Four projects will make Brussels shine on the Croisette
From 17 to 28 May will the Festival de Cannes celebrate the Cinema for this 2022 edition. Once again, several projects supported by screen.brussels will make the talents #madeinbrussels shine in various competitions: artists, directors, actors, crew and producers. Find out more about the selected projects:
Tori et Lokita
In official compétition, will de famous 'frères Dardenne' run for yet another Golden Palm. "Today in Belgium, a young boy and a teenage girl who’ve arrived alone from Africa pit their unbreakable friendship against the cruel conditions of their exile". The film is produced by Les Films du Fleuve (Liège) with Savage Films (Flanders) and Archipel 35 (Paris).Most of the post-production will take place in Brussels at Boxon (Ixelles). The cast will include several actors who have appeared in previous Dardenne brothers’ films such as Baptiste Sornin (Les apparences, Two Days, One Night, Losers Revolution), Marc Zinga (The Unknown Girl, The Mercy of the Jungle,) and Claire Bodson (Young Ahmed).
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Rebel
The film will be presented as part of the official selection for a Midnight screening. Rebel is the latest project of the duo Adil El Arbi and Billal Fallah, back from the USA and their Hollywood projects (Bad Boys for Life and Batgirl). "After his father’s death, Nassim, a 13 year old Moroccan boy from Molenbeek, is looking for an identity. His mother Leila anxiously tries to keep him away from his older local gangster brother, Karim. At this young age Nassim needs to decide what the rest of his life will look like." Produced by Beluga Tree (Brussels), Caviar Antwerp (Flanders) and Calach Films (Luxembourg), all the post-production and VFX on this project will be done in Brussels at Loom post and Caviar Brussels, while Tanker (Molenbeek) will handle production design. In addition, a dozen or so technicians and actors from Brussels are involved. The cameras will set up for 15 days in Brussels, where part of the story takes place, and have Brussels actors in the main roles.
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Le bleu du caftan
Coproduced by Brussels-based company Velvet Films with Les films du Nouveau Monde (France) and Ali N’Production (Morocco), the film directed by Maryam Touzani is part of the Un Certain Regard competition. "Halim has been married for a long time to Mina, with whom he runs a traditional caftan store in the medina of Salé, in Morocco. The couple has always lived with Halim's secret, his homosexuality, which he has learned to keep quiet. Mina's illness and the arrival of a young apprentice will upset this balance. United in their love, each will help the other face his fears." Brussels-based actress Lubna Azabal has been cast in the leading role, with several other women filling key positions. A prime example is Virginie Surdej, from Brussels, who has already worked with Maryam Touzani on Adam and who, among other accolades, won the Magritte for Best Cinematography in 2018 as director of photography for Insyriated (2017, dir. Philippe Van Leeuw). In all, half a dozen Brussels-based industry names will be working on the project.
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Dalva
As part of the Semaine de la Critique's official selection, Dalva is directed by Emmanuelle Nicot from Brussels, and produced by Hélicotronc (Brussels) with Tripode Production (France). "Dalva is 12 years old but dresses, wears make-up, and thinks of herself as a grown woman. One evening, she is abruptly removed from her father's home. First revolting in total incomprehension, she meets Jayden, a social worker, and Samia, a teenager with a strong character. A new life seems to be opening up for Dalva: the one of a girl of her own age." Many talents from Brussels have worked along the young female director, all the department heads and, all in all, about 40 people.
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Photo credits: REBEL : Setfoto Rebel © Caviar - LE BLEU DU CAFTAN ©Velvet Films - DALVA ©Hélicotronc-Tripode Production - TORI ET LOKITA © Les Films du Fleuve