04/03/2005

The Brussells International Fantastic Film Festival in Belgium, is probably one of the most prestigious event of its kind in Europe. This fun event, open to all, is quite a party ; the final night will even consist in a giant Ball of Vampires and a (very serious) make-up competition. So don’t miss the 23th edition of the BIFFF (11th-26th March).

In International Competition we find some interesting Japanese items, as, for example, Marebito by Takashi Shimizu (who made Ju-On 1, 2, 3... (and the The Grudge for it american version produced by Sam Raimi) and the brothers Pang’s latest work, Abnormal Beauty. As for Europeans, some of the most awaited films are the French and Belgian co-production Trouble [+see also:
film review
interview: Harry Cleven - director of …
interview: Harry Cleven
film profile], by Harry Cleven (Grand Prix in Gérardmer 2005), and the Italian and Spanish (Deaplaneta Producciones) co-production Hypnos, by David Carreras.

In response to Asian ghosts and American bloodbaths, Méliès, European Film Competition has quite an intriguing program, including Nuit Noire, a first HD feature for Olivier Smolders, the Belgian poet of the flesh, Innocence, Lucile Hadziha’s second feature, the Italian It’s already Yesterday by Guilio Manfred, a proud remake of Grounghog Day , Hotel by the Austrian Jessica Hausner, presented at Cannes in the selection Un Certain Regard, Andrew Goth’s second film (after Everybody Loves Sunshine ), Cold and Dark, and Creep [+see also:
trailer
film profile], Christopher Smith’s first full-length feature coproduced by England and Germany, the story of Alice in a ghost underground, a box office hit in UK.

In the thriller section, we find Return to sender by the Swedish Bill August and wait for Soundless by Mennan Yapo (the latest production by X Filme Creative Pool, who produced Tom Tykwer’s Run, Lola, Run and Wolfgang Becker’s Goodbye Lenin !). There will also be a series of retrospectives, especially one on the Polish director Wojeiech Has (author of the beautiful Le manuscrit trouvé à Saragosse and of La Clépsydre). The event includes more than a hundred films, many famous guests, such as Dario Argento who is also bringing his latest film, Do you like Hitchcock ?, the first of a series of 8 movies Rai ordered as a tribute to the great master of thriller (a co-production involving Carlo Bixio Production with Genesis Motion Pictures and Spain) ; Alex de la Iglesia will come with Ferpect Crime, the funny and ironic story of an archetypical Spanish macho confronted with an ugly but tough girl. The American Paul Schrader will also be present for the premiere of his version of The Exorcist. Another couple of really crazy movies should not be overlooked : 7th Orbit, and the awesome French feature Dancing by Patrick-Mario Bernard, Xavier Brillat, and Pierre Trividic.

With Cinergie.be

(Translated from French)