What's on this week: 10-16 February

Every year, the philhellenes at Free Flying Films shine a spotlight on contemporary Greek cinema during the Greek Short Film Festival. Dozens of shorts, ranging in length from three to 29 minutes, are screened over a long weekend that also includes concerts. This third edition of the festival is curated by producer Kyriakos Chatzimichailidis and boasts a master class with celebrated filmmaker Filippos Koutsaftis, who also presents his documentaries Mourning Rock and Hail Arkadia (pictured), both of which juxtapose mythology and modernity in contemporary Greece. All films are subtitled in English.
9-12 February, Art Base, Brussels

Limerick’s Irish Chamber Orchestra comes to Brussels for an evening of music spanning the centuries. Led by German composer and clarinettist Jörg Widmann, the 22-piece ensemble are touring Europe with a distinctly continental repertoire. Widmann does triple duty here, serving not only as conductor but performer – soloist, no less – and composer. Two of his original compositions are on the programme, as are works by fellow German composers Mendelssohn and Weber (and their neighbour, Mozart of Austria). The concert is preceded by a discussion with Widmann.
15 February, 20.00, Bozar, Brussels

Flagey’s Piano Days festival was conceived in 2014 as a modest celebration of that workhorse of European music. All year long, the piano might accompany its highfalutin cousins, the violin and the saxophone, as they solo away in the spotlight. But for one weekend, the spotlight would shine squarely on the piano. More than a dozen world-renowned artists are invited to perform at this fourth edition of Flagey Piano Days, including Cédric Tiberghien. The French pianist, who rose to fame as a child prodigy, has since grown into a globetrotting headliner. His Piano Days performance blends Chopin, Debussy and Szymanowski.
9-12 February, Flagey, Brussels

An annual Valentine’s tradition, the Love Bug Parade, a gathering of Beetles and their owners coincides with a loving tribute to the VW Bug at AutoWorld. Come to the front of the museum between 11.00 and 13.30 to see the cars before they head out in a colourful procession through the city centre. Then visit the exhibition dedicated to the cars and the hippie era.
12 February 13.30-16.00, Parc du Cinquantenaire, Brussels; free

Black is the Color of My Voice is a moving drama inspired by the life of the one-and-only Nina Simone. Apphia Campbell plays the fictional character Mena Bordeaux, a successful jazz singer seeking redemption after the untimely death of her father. During a three-day period of isolation without cigarettes, alcohol, or access to the outside world, Mena reflects on the journey that took her from a young piano prodigy destined for a life in the service of the church to a renowned jazz vocalist at the forefront of the civil rights movement.
14 February, Théâtre de la Toison d'Or, Brussels

If you find it difficult to appreciate contemporary art or you feel intimidated by the gallery circuit then this show is for you. Carte de Visite, back for the fourth year, is unique in that the only qualification for presenting one's work is that the artist lives or has a studio within Brussels city limits. The show has been wildly successful with both the public and the artists and the atmosphere is always lighthearted and fun. This year 280 artists are exposing up to three pieces each. Most of the artists are on site for the whole weekend to facilitate greater exchanges between them and the public. And there is also a wall of mailboxes where one can leave messages for the artists. On Sunday two prizes of €1000 each will be awarded, one is voted by the public, the other is voted by the artists.
Until 12 February, opening 10 February 18.00, Rue de l’Ecuyer 50, Brussels, free

Benoit+Bo, the French-Chinese duo who have been living in Brussels for two years, bring us Toujours Bruxellois, inspired by their host city - photos that are urban, human and punctuated with the bright colours of eternally smiling Chinese rural agricultural festival masks.
Until 26 March, CENTRALE.box at La Central(e), free

If it's February in Brussels then it's time for the Salon du Chocolat. The perennial favourites such as the chocolate dresses fashion show are back and this year's theme is "In the Heart of Chocolate Beats the Soul of Cacao". New this year is a pastry trends space with among others two American pastries being given the Belgian touch: cupcakes and donuts.
10-12 February, Tour et Taxis, Brussels

Paul De Gobert is a Brussels painter with a very varied body of work. From the monumental pigeon he painted as a mural in Saint-Job to the Vandervelde metro stop where he painted the entire station, his work is seen and appreciated by countless citizens every day. But he also works on a very small scale. Inspired by his mystical connection with his magical garden behind his house and studio, he paints small, painstakingly precise paintings of the different elements, animal and vegetable, in the garden. You can appreciate his work at the Doyenné Maison des Arts d'Uccle with his show Le Jardin Des Délices.
Opens 9 February 18.30, until 26 February