Belgian diversity at Hamburg
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From September 25-October 2, the Hamburg Film Festival will present eight Belgian (co)productions. This strong Belgian presence is a nod to the theme of this year’s festival: "Diversity and unity ", a possible motto for a reconciled Belgium. Either way, German audiences will be able to see Belgian cinema in all its diversity, both Francophone and Flemish.
In the section Agenda 08, a rich programme dedicated to the major trends of world cinema, there are three Flemish films. Among them, the third feature film by Geoffrey Enthoven, Happy Together, a low-budget project. The film is one of the "episodes" of the second season of Faits Divers, an initiative launched at the Vlaams Audiovisueel Fonds (VAF) and backed by VTM. Enthoven came to attention directing The Only One [trailer], an episode of the first season of Faits Divers.
Another title of note is Nowhere Man by Patrice Toye, returning to the big screen after a 10-year absence, backed by the VAF and the Film Centre of the French Community of Belgium. Jan Verheyen will be in Hamburg on two fronts: his Los, released last week, will screen in Agenda 08, while Vermist [trailer] features in the sidebar Eurovisuell, which offers seven European blockbusters.
Francophone Belgium will be present in the section Voilà!, which will offer the best of French-speaking cinema, with the successful Eldorado [trailer], as well as the latest documentary by Patric Jean, D'un mur à l'autre, which has done well in festivals, especially the latest Visions du Réel.
Lastly, the Belgian presence will also be felt in the European co-productions Johnny Mad Dog by Jean-Stéphane Sauvaire and Les Dents de la Nuit by Stephen Cafiero and Vincent Lobelle.
Aurore Engelen
cineuropa.org