We had high hopes but once again Oscar won’t land on Belgian soil this year. Film history is written though. Lukas Dhont and his cast and crew have definitely left their mark on Hollywood. Close might not have won the little statue but all the more hearts in cinemas worldwide 🌺🎞
Dear Lukas, Michiel, Angelo, Eden, Gustav & Cie, Belgium could not be more proud of your outstanding ambassadorship through this film. A cinematographic gem to cherish and already a classic.🙌
ArtistCongratz just for that! And a symbolic “screensilver oscar” to go with it. As a token from all viewers, touched by Remi and Leo’s story around the globe. Your very own magnificent once-upon-a-time-in-Hollywood to remember. As in “Everything Everywhere All at Once” 🎞🌺
Ok maybe not all at once 😉 but you will be back 🙌 for more. To be continued.
Which brings us to the ultimate highlight of Oscarnight. This film seems to have it all. Starting by the title. As inspiring as Close, poems might emerge. ArtistCongratz can’t wait to see leading ladies Michelle Yeoh and Jamie Lee Curtis acting their way to Oscar and parallel universes in “Everything, Everywhere, All at Once”
Ke Huy Quan, best actor in a supporting role, gave the most moving speech of the evening honoring his 84 year old mom back home. His story reads like a fairytale. Almost four decades after his role as Short Round along Harrison Ford and Kate Capshaw (Mrs. Steven Spielberg) in Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom, the former child actor wins an Oscar for his role as Waymond in Everything Everywhere All at Once. Congratz !
Which Oscarmovies besides Everything, Everywhere, All at Once, you consider absolute mustsees? Feel free to let us know, we will add them to this list.
These should be on 🔝 , according to ArtistCongratz ⤵️
🎬 Top Gun: Maverick, for obvious reasons, inspiring this years Oscarhost Jimmy Kimmel for a sky high entry 🪂 Lady Gaga performed her latest signature song live at the Dolby theatre
🎬 All Quiet on The Western Front, winning epic war saga, unfortunately all too topical still today
🎬 Women Talking, a revealing story about abused women in an isolated colony, written and directed by Sarah Polley, starring Frances McDormand and Claire Foy, aka the young Queen Elisabeth in The Crown 👑
🎬 The Whale, starring an amazingly transformed Brendan Fraser, best actor in a leading role.
🎬 The Fabelmans, a coming of age drama film by Steven Spielberg, starring Michelle Williams. And the also nominated Judd Hirsch at a dazzling age of 88🙌
🎬Triangle of Sadness: which won the Palme d’or in Cannes
🎬 And Close of course, a moving story about a close friendship between two young boys. From the same director as Girl, Lukas Dhont. His flower run scene will stay with you.🌺
Close, directed by Lukas Dhont, screenplay by Lukas Dhont and Angelo Tijssens. Cast: Eden Dambrinne, Gustav De Waele, Emelie Dequenne, Kevin Janssens…
But from all “women talking” at this years Oscars, the one and only best Actress 👸🏻 in a leading role wins again with this quote ❤️⤵️
“And, Ladies, Don’t let anybody tell you you’re ever passed your prime”
Michelle Yeoh
Prime Rhyme we might add. You might wanna read some poetry in motion, written by yours truly as a tribute to these 95th Oscars.
Say what? Amen to that, & ArtistCongratz Michelle Yeoh!
Starting by Lady Gaga and her most intimate performance, a breath of fresh air at the Oscars. Far from glam, but all the more captivating.🎶
Rihanna was one of the other popicons performing live on Sunday. Lenny Kravitz paid tribute to the legends we lost, after John Travolta’s moving introduction. His way to honour his legendary co-stars Kirstie Alley and Olivia Newton John. Remaining « hopelessly devoted, always »
Composer Volker Bertelmann won the Academy award for best original score in All Quiet On the Western Front. The German Netflix-remake of the original movie (1930) based on the 1929 novel by Erich Maria Remarque is probably the one movie keeping Belgium’s Close from winning the Oscar in the category best foreign film.
And then there was this moment when Hollywood turned into Bollywood 🇮🇳
Prepare for an even greater music hype following this years best Oscarsong. You won’t sit still to Naatu Naatu, it’s too catchy. An instant TikTok-revelation, even before the nomination. The song is from the blockbuster RRR, an entirely fictitious story about two Indian revolutionaries, dancing their way through three hours of spectacle. To be added to our previous wishlist 🎬
Warning for people with social-media-sensitive-epilepsy: This music-act is not TikTok-proof
Oscarmonth is here! Awardseason never sleeps, but March is for keeps! Almost there, Close to the Academy ones. But tonight « Magritte » is calling the filmshots. With Belgian cinema, booming more than ever, Les Magritte du Cinéma are bound to shine even brighter this evening.
