19/12/2012 - Two films "made in Belgium" are out this week: Joel Vanhoebrouck's Brasserie Romantiek as well as Renner, Patar, and Aubier's Ernest & Celestine

While Studio 100 last week released its annual Christmas film package for a young audience, Ernest & Célestine [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Benjamin Renner, Vincent Pa…
film profile], a more traditional film anchored in the Belgian public's imagination, is out this week. While the film was scripted by Daniel Pennac and directed by young French filmmaker Benjamin Renner, its production team called on two Belgian animation film experts to support the project and blow a little Belgian spirit into it. Patar and Aubier thus distanced themselves a little from the wild universe that usually characterises them to put their expertise to the service of the gentler, lighter universe of the film's little mouse and large bear. The animation film is set to benefit from a great national release, both in Flanders and in Wallonia, as Cinéart has distributed it to a great combination of 36 cinemas. One can expect it to be a hit like it has been in France where it was released last week by Studio Canal, attracting over 50,000 cinema-goers on its opening night and looking set for continued success.

As for Kinepolis, it has launch its end-of-the-year offensive with Joel Vanhoebrouck's well-titled romantic comedy Brasserie Romantiek(photo), a film that should draw in a young crowd. Le film is the latest in a genre that does well in Flanders, an ensemble film based on a good cast made up of Bekende Vlaming (lit. "Well-known Flemish [actors]") previously seen in successful television series. The screenplay (penned by Jean-Claude Van Rijckeghem, who also wrote Oxygen [+see also:
trailer
film profile] and Moscow, Belgium [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile]), follows the refined gallantries of half a dozen couples in a starlit restaurant, on the evening of Valentine's Day. Produced by A Private View (Jean-Claude Van Rijckeghem and Dries Phlypo's company), and co-produced by Artemis Productions, Brasserie Romantiek, launched on 35 copies in Flanders only, should make a last minute contribution to box office results for Belgian films in 2012.

(Translated from French)