he prestigious Sitgès Fantastic Film Festival closed on October 20th. And guess what ? Well yes, the most important prizes went to a Wallimage co-production. After the triumph of Innocence at Neuchâtel, Trouble has added a Silver Méliès to the prize it had obtained at Gérardmer. According to Spanish specialists, this makes Trouble the best European fantastic film of the year. (see record)
Harry Cleven’s very clever suspense reminds us of Hitchcock’s films, with a touch of De Palma. For the past 15 years, Dario Argento, and De Palma himself, have been proving that a good starting idea does not make a good film. Such a psychological thriller is balanced by several elements: the mechanics of the screenplay, the mysterious and stressful atmosphere, the actors choice and direction. Its performance throughout the specialised festivals confirms that Trouble succeeds in its threefold mission: it plays with the codes whilst at the same time it manages to surprise the viewer. So yes, let’s admit it, Wallimage is proud to have been associated to this “genre” movie from the beginning, and to have helped a Belgian film discover a territory which, until now, had not be very welcoming to our cinema.
Winning this Silver Méliès gives Trouble the opportunity to enter the race for the Golden Méliès. This prize is given when all the affiliated festivals have chosen their winners. Trouble is fourth to be pre-selected after claustrophobic Descent, strange Danish movie String and The Terror within, adapted from HP Lovecrafts’s universe.
