A Brussels selection for the 22nd session of screen.brussels
The 22st screen.brussels session invested around €1 million in the production of 14 projects, which should lead to returns of more than €8 million in audiovisual spending in the Brussels-Capital Region. The selected projects included seven live-action feature films, six documentaries, and one animation series. Here is a look at the selection.
7 live-action feature films
BXL
Feature film produced by Potemkino (Brussels) with Versus production (Liège) directed and written by Ish and Monir Ait Hamou (Flandres and Brussels). Brothers Miloud, 26, and Fouad, 12, unexpectedly get a dream opportunity to escape their difficult lives in Molenbeek. But in this place, where the terrorist attacks in Paris and Brussels have left tangible traces, opportunities change direction faster than expected. The entire filming and post-production phase of the project - 30 and 150 days respectively - will take place in Brussels. In all, eleven technicians will be mobilised, including 4 department heads, while service providers The Pack and Sonhouse (Koekelberg) will assist with image and sound post-production, and Eye-lite and KGS (Schaerbeek) with grip rental. This live-action feature film is a pure Brussels product, directed and produced by a made-in-Brussels team, right down to its title.
De l’art ou du Machond ?
Feature film produced by Artémis Productions (Schaerbeek) and Le bureau films (France), directed and written by Stefan Liberski (Brussels). A series of setbacks cuts short the career of conceptual painter Jean-Yves Machond. He decides to leave Brussels and his job as a teacher to settle in Étretat, the cradle of Impressionism. He is determined to find inspiration there in order to present to the world his greatest masterpiece, which will finally earn him glory and eternal recognition. The problem is that he only has an idea of the concept...with Bagnole (Gustave Kervern), a fun-loving figurative painter whose naive and warm nature will bring Jean-Yves out of his torpor, and the ‘charming’ Cécile de Mauprès (Camille Cottin), the manipulative gallery owner who will interfere with his concentration, his encounters with the local people will prove decisive in accomplishing his project. Reality happens when we bump into each other... Half of the filming (15/30 days) and almost all of the post-production (313/389 days) will take place in Brussels. The team, led by the Brussels-based director, will be made up of around forty Brussels-based technicians, including 3 department heads. The project will rely on the expertise of Eye-lite and KGS (Schaerbeek) for camera, electro and grip equipment, Citizen ciné services (Anderlecht) for technical equipment, Studio l'Équipe (Evere), Backstage (Schaerbeek) and Benuts (Ixelles) for post-production and VFX. Stefan Liberski, who has already scored a number of successes including Tokyo Fiancée and Bunker Paradise, has returned to directing with a comedy featuring a colourful cast: Benoît Poelvoorde, Gustave Kervern, Camille Cottin, Laurence Bibot and François Damiens.
La vocation
Feature film produced by Wrong Men (Saint-Gilles) and Serendipity (Flandres) directed and written by Guérin Vandevorst (Brussels) et Sophie Muselle (Brussels). Determined and idealistic Alexia, 25, arrives as a trainee nurse in the closed ward of a psychiatric hospital, where she meets Joëlle, the head nurse, who shows her the ropes, and Beline, a 20-year-old patient, who thinks that she should not be there. Despite Joëlle's warnings that she should keep her distance from the patients, Alexia grows close to Beline and puts all her efforts in trying to get her out. After La Part sauvage, Guérin Vandevorst is back with a new feature film in association with Sophie Muselle, a playwright and psychologist whose experience of psychiatric care has been an integral part of the project from the outset. A dozen technicians, including 3 other department heads, have been added to the production team, along with service providers Eye-Lite and KGS (Schaerbeek) for cameras, grip equipment and lighting, Audiosense (Evere) for sound equipment, Cobalt (Bruxelles-Ville) for the image laboratory, 10.80 (Molenbeek) for editing and Studio l'Équipe (Evere) for sound editing and mixing. The film will be shot entirely in Brussels (30 days), notably in an empty wing of the Titeca psychiatric hospital.) The project will be entirely post-produced in Brussels (120 days). The film will also feature actors from Brussels, including Mara Taquin (Rien à foutre, La petite, Fils de) and Hamza Essaoulouh (Les chroniques du Charbon).