And the Award goes to…
Among the nominees are also ArtistCongratz-interviewies Charlotte Vandermeersch, Felix Van Groeningen and Lukas Dhont.
For inside info and creative process of Le Otto Montagne and Close, just scroll back to December.
Both films have been showered with Awards and laudatory press and are still showing in cinema’s across Europe 🎞
But for now, a little less conversation, a little more.. Action please 🎬🎼🕺
The Artists are Red carpetready !
RDV tonight on RTBF (Frenchspeaking Belgian Channel)
What better way to launch our Belgian music week than with a sparkling shower of awards. Including dazzling music performances, « Made in Belgium »
You know what they say, tiny country, huge…talent 😉
Mia’s, short for Music Industry Awards, are our very own Belgian Grammy’s 💿, set up by our national tv-channel VRT and vi.be, Flanders guiding professional platform promoting rising artists. Place to be: Palace 12, just around the corner of our national pride The Atomium.
Artist Max Colombie aka Oscar and the Wolf gave a stunning performance on “🔝 of our national pride”’to kick off the Awardsceremony
On 🔝Oscar and the Wolf
Let’s have a closer look at those winners present, on the rise and confirming internationally. Kicking off by a rising star worldwide. On our watch as well as none other then Dave Grohls. Meet Stefanie Mannaerts ⬇️🥁
Stefanie just won her first MIA (musician) yesterday. Next Friday her band Brutus will play in a sold out legendary Brussels music temple Ancienne Belgique. Paris, Pink Pop, Pukkelpop and Daytona festival are just a few other roaring venues welcoming Stefanie and her band Brutus next. With drums and vocals sounding like a match made in shoegaze-heaven, ArtistCongratz can’t wait to discover “The Brutus Live Experience.” Nice to know: music runs in Stefanies family, her father Walter being a well known composer and her grandfather Leo is the writer of an anthem called…E Viva España.
Fancy blue suit by the way Stefanie, by all means reveal us your stylist;)
But we saw more than one vision in blue this year. Dressed like an Indigo queen, Charlotte Adigéry set fire to her mic and the stage alongside her partner-in-rhyme, Boris Pupul.
Charlotte full force 🎤🦋Haha 🙃 Strike a pose with a vibelike most groovy duo: Charlotte Adigéry and Bolis Pupul. Meeting each other back in 2016 through their work 🎵 for a cultfilm named Belgica, this Ghent based formation manages to transform pure irony into music. As well as many other feelings we all can relate to. Their list of quirky tracks is getting longer and longer. “Thank you, nonono thank youou ;-)” Ceci n’ést pas un cliché indeed 🎵 More high lights coming up after this years Mia’s for best art work (Topical Dancer) and producer (along David and Stephen Dewaele) Selfie by Pauline Slangen 🤳😊
Meet the one and only Real Regi, who wins the Mia for “best Dance”, the muse, on the left;) is vocalist Pauline Slangen, discovered in Regi’s own talent hunt “Regi Academy »
Regi’s music touch has been around for decades now and still continues to influence generations 🎵Now this is an icon you all must know. Leading Lady of Vaya Con Dios, recall Just a Friend of Mine, Heading For a Fall, Puerto Rico, and so many more hits worldwide. Dani Klein was handed a well deserved Lifetime Achievement Award. In her Thank you speech she did not forget her two legendary founding co members Dirk Schoufs and Willy Willy🎸And then there’s this adorable border breaking artist of course. All maestro’s, please make way for Stromae! He now holds the record with 20(!) Mia’s Twenty Mia’s and counting…“ArtistCongratz to all winners, nominees and performers 👏” pics Een, by Jokko
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We might be a tiny country but our filmmakers sure know how to touch audiences worldwide. Let’s seal our busy blogyear in absolute beauty with a directorstalk and a unique cinema-experience.
Christmasmonth also means releasemonth for “Le Otto Montagne” all over Europe, including Belgium, homecountry to the couple who brings the Italian bestseller novel to the big screen in a very poetic way.
Enjoy an exclusive chat about a making of like no other, with both Felix Van Groeningen and Charlotte Vandermeersch.
AC: Eventhough neither of you spoke Italian before this production, you never got lost in translating the book by Paolo Cognetti to the silver screen. ArtistCongratz just for that! And for the Juryprize in Cannes by the way 😉
Charlotte: Thank you, yes, that was quite the challenge. While we were writing the script we realised; ok, in ten months we start shooting; we really need to start learning this language (laughs). And so we went for it. The first big challenge were the castings in Rome. We speeded up the process with grammar books and on line courses. The necessity was high as we started to work on our script in Italian.
Felix: Practical exercise always works.
Charlotte: And before you know it, you start trying to say things. With Luca Marinelli & Alessandro Borghi we could talk in English, but that was not the case with everyone in the cast. At first it was a bit embarrassing but we learned very quickly.
