censorship. It raises critical questions about the boundaries of humor, the role of social media, and society’s responsibility to protect satire.
According to Flemish magazine Humo, the documentary paints “a grim picture of the future of free speech.” The legacy of Charlie Hebdo lives on in the daily struggle of cartoonists who challenge power and break social taboos with their pens. Newspaper De Standaard emphasizes that 10 Years of #JeSuisCharlie “clearly shows why we must cherish our cartoonists (and especially the jokes we don’t immediately agree with).”
During the debate in The Hague, experts will shed light on the documentary’s continued urgency. Their perspectives - French, British, Italian - underscore that the fight for press freedom knows no borders.
Where and when to watch?
International Cartoon Festival Knokke-Heist
Until the end of August 2025. More info via Cartoonfestival Knokke-Heist.
European Cartoon Award, The Hague
December 12, 2025, including a debate with international speakers.
