As we all know, the guidelines for the decision of Wallimage’s Board of Directors are economical criteria, more particularly the audiovisual expenses incurred in Wallonia by the productions awarded support to. But things have changed drastically in the movie world, in which so-called “arthouse” and “industrial” cinema used to be seen as opposite sides of the spectrum. Proof of this? While they remained truer than ever to their mission of developing the audiovisual sector as given to them by the Walloon government, our directors chose 4 movies by 4 big names! See for yourself: Lucas Belvaux, Eric Emmanuel Schmitt, Stijn Coninx and… Ken Loach! As if this wasn’t enough, they also added to this list a future big name, Bernard Bellefroid who is an author with a very strong interior universe, and whose first feature film, La Régate will be produced by a new duo: Artémis in Brussels and Compagnie Cinématographique Européenne in Tinlot. Another new thing in regard to Walloon production: Eric Emmanuel Schmitt’s second feature will be taken care of by Olivier Rausin and Bruno Metzger, who just set up Oscar Films. Oscar? Not for love of the famous statues (even though…) but because it’s an adaptation of his mega bestseller Oscar et la Dame en Rose (Oscar and the Lady in Pink) the writer, who recently became Belgian, is working on. Last revolution for the night: the biopic Stijn Coninx is making about Soeur Sourire will be produced in Wallonia by Films de la Passerelle, a company thus far mostly known for the excellent work they do for documentary productions. Les Ateliers de Baere, as often in association with Entre Chien et Loup and Agat Films, show us Rapt, a screenplay Lucas Belvaux was inspired for by the kidnapping of Baron Empain. And last but not least, les Films du Fleuve of the Dardenne Brothers who brought us Costa Gavras a few years ago, are this time co-producing Looking for Eric, Ken Loach’s newest movie, with our help!