AC: Belgian cinema is booming. Amazing productions share the international limelight, do you see this as an advantage?
Charlotte: Well, our film is a bit different because it’s an Italian, Belgian and French co-production. We see it as an Italian Belgian marriage in the best way. It’s a beautiful collaboration. There is room for every project.Everything which is good will find an audience.
AC: This was your first directing experience as a couple, is this the first of many experiences behind the camera?
Felix: We already worked together in different art forms. As director and actress of course but also as writers. We even made a song together🎵
AC: and you have a production company together named after your son Rufus…
Charlotte: He came first (laughs)
Felix: Charlotte has always been there on the sidelines, watching versions, cuts of movies, she was always there. This has been an extremely intense collaboration but we don’t know yet what will follow next. We surely won’t make the next one together but Charlotte is shooting some things and she wants to write some music. And I want to start acting…
AC: Now there’s an interesting challenge …
Charlotte: Indeed
Felix: No I’m joking
Charlotte: Watch out what you’re saying! (Laughter)
AC: Do you see yourself directing solo in the future?
Charlotte: Why not. I think I could try that out. I would just have to find that story I really believe in. This experience taught me so much. But it’s a whole different thing to do it by yourself. There’s a lot of learning still to do. I know I have some qualities and some things that I should develop more. Because It’s a big job to be a director. But no one ’s perfect at every aspect of it. There are so many to this job.
AC: What do you feel you have to develop for instance?
Charlotte: The oversight of what you’re shooting when you’re shooting it. Priorities, keeping track of time. A practical way of thinking (doing what you have to within a certain timerange, within the budget.)
This is not what I needed to develop so much for this movie because Felix was really on top of all that. But it scared me sometimes, thinking I could never do this but maybe I could after all…
Felix: Of course you can.
Charlotte: It’s something that needs to develop, with a clear mind and some good old common sense. Thinking in a clear way what you’re doing and how much time you have to do it.
AC: Tell us about your first acquaintance with “Le Otto Montagne”📖
Felix: The story crossed my path several times actually. Some people had tipped me, “maybe this is something for you…” I got a call from the production company in Italy. They pitched me this project. I get quite a lot of similar calls and it’s not the way I usually work but there was something about the way this was coming to me. I knew I had to check it out. So I started to read and… completely fell in love.
Maybe it started a bit slowly but halfway through I was already very moved and I realized why people had talked to me about it. Yet for reasons they couldn’t have known. By the end of the book, I was just completely devastated.
From the beginning Paolo Cognetti was part of the creative process of our project
Felix Van Groeningen
AC: Did it help that this was not your first adaptation like The Broken Circle Breakdown or De Helaasheid der Dingen?
Felix: I guess it did. But every project is different. We felt from the beginning that this was going to work for bothCharlotte and me.
Some books take more time to crack. Before you jump into it, you need some figuring out…
Felix Van Groeningen
AC What stands out is the unbreakable bond between two friends in this coming of age story. They even build a mountainhouse together…is this what struck you most?
Felix: It’s everything, it ’s the father-son story, it’s the mountains, definitely the friendship, the very pure essence of it all. Their characters are absolutely very pure and simple and non cynical and that is really important for me.
AC: A wonderful story indeed. You must have heard that a lot in Cannes…
Felix: The most beautiful feedback comes from people who are very open having been through something that touched them very deeply.
AC: Le Otto Montagne allows the viewer to read between the lines…
Charlotte: Sometimes the main characters loose track of each other for years and what happens in between, we discover along the way.
“An organic process”
Felix: Ruben (Impens, cinematographer ed. note) and I, we have been working together for over twenty years. We’re not the biggest talkers. Sometimes it’s weird to be with us…for the third person (laughs) being Charlotte in this case. We work together in a very organic way.
AC: You finish each other’s sentences?
Charlotte laughs and adds “they don’t use sentences…”
Felix: No apparently some people think we talk in the same manner. Sometimes we don’t talk a lot and just spend time together and show each other things to try out.
Charlotte: It’s a strange process if you don’t really know it. But now I can look back and see how they work. It’s a pretty organic process. They understand each other in some way. They’d be just silent for an hour and a half, looking on the internet for an image they want for a film.
I ask myself, would it be the same for me with someone else? Or different? I’m curious to discover that. Who is my D.O.P. (director of photography ed;) who understands me without speaking?
Felix: As for Ruben and I, ideas become clear as we’re working…we’re not the loudest shouters. But we are constantly diving in, discovering, being open to the others…being open to chance…
Charlotte: Ideas are very sensitive in the beginning. They can easily be overthrown. So when you launch an idea and make a list with basic ones, someone might put something in there that you already think “nah… ain’t gonna work” but you just give it a chance.💡
That’s the creative process. It’s really nice to honour every idea, as a possibility. Organically.