L’enfant bélier
Feature film produced by Frakas (Wallonia) and Production des Années lumière (Canada) directed by Marta Bergman (Brussels) who co-wrote the script with Ely Chevillot, Camille Mol and Sacha Frebus (Brussels) Sara and Adam have arrived in Belgium illegally with their two-year-old daughter, hoping to reach England. Crammed into the back of a van, their fear seems to outweigh their hope. Redouane has been a cop for 20 years. Every night, he and his team hunt down human smugglers. That night, as the police car tries to stop the van suspected of transporting migrants, everything changes. For her second feature film after Seule à mon mariage, the director is once again bringing along a team of some forty technicians from Brussels, including 2 department heads, and will be shooting half of the film in Brussels (15/28 days), where the plot is set. Post-production will also be partly carried out in Brussels (63/145 days) and the project will draw on the expertise of KGS (Schaerbeek) for cameras, electro and grip equipment, Citizen ciné services (Anderlecht) for technical equipment, PS ma sœur (Uccle) and Studio l'Équipe (Evere) for post-synchronisation, Alea Jacta (Saint-Gilles) for image editing, Benuts (Ixelles) for VFX and SLM Media (Uccle) for audio description. On camera, the cast included familiar faces from Brussels such Lucie Debay (Augure, Le syndrome des amours passées, Une vie démente) alongside Salim Kechiouche, Nathalie Issa and Abdel Alsewah (France).
Mexico 1986
Feature film produced by Need Production (Uccle), Menuetto (Flanders) and Tripode Productions (France), directed and written by César Diaz (Brussels) who received la Caméra d’or at the Cannes Film Festival in 2019 for the movie Nuestras Madres. It is 1986. Maria, a Guatemalan revolutionary militant, has been exiled in Mexico City for years, where she continues her political activism. When her 10-year-old son comes to live with her and she loses her mother and her husband, she will have to make the difficult choice between being a mother and being an activist. While most of the filming for the project will take place in Guatemala City, most of the post-production will be done in Brussels, with 347/452 days. The team includes a dozen technicians from Brussels, including 4 department heads, and the support of service providers such as Eye-lite (Evere) for camera and lighting equipment, Studio l'Équipe (Evere) for sound effects, Rec n'Roll (Schaerbeek) for dubbing, Studio Dada (Schaerbeek) for music recording, Be digital (Ixelles) for VFX and Les Trois font la paire and Stempel (Anderlecht) for sound equipment, the laboratory and post-production. Bérenice Bejo (Coupez!, Le bonheur des uns..., Le passé, The Artist) will play the lead role of the mother.
Temps mort
Feature film produced by Néon Rouge (Brussels-City), Tact Production (France) and Karekezi Film Production (Rwanda), directed by Jonas D’Adeski (Brussels) and written by Laurie Bost (France). Lia, a Franco-Rwandan, is in the twilight of her career as a professional basketball player in Belgium. One day, the coach of the Rwandan team selects her to join the African championship. She leaves for Rwanda, where she has not returned since she fled the genocide at age nine. This trip will remind her of a painful past, but will profoundly change her life. The film's action takes place between Brussels and Rwanda, so naturally the cameras will be on location for 50/70 days and all post-production (136 days) will be done in Brussels. Half a dozen technicians from Brussels - including 4 department heads - will be on the job. They will be assisted by All in (Bruxelles-Ville) for editing, Toast (Ixelles) for image equipment, L'Enclume animation (Molenbeek) for the animation studio, Charbon Cinéma (Forest) for the laboratory and colour grading, Alea Jacta (Saint-Gilles) for sound editing, La Notte (Ixelles) for mixing, TSF Belgique (Schaerbeek) and Citizen Ciné Service (Anderlecht) for rental of image and technical equipment. The lead roles will be played by Sonia Rolland, actress, director and former Miss France of Rwandan origin (Ils ont échangé mon enfant, Un destin, Lea Parker, Tropiques criminels, etc.).
Têtes brûlées
Feature film produced by 10.80 films (Molenbeek) together with Quetzalcoatl (Flanders), directed and written by Maja Ajmia Yde Zellama. Eya, a 12-year-old fan of rap and dance, has a close relationship with her brother Younès, who is 10 years older. She spends her days with him and his friends, whom she admires very much. One day, Younès suddenly dies in unclear yet crime-related circumstances. Eya is faced with the arduous task of surviving this intense and culturally codified period of mourning. Accompanied by her creativity, resilience, and the friends of her late brother, she will have to find her own way to accept this new reality. For this very personal project, which takes place in the streets of Anderlecht - the director's home district - the 15 days of filming and 150 days of post-production will be carried out entirely there. Maja Ajmia Yde Zellam will bring along a team of 12 Brussels-based technicians, including 3 department heads, and will rely on the experience of Brussels-based service providers such as Lites (Saint-Gilles) for the rental of camera equipment, Studio l'Équipe (Evere) for sound post-production, Alea Jacta (Saint-Gilles) for sound editing and Lux Postproduction (Bruxelles-Ville) for image editing. The cast is also very urban and Brussels-based.
