The 2026 edition of the Biennale de l’Image en Mouvement (BIM’26) is the result of a collaboration between the Centre d’Art Contemporain Genève and the Kamel Lazaar Foundation, featuring an exhibition in Tunis, public programs, and a co-published book. Presented exceptionally as a preview outside of Switzerland, BIM’26 takes place as part of the eighth edition of the Jaou Tunis contemporary art biennial and is held at the Quechlet El Attarine, a 19th-century military barracks in the heart of the Medina.

This intercontinental collaboration marks a new chapter in the BIM’s forty-year history. Founded in Geneva in 1985, the BIM was among the first events dedicated to moving images produced by artists. Since 2014, it has focused on commissioning new, original works rather than on an overarching theme, celebrating a plurality of perspectives.

According to Andrea Bellini: “This may well be the most diverse group to date in the history of the BIM. The strong presence of artists from the Middle East and North Africa, and the fact that thirteen out of sixteen are women, reflect a deliberate commitment to bold and diverse voices. In these dark times, this sends a powerful signal of our determination to champion a diversity of artistic perspectives.”

Together, the two institutions aim to establish an ambitious new platform on the African continent. As Lina Lazaar explains: “Bringing the BIM to Tunis is more than a celebration of moving images. It is an opportunity to strengthen the skills of local cultural actors and technicians, who are called upon to work under often complex conditions. Beyond the works created here, the BIM is building a network that places the voices of the Global Majority at the center of its mission. Its legacy will endure not only through the ideas it generates, but also through the people and practices that develop around them. ”

After Tunis, BIM’26 will be presented in Venice, Brussels, and London, through Geneva—where it will take over L’Arcade of the Centre d’Art Contemporain Genève, the Léman Express train stations as part of the Mire project, and the Art Genève fair.