Charlotte Vandermeersch
AC. We obviously will also read the novel one day 😉 but are there any major differences between the book and the film?
Charlotte: Major, no, because we really stuck to the story. Where the book is in the mind of Pietro, he’s the eye let’s say…in the film you jump from past to present.
To challenge and surprise the viewer you don’t serve it all on a silver platter.
Charlotte Vandermeersch
You really demand something and suggest passing in time and things that might have happened in between.Bits of life, and times shoots forward. Never go back, that’s a choice in editing.
In other movies Felix has jumped a lot back and forth in time in a very intuitive way, like the broken circlebut for this film, there was a very clear choice not to do that. But rather to just go on. And there’s no breaking of that rule…because life is like that. Or rather our experience of life is like that. We don’t know if life on earth is like that actually. It’s a philosophical question.
But you do things consequently. So the viewer really starts feeling there is no going back. Besides the voice over filling in some thoughts. But that’s the only libertywe took in the film.
The symbolic of the eight mountains is something Pietro picks up in the east somewhere but actually the author made it up. But it must be based on some Tibetan symbols. You know these kinds of circles like a pie, cut in pieces with a center? All of these symbols you have in Nepal. And the writer really loves to go there.
The metaphor works really well because it actually makes sense, this idea of the eight mountains and the center.
Charlotte Vandermeersch
In between directors 🎬
In January Felix and Charlottes awardwinning picture will be presented at the iconic Sundancefestival for independent movies in Parkcity Utah.
🎬
This interview took place on the same day the Filminstitute shares the magnificent news that the best film of all times is a Belgian cult classic from the seventies. Great to see that so many years later Belgian cinema is playing such an important role on a global scale.
Like Lukas Dhont and Angelo Tijssens (Close), Robin Pront (Zillion), Charlotte and Felix definitely have left their mark on 2022 🎞 🏆
Back in May, velvet carpets of the iconic Cannes filmfestival almost turned black and yellow besides red. Next in line? Oscartime!
But first treat yourself and your significant others to a special Christmas present and be moved by “le Otto Montagne” in theatres all over the country. Make sure to bring your kleenex. You will need it 🥺😍
Congratz by the way to the late Chantal Ackerman, director of “Jeanne Dielman, 23, quai du commerce 1080 Bruxelles”, which will also be shown in cinemas again after being awarded best film of all times.
Who doesn’t like it cosy when winter approaches. And some storytelling through jazzy vibes from a brand-new Belgian album to go with it. Thank you Don Marsh to treat us to your debut called Marshland!🎼
Congratz first of all! Must be exciting to release your firstborn in front of a live audience 🙌By now there have been quite a few occasions to play. Tell us how that went.
Yes very excited indeed! We played some small try-out concerts before, but it’s the first time for me leading the band for a bigger audience.
We played a few outdoor festivals & some clubs, which made me realize again how different the music comes across in those settings. Because of the broad stylistic palette there is not one ideal concert experience, but I look forward to playing in medium-size halls with some more natural reverberation which will be great for the chamber-likemusic we play.
Anyway, it’s a real blessing to play my own music with these great musicians. It’s something that I have been looking forward to for a long time.
We’re also curious what the rhythm section has to say. How are they involved in the creation process for instance?
Our bass player Janos Bruneel has written some compositions for the group, so that’s an obvious contribution. On rehearsals he often pinpoints weak spots in my compositions and he helps to think about arrangements. His clear lines bring a direction to the music that is really helpful for keeping the whole thing together. This direction is important as the music often shifts between composition and improvisation, and it can be hard to keep track of the bigger structure that I want to convey.
Picture by Jonas Commere
Our drummer Matthias is more pragmatic. He will try to understand what I want the music to say and make his contributions along the way. Matthias has a very broad taste and that’s something you can hear in his playing. He can be a supportive player, adding colors, but there are enough moments where he takes the front stage as an improviser too.
Can you tell us about the first bricks of this record? Which track came first and triggered all the others?
Not all compositions are linked to each other. Some pieces were written years ago (Very Late & ILVM I-II), when we first started playing with the band as a quartet. Somewhat later – when I was very much into the music of Mingus- I wrote some swinging pieces (Rhytmicus & Bermuda). This was when I really heard an extra horn in my head, so I got the idea to add at trumpet to the group, which offered more arranging possibilities. The idea for the sonata came later. I already wrote the track “Dawn” without having the intention of making it part of a multi-movement work. It was clearly a different side of my musical identity, one that I wanted to explore more.
The mentioning of the name Beethoven in the bio kind of stayed with us…What exactly inspires you within this classic grandmaster?
During the covid- lockdown, I got a little bit discouraged playing jazz and improvising. For me, the most important aspect of this music is the rhythmic interaction with other musicians, and with that absent I just wanted to play aesthetically pleasing music. I was drawn to classical repertoire and especially the Beethoven sonata’s.