6 documentaires
De laatste joodse zomer
Feature documentary coproduced by Altitude 100 (Saint-Gilles), Quetzalcoatl (Flanders) and De Productie (The Netherlands) directed and written by Thom Vander Beken (Brussels). In the summer of 1942, Jews in Antwerp were arrested and deported en masse. Eighty years later, a group of sixth-year pupils from a super diverse school in Antwerp meet with some surviving relatives of the Jewish families who were deported. They also meet the sons and grandsons of the men involved in the raids. For too long, we have been silent about our collective responsibility for what went wrong that summer. What can we learn from that past today? The entire post-production of the documentary (80 days) will take place in Brussels, with a team of 6 Brussels-based technicians and 5 department heads. The service providers include Alea Jacta (Saint-Gilles) for sound post-production, Lites (Saint-Gilles) for rental of cameras, Empire Digital (Schaerbeek) for rental of sound equipment and Lux Postproduction (Brussels-City) for image post-production.
Enfant de divorce
Feature documentary produced by Luna Blue film (Saint-Gilles), directed and written by Thomas Damas (Brussels). In Feature documentary produced by family disputes, the Belgian justice system can decide to hold meetings between children and a parent who has lost custody of them. Every two weeks, children and adults meet for an hour in a neutral, conflict-free meeting space, in the hopes of potentially restoring family balance one day. While following a number of these meetings over a period of several months, Enfant de Divorce questions the impact that these spaces have on children. When a schism seems to separate children from their parents, is it really possible to rebuild that bond? In addition to the director, the project team will include half a dozen technicians from Brussels, including 4 department heads. Post-production of the documentary will take place entirely in Brussels (63 days). The companies Cobalt Films (Brussels-City) for colour-grading, Sysinfor (Saint-Gilles) for sound/image editing and mixing, and Tv Connections for the cameras will also be involved.
Monstres de poussière
Feature documentary produced by Luna Blue film (Saint-Gilles), directed and written by Nina Marissiaux (Brussels). How does one stay alive when everything seems to push us to die? Former homeless people tell us about the difficulties of reintegrating into society and the gaping wounds that living on the street has caused. The film reveals the violence and incomprehension of an entire system towards these invisible people. With 3 days of shooting (out of 20) but all post-production (110 days) in Brussels, this documentary will rely on the work of 13 technicians from Brussels, including 4 department heads, and on the experience of Stempel (Anderlecht) in the laboratory, Sysinfor (Saint-Gilles) in editing, Cobalt (Bruxelles-Ville) in colour-grading, La Notte (Ixelles) in the sound studio, Eye-lite (Schaerbeek) in the camera equipment and Axis One (Evere).
Orlando
Feature documentary produced by Altitude 100 production (Saint-Gilles), Supermouche productions (France) and Les productions du verger (Brussels), directed and written by Joachim Thôme (Brussels). Part adventure story, part philosophical tale, the film takes viewers on a journey through the extraordinary period that was the Renaissance, in the footsteps of the intriguing Orlando di Lasso and the mysteries that surround his story. Behind the impassive portrait of this musician, considered today to be the greatest European composer of the sixteenth century, hides a flamboyant and rebellious character who, throughout his entire life, had to contend with the perilous shadows of the powerful. For this feature documentary, some of the filming will take place in Brussels (10/12 days), where all the post-production will take place (28 days). The team includes around fifteen technicians from Brussels, including 4 department heads, as well as service providers Eye-lite (Schaerbeek) for lighting equipment, Lites (Saint-Gilles) for rental of camera equipment, Audiomania (Schaerbeek) for sound equipment, KGS (Schaerbeek) and TV Connection (Bruxelles-Ville) for grip equipment and Alea Jacta (1060) for editing and sound studio.
