Belgium assumes the Presidency of the European Union from July till December 2010,and in celebration of this position, is partnering with the American Cinematheque to present “Grit and Whimsy”, a series showcasing six recent films to come out of Belgium, every third Wednesday, from July through December 2010. The line-up includes top-notch films that range from buoyant to heavy-hitting, such as the breathtaking thriller DOSSIER K, the coming-of-age comedy PRIVATE LESSONS, the delightful romp THE OVER THE HILL BAND, and the dramatic ANGEL AT SEA. Belgium’s submission to the Best Foreign Language Film of the 2011 Academy Awards and a surprise movie in December will be on the program as well.
Moscow Belgium
(2008, 102 min.)
Dir. Christophe Van Rompaey. After a minor fender bender in a parking lot, Matty (Barbara Sarafian) is taken aback when truck-driver Johnny (Jurgen Delnaet) who dented her car arrives at her doorstep a few days later. Though Matty is a mother of three and in the midst of an almost-finalized divorce, she finds herself weirdly drawn to the much younger and bizarrely impulsive Johnny. A terrific dramatic comedy about incompatible romance.
Official selection and the recipient of numerous awards at the Semaine de la Critique, Cannes 2008.
We asked Mr. Geert Criel, Consul General of Belgium in Los Angeles about sponsors and supporters of the Recent Belgium Cinema screening series: “We are lucky to have the following sponsors for this series: the Ministry of Foreign Affairs in Brussels, on the occasion of the Belgian Presidency of the European Union in the second half of 2010; the film commissions in Belgium, Flanders Image and Wallonie-Bruxelles International, which actively participated in setting up the series and selecting the movies; European Languages and Movies in America (ELMA), a Santa Monica based nonprofit organization dedicated to showcasing European movies; and Latis Imports representing Palm Breweries, Belgium’s largest independent brewery and the maker of PALM, in the United States. Last but not least, I would like to thank the American Cinematheque, as always a stimulating and exciting partner in film adventures.”