What I like about this music so much is the intricate architecture and the storytelling on a bigger scale, which is rarely present in jazz. It made me wonder if I could combine this kind of narrative with my own musical language.
Wouter Van den Broeck, pianist/composer and founder of the acoustic quintet Don Marsh V
Don Marsh V in complete line up
There were a lot of challenges, for example as how to find spots for improvisation and spontaneity, but in the end I’m quite happy with the result. It’s still a work in progress however. My understanding of Beethoven’s music and the sonata form is still basic and I will probably never perform any of the sonata’s for an audience. But that’s part of the fun for me, having this new world to discover.
Other music heroes who made you grow as artists?
Most of my influences are Black American artists. My first hero was Ray Charles. Oscar Peterson was a big reference for swing feel and a meticulous execution. Bud Powell was the blueprint for my bebop language, I like his ‘in the moment’- playing and raw energy. I love Mingus for his use of form and the historical awareness in his music.There are countless others of course..
What can we expect from don Marsh V in the months ahead? And 2023?
We are finishing the first part of our tour in October. In November me & my wife are expecting our first child, so I didn’t plan any concerts then. We start playing again in February 2023. We hope to play some summer festivals and I would like to start writing a second album, probably expanding on the idea of this ‘jazz sonata’. Maybe I would like to add other musicians, but we have to see if it’s doable.
What would you say to convince new (international) potential listeners and audiences To come and check you out live?
The band consists of some of the finest improvisational talent Belgium has to offer. I already talked about the rhythm section, but the horn section alone would be enough to attract curious music- fans. Saxophonist Warre Van de Putte is the youngster of the group and still a well- hidden secret in the Belgian scene. He has incredible technique and imagination and he plays with a maturity far beyond his years. Jean-Paul Estiévenart on the trumpet is a fantastic player at home in lot’s of different musical styles. He just released a record with the ensemble ‘Il Gardellino’, playing music of J.S. Bach. You should definitely check that out as well!
In What kind of ways you are able to promote a debut album? Do you feel you get enough support from organisations?
I contacted label manager Joshua Dellaert from Solidude records for the release of the album. He helped to get me some financial support from Sabam for Culture (Belgian supportsystem for creators ed. note), which gave me the opportunity to work with promotor Bram Moony (Vermeersch). He’s doing a fine job bringing the music to a broader audience, but of course it’s not an easy task these days. Budgets are tighter than ever, concert spots are scarce and there is a growing pool of excellent musicians who are eager to bring their project to the limelight. I’m aware that my music is not the next ‘hip thing’ and that it’s not for a niche audience, but I just want to make music that makes me feel good. Honesty to oneself is the most important thing in the long run I think.
Marshland is released by Solidude Records.
Discover Don Marsh V live in Belgium on these dates⬇️
Where a disco-king once met a pornguru, way back in 199-something, emerged a place-to-be, rarely seen before. To have actually witnessed this, for working purposes we might add, ArtistCongratz could hardly wait to discover the film that tells the story behind the “late” but not less mythical, Antwerp based dance-dome, named Zillion.
Director Robin Pront 🇧🇪 seems pleased about one thing when it’s our turn to fire away questions about the making of.
“Finally someone who actually went to the real place. (laughs)”
AC: ☺️ Backstage, during artist-interviews, I particularly remember the python. Seeing it in the movie brought back memories. I recall touching it, while wrapped around a dancer I was talking to. It felt pretty cold. I presume it’s not the original one, starring in the movie;-)?
Robin: No it’s not actually, if I’m not mistaking they had to put down the original snake. Or it went to the zoo.
Without revealing too much, you did come up with a great idea for a cameo that also features the snake…
Robin: That was fun indeed!
AC: But first things first. Congratz! This could be a blockbuster in the making. Zillion tells a story, known beyond our borders. Any plans to distribute abroad?
Robin: I’ve just finished the movie (Robins third ed.d) this week. But I showed it to my agent in the US and they seem really happy with it, so I think that’s all starting right now.
AC: Exciting. To be continued. “Zillion” is filmed very close to the characters, you want to make this your trademark as a filmmaker?
Robin: Not particularly.But I really wanted to make this a film for a broad audience.
The kind my friends from back home would want to go see with their girlfriend. That dictated the style, I wanted it to be like this big roller coaster ride. Fasten your seatbelts. My first film “The Ardennes” was a little more clinical. This feels warmer. I tried to bring the energy of the nightlife to the big screen.
AC: Outsiders might wonder what’s true and what’s fiction? You want to maintain the mystery?
Robin: I’m sure a fantastic Netflix-documentary about Zillion can be made in the future. But that was not my goal. I tried to tell the story of its founder Frank Verstraeten. What defines him as a person and as a character. Of course I touched some subjects that really happened. But I felt it would be kind of boring for me just to tell what actually happened.
