17/09/2003

The new film by Stijn Coninx, Sea of Silence has just been chosen to represent Belgium for the Oscar nominations. It’s the second time that the director has had a film selected to compete at the Oscars, after Daens in 1993. The shortlist of 5 candidates competing for Best Foreign Film will be announced by the Academy Awards on January 27, 2004. Sea of Silence is based on a treatment by Jacqueline Epskamp, and it’s about the relationship between a nine-year-old girl and her father, and is set in a Dutch village, in 1969. The historical events of that period are shown through the eyes of the little girl, who refuses to believe that man has really taken his first steps on the moon. The film was shot in the spring in Amsterdam, Groeningen and Brussels. The main parts are played by Neeltje De Vree, Johanna Ter Steege, Huub Stapel, Anneke Blok and Annet Mahlerbe.

The film is produced by Sophie Schoukens and Jan Roekens (Sophimages - Belgium) together with Els Vandevorst and Ineke Van Wezel (Isabella Films - Holland), Joachim Ortmanns (Lichtblick Film & TV Produktion - Germany) and Peter Aalbaek Jensen (Zentropa Productions - Denmark). Sea of Silence is distributed by Warner Bros and it will be presented at the Gand Festival before being released in cinemas in Belgium and Holland on October 29.

(Translated from French)