Patients : histoire de vie
Documentary series of 4x52 min produced by Ka visuel (Schaerbeek), directed by Philippe Rigot (Brussels) based on an original idea by Boris Portnoy (Brussels). A four-part documentary series that follows the daily lives of several people fighting a long-term organic disease. By following their day-to-day lives and medical journeys, we will try to understand the questions patients ask themselves, and what their fears and hopes are in the face of this illness. We will also explore how the disease impacts their daily, family and professional lives. Through the stories of these ‘life experts’, we present a thought-provoking and engaging series. Half of the filming will take place in Brussels (44/88 days), notably in the Saint-Luc and Bordet hospitals. All post-production (116 days) will take place in Brussels. The team will include 5 technicians from Brussels, including 3 department heads.
Puisque je suis née
Feature documentary produced by R&R productions (Brussels-City), Scope Pictures (Brussels) and R&R Productions Maroc (Morocco), directed and written by Jawad Rhalib (Brussels). Izza Zahra refuses to submit to the diktats of the men in her village. She will fight to be the first girl in her douar to continue her studies beyond secondary school. With a valiant heart, she embarks on a veritable uphill battle. For her, school is a real opportunity for her to realise her dreams, leave poverty behind and have a better life than her parents did. Izza dreams of becoming a botanist, but it is not enough to dream to succeed. For this documentary shot in Morocco, all post-production will take place in Brussels (190 days), and the team will include 5 Brussels-based technicians, including 3 department heads. Service providers AGeNT (Schaerbeek) will assist with the sound studio, R&R (Brussels-City) with editing, and SLM Média (Uccle) with the post-production studio.
One animation series
Jean-Michel Super Caribou, Saison 2
Second season for this 52x11min animated series co-produced by Panique! (Saint-Gilles), Kaibou (Canada) and Autour de Minuit (France), again directed by Mathieu Auvray and Pauline Pinson (France). The adaptation of the famous comic strip by Magali Le Huche (France) is carried out by an armada of French scriptwriters. Welcome to the lovely town of Vlalbonvent! Its town hall, post office and coffee shop are sure to delight you. Be sure to come visit us as Jean-Michel, the super woodland caribou, watches over the village like Superman over Metropolis. There is nothing to be afraid of - as long as you don't count the inhabitants of Vlalbonvent, each of whom is more surprising than the last. Already supported by the fund for its first season, this animated series project will strengthen the reputation of Brussels Animation Valley, which consists of half a dozen Brussels-based technicians and the support of Piste Rouge (Forest) for sound post-production and Cobalt Film (Brussels-City) for colour-grading.
A majority of Brussels talent behind the projects
To carry out these selected projects, 14 of the 17 directors are from Brussels, namely Monir Ait Hamou (BXL), Stefan Liberski (De l’art ou du mâchond), Jonas D’Adesky (Temps Mort), Guérin Vandevorst et Sophie Muselle (La vocation), Marta Bergman (L’enfant bélier), César Diaz (Mexico 1986), Maja Ajmia Yde Zellama (Têtes brûlées), Thom Vander Beken (De Laatste Joodse Zomer), Thomas Damas (Enfant de divorce), Nina Marissiaux (Monstres de poussière), Joachim Thôme (Orlando), Philippe Rigot (Patients : histoire de vie), Jawad Rhalib (Puisque je suis née). Among these 17 people, there are 5 women: Sophie Muselle, Nina Marissiaux, Marta Begman, Maja Ajmia Yde Zellama déjà citées, et Pauline Pinson (Jean-Michel, Super Caribou) .
Almost all produced in Brussels, and the majority in Belgium
Of the 14 projects, 13 are produced by a company from Brussels : 10.80 film (Têtes brûlées) Altitude 100 (De Laatste joodse zomer et Orlando), Artémis production (De l’art ou du mâchond), Ka visuel (Patients : histoire de vie), Luna blue Film (Monstres de poussière et Enfant de divorce), Need production (Mexico 1986), Néon Rouge (Temps mort), Panique !(Jean-Michel, super caribou), Potemkino (BXL), R&R production (Puisque je suis née) et Wrong Men (La vocation). With the exception of the animation series Jean-Michel, Super Caribou, all the projects (13 out of 14) are productions with a Belgian majority.
Documentaries in the spotlight
Almost half of the projects are documentaries (series or feature films), i.e. 6 out of the 14: De Laatste Joodse Zomer, Enfant de divorce, Monstres de poussière, Orlando, Patients : une histoire de vie, Puisque je suis née.
Significant returns for Brussels’ economy
By investing €999.500 in the 14 projects selected during this 22st session, more than €8 million of spending was generated to support the Brussels audiovisual sector, in the form of wages and orders for local businesses. In other words, the returns for the Brussels economy will be €8 per euro invested.