AC: This film makes painfully clear how work, friendship, love and betrayal can be connected.
Robin: Yes but mostly the “fake” of it all. I feel like these people were kind of “put” together. In a different world this smalltown computernerd would never even meet the most beautiful girl in Belgium. But because of who he is, he makes it happen. Later on, it becomes clear that they’re not meant to be.
AC: Although early on in the film it seems like they are, even if it were just for a brief moment. As in a timecapsule. Robin: I understand what you’re saying and that’s what I also try to capture and picture. But I feel like these are such unusual circumstances. If this guy had never been to a night-club, he would never even have met her. Overall, the story is about a very unlikely set of characters joining each other. And yes, although opposites attract, they are more alike, which also shows in the film.
AC: Those scenes of Frank in the watertank, so eccentric but mesmerising. Scubadivers do come up with the wildest ideas 😉
Robin:That’s a true story. What you see is real, he actually had such a tank in his appartment. That’s where he came up with most of his ideas. That’s just who Frank Verstraeten is, very unpredictable. He doesn’t think like you and me. You never know what he’ll do next.
Intrigued? Go see Zillion 🎬. The notorious night-club and its founder Frank Verstraeten are known to have caused a lot of controverse. But they also conquered the nightlife way beyond the Antwerp of the roaring nineties. Then and there, “nothing seemed impossible”. A baseline you will remember, after seeing a story that seems out-of-this-world, now masterfully filmed. Prepare for a frenzy roller coaster with more surprises that ‘ll make you wonder if they are fict. or fact. “I did my research” Robin delicately adds but for now we’ll keep up the suspense…
From A to Z, you might want to see this film a zillion times. This is the merit of Robin, his co-screenwriter Kevin Meul as well as their outstanding crew and cast.
Jonas Vermeulen, also a gifted writer and actor on stage, incarnates Zillion-boss Frank Verstraeten. Charlotte Timmers plays his love interest. Matteo Simoni will glue you to the screen as Franks fratello/frenemy Dennis Black Magic. He transforms into the spitting image of the real DBM.
“Ons moeke (mummy ed.d)”, as Jonas ‘alias’ Frank refers to his mother, turns out to be a very inspirational character. A stunning performance by Barbara Sarafian. We’ll grant you one quote from her character that sticks.
“If you don’t want people to look down on you, make sure they look up to you”.
And this is just the first of a zillion spot-on one liners”🎞
Our personal favourite:
“If you want to catch an asshole, you have to become one” 🐍
Fasten your seatbelts🎢
Without Corona, Zillion would have come out two years ago. However, a day before shooting, lockdown came. That must have been pretty frustrating for everyone involved in the project.
But a director like Robin, ironically also shooting his series “Lockdown” while in lockdown, keeps his cool at all times.
“What are you gonna do about it. When I was a kid, I was very negative, but I managed to turn that around.”
Robin Pront
“A blank page”
Why Robin casted Jonas to play Frank Verstraeten:
Three reasons. For starters, I really wanted “a blank page”, someone the general audience didn’t really know. Plus I needed someone with a specific posture.
But the most important one: I needed a great actor. Jonas combining all of the above, made him the obvious choice for the part.
Robin Pront
This might be his breakthrough on the silver screen indeed.🤞”
Like Robin we were also blown away by Jonas’ acting- and writer-skills in Belgian theatres throughout the country. One piece we particularly remember from a few years back is called “The Only Way Is Up” 🎭
This title could turn out to be prophetic. Stay tuned for another exclusive AC-rediscovers-Zillion-chat. With Jonas, about his leading role in the movie that might bring broad audiences back to cinemas, and more.
Zillion, in Belgian cinemas on October 2️⃣6️⃣, eyes AND ears are in for a treat, the amazing soundtrack was written by Goose-drummer Bert Libeert 👏
Actors in the picture
Robin about Matteo Simoni as Dennis Black Magic⤵️
“In real life Dennis Black Magic seems a figure “kind of out of this world”. But you still have to make him human. And that’s what Matteo did so well.”
Robin Pront
He’s funny, charming, but also a little bit dangerous. I couldn’t be happier with the way he played the part.
“The female power in Zillion”
AC: Another interesting character is Franks mother. A courageous lady, a driving force and inspiring performance by Barbara Sarafian.
Robin: Thank you, Zillion being almost a macho story, full of testosteron, I feel like the female part is equally if not more important.
“I really want to do them justice. When people say they like the female part, that really makes me proud.”
Robin about his leading “Zillion🎞ladies”
The scene that stayed with us, when Barbara’s character is (mis)taken for the cleaning lady was one of the first scenes written… Jonas and Barbara earlier worked together for the In Flanders Fields television series. Glad that she’s my filmmother now yes, dixit her newfound son-on-screen⤵️.
