14/06/2006

Self-financed Belgian-French documentary, Congo na biso opens on Belgian screens today.

Co-written by three directors, Belgium’s Chuck de Liedekerke and France’s Hélène Seingier and Yannick Muller, Congo na biso recounts the first free elections of the Democratic Republic of Congo and "witnesses the awakening of a political conscience. From the awakening of a people who are expecting their country to be given back to them, on the eve of democracy," says co-director de Liedekerke, who, like Seingier, studied political science before getting involved in several humanitarian actions and making his debut feature.

Co-produced with France’s Guyom Corp, Congo na biso is self-produced by La Trap'Productions in collaboration with Belgian national broadcaster RTBF (Radio Télévision Belge de la Communauté Française).

Another Belgian film, distributed by Cinéart on 18 screens, is the second feature by Geoffrey Enthoven, Vidange perdue [+see also:
trailer
film profile] (lit. “Lost Waste”), which was backed by the Vlaams Audiovisueel Fonds (VAF) (see news) and produced by Mariano Vanhoof for Fobic Films.

A tragicomedy, Vidange perdue tells the story of a grumpy and arrogant 80 year-old man who is forced to come to terms with his loneliness (see review on our partner site Cinergie.be). Heading the bill is prolific actor Nand Buyl, who has already starred in 26 features (including The Wedding Party [+see also:
trailer
film profile], When the Tides Comes in, Pauline et Paulette, to name only a few recent films). His co-star is Viviane de Muynck, a well-known theatre actress, who already appeared alongside Buyl in Nora Hoppe’s The Crossing.

Lastly, French feature A Year In My Life [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Daniel Duval, distributed by Belga Film, is the third European production on release this week, with only four new films opening in total.

(Translated from French)