👸🏻
From scubadivinglessons to breathtaking scenes”
AC: Congratz on your performance Jonas! Breathtaking at times. A roller coaster indeed, did you have to dig deep for this role? Jonas: Thank you, yes, the preparation required a few things. But I was very lucky that “my character” was willing to cooperate. After sharing stories and anekdotes for the script, I got involved after the first version was written.We went to dinner a few times and I was able to ask him my own questions.Seeing him talk to people and how he behaved, the way he talked and moved helped me prepare for the role. Discovering what kind of person he is; not a typical guy, he has his own kind of logic rules and values.I understand people get easily fascinated by him. What was really helpful, was the amount of actual Zillion-footage. The building being no longer there indeed adds up to the myth.
AC: This might be your breakthrough on the big screen. Are you prepared? Jonas: (Laughs) not really, I just try to have as much fun as possible. Telling the story and playing the character was really fun. It was a pleasure to work closely with both Matteo and Charlotte because we all know each other pretty well. I really felt surrounded by friends. This is an ambitious project, with a big set. Especially for a Belgian film. Feeling you’re realising it with close friends is encouraging. A real journey, a trip for us to make…
AC:That journey also included “scuba diving lessons” as the real Frank often, dove in his watertank to come up with crazy ideas… Jonas: Yes, I went to a pool (a little deeper then required for the scenes and took some lessons)… I had to figure out the breathing through the octopus. And the clearing of the ears and stuff.
AC:Do you think you might take it one step further? Jonas: The scuba diving? Yes, I think so . I love it, yeah. I didn’t get to go scuba dive somewhere else after the shoot but I really loved it so who knows…
🤿🤿
You can also see Jonas live on stage. He’s actually playing “The Sheep Song” of FC Bergman.
From motion pictures to graphic novels and comics, it’s not even such a giant step. Stories are told in many ways. ArtistCongratz likes to hop on and off different art forms anyway.
But always with the same goal, lifting national gems beyond Belgian borders, welcoming internationals inside.
Station of the day is Breda, The Netherlands 🇳🇱, just across the Belgian border. Breda is the Hometown of a huge Festival of Comic books and therefor a perfect gathering of some of the finest draftsmen/craftsmen of our low lands.
Scroll through our Special Photogallery with awardwinning artists and their backgroundstories. Congratz to all of them! They will want you to discover more. Guaranteed.
ArtistCongratz to Joris Mertens! And the prettiest prize, this work of art by last year’s winner Judith Vanistendael 👌 Joris’ second graphic novel “Bleekwater” is now labeled “best comic 2022”
This gem on paper (available in Dutch and in French, English might follow) just won the prize named after Willy Vandersteen, spiritual father of the iconic Belgian comic “ Suske & Wiske”Mertens’ first book “Beatrice” also was awarded. Both books are published by Oogachtend, Belgian publishing house with finesse for this genre 📖📚Young talent in the making can never be awarded too early. Special Congratz for Joris from Chris Vandersteen, daughter of the late comic icon, which the prize is named after Could’nt resist a Selfie with Spider-Man”Nice reunion with former awardwinners Gerben Valkema and Eric Hercules, they won the prize a few years ago in Antwerp with their comic “Elsje”, she’s one fierce little lady making history to discover 👍⤵️“Lucky me, Last in line”, to get a personalized “Elsje” 🍀📚Making a little comic of my own, featuring Gerben Valkema & Eric Hercules 💭💬🎈#cameoforthewriters ✌️🤘☝️#always
At Filmfest Ghent, it’s come as Close as it can get. Tonight is “Homerun-night” for “Close”.
This refined Belgian motion picture just might be our next production to make it to the stage of the Dolby Theatre on March 12th 2023.🍒
But let’s not get too far ahead. ArtistCongratz discovered the film in an exclusive preview just yesterday.
The only way to capture completely what it was that touched so many filmhearts in Cannes last Spring. And will touch many more in the months to come.
Writing a review that does this gem justice is not an easy task, but certainly not too much to ask.
ArtistCongratz has made an ultimate wishlist why you absolutely should go see this movie📩
1. Director Lukas Dhont and screenwriter Angelo Tijssens tell a story that concerns us all.
2. Close is close in more ways then one. Be prepared to be glued to the screen.
3. In this film cinema meets visual arts and poetry in all its simplicity 🌺 some things are left unspoken. But the director understands the art of making the viewer read between the lines.
4. The acting performances of the entire cast are stunning. Eden Dambrinne plays the leading role like a pro, although this is his debut. AC would like to invent him a nickname: #Silverscreenblender with eyes like a reindeer.
5. One of the most moving breaking-scenes in a supporting role is played by one of our Belgian fetisj actors, Kevin Janssens.
6. Every school and every student should go see this film and by that we don’t mean just filmstudents.
7. Leo & Remi’s “flower run” will become legendary.
8. This is not only queercinema at its best. Close is cinema at its closest to closure after devastating events.
9. Be able to say you saw it even before it was nominated for an Oscar.
10. Although it will also touch you on TV, this film is made for the big screen. The cinematography is mindblowing.
Close is a Lumière-production. Directed by Lukas Dhont. Written by Lukas Dhont and Angelo Tijssens. Cast: Eden Dambrinne (Leo), Gustav De Waele (Remi), Igor Van Dessel (Charlie), Emilie Dequenne (Sophie), Léa Drucker (Nathalie), Kevin Janssens (Peter).
When a visual artist feels he has become a writer. That’s exactly where ArtistCongratz has to come in. And so should you.
Coming to Belgium this September? Don’t visit the captivating city of Antwerp without stopping by Fred & Ferry gallery to discover these giant “narratives on panel” by Antoine Waterkeyn. Discover yourself what is actually painted and what’s not…
Maybe you might even be as lucky as your editor and get a private exhibition tour by the artist himself🧑🏻🎨 including the story behind his story, called “Ein bisschen Goethe, ein bisschen Bonaparte”. ⬇️
Detail of one particular work of the series “Abstraction and figuration come together”“Time and space are of the essence in which the iridescent paint used, plays a significant role” Antoine explains “Different light always reveals something new inside the painting”ArtistCongratz, always pleased to see young arttalent like Antoine thrive and develop. Picture by Eva Dobbels (Fred&Ferry gallery)In the building where he has his studio, Antoine gathered ladders🪜 Also covered in opaque and iridescent paint and “stripped of their symbolism” they now play a significant part in the narrative of the exposition.Our personal favourite 👌
To who might find the name Waterkeyn familiar sounding; yes, your hunch is correct. André Waterkeyn, architect of our national pride; The Atomium🇧🇪, is Antoines great uncle.
Sooner or later, those ties might inspire Antoine for future work. Artistcongratz can’t wait to discover more of this promising young artist who also will be presenting new work at Art Brussels in March 2023.
Ein bisschen Goethe, Ein bisschen Bonaparte can be visited till October 8. At Fred & Ferry Gallery, Leopoldplaats 12, 2nd floor, Antwerp, Belgium https://fredferry.com
Our shimmering long hot summer holds the best of several artist worlds. Since ArtistCongratz likes to go where no “outsider” has gone before 😉 and the temperatures are way too high to spend your time at the beach or in town we have something special in store for you this August. Although some might not cool down completely…
Let’s move from tunes to «cartoons»
First of all; did you know that lot’s of world famous cartoon characters have Belgian spiritual fathers?
Hergé & Tintin, Morris & Lucky Luke, Peyo & his Smurfs, just to name a few. But today we would like you to discover our best sold comic book series in the country.
If you are on holiday at our seaboard, you can get acquainted with our most famous comic family. By all means, don’t leave without meeting Flanders favourite “de Kiekeboes” who are celebrating their 45th anniversary with this expo.
Place to be is the cutest little coast town of Wenduine, where you and your entire family can discover the exposition “De Kiekeboes” for free. It’s also in this adorable place that creator Merho made a lot of adventures of the family come to life.
Still not convinced? No worries, You will be after passing through our photogallery⤵️
Let’s start with the starlet of these Fab Four; Fanny is the daughter of Marcel Kiekeboe. You definitely don’t have to understand Flemish to notice her euhm “appealing look” which is “hot and cool at the same time”Even Peyo’s Smurfs can’t seem to resist Fanny’s undeniable charm 🥰Surrounded by a proud dad and an early Fanny-admirer Books within books, the universe of “De Kiekeboes” is full of surprises, quibbles and winks to other existing figures.🍺A joint-venture with famous Belgian beers 👉Cheers!🍻Fanny even makes it to the cover of a celebrity magazine. Which cartoon character is able to say that 💬😊😇The comic has been around for four decades but founding father Merho manages to keep renewing and innovating the world of his characters. It works like a charm in this bestseller.From beach to book and in reverse 👙🏖☀️“TOP RODDEL”, as in “ Top Gossip” The household magazine, read by the familyFanny’s brother, The boy planting the flag on the sandcastle, is called Constantinopel. He tends to come up with the smartest ideas 💡in critical situationsThe exposition also highlights the early years of the comic, starting in 1977 in the Belgian newspaper “Het Laatste Nieuws »📰Finally a look on the entire family including cool mom CharlotteWant to get to know him? Two options; Buy an album and learn some Dutch in the process or visit the Expo “Lang zullen ze leven” (long they shall live), open to public till the 28th of August. Highly recommended by ArtistCongratz. And by all means Congratz to the jubilees 4️⃣5️⃣and their founding father Merho🥂
ArtistCongratz 