The Wallonia-Brussels Federation Film and Audiovisual Centre is backing new films by Jessica Woodworth and Joachim Lafosse
- The Belgian film centre is throwing its weight behind 70 new projects following its second session of 2023, including Baloji and Laura Wandel’s second feature films
70 projects, of which 27 are fiction feature films, have been chosen by the Film Commission and are set to be supported by the Wallonia-Brussels Federation Film and Audiovisual Centre following the organisation’s second session of 2023.
The most memorable projects among those selected for production aid are Jessica Woodworth and Joachim Lafosse’s upcoming works. The former has just released her latest film, Luka [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Jessica Woodworth
film profile], in Belgium but is currently working on L’Incubatrice, which follows the strange trajectory of a young woman who is hired to maintain another woman’s garden, but who actually finds herself entrusted with a whole other mission. This intriguing story written by Belgian novelists Adeline Dieudonné and Thomas Gunzig, and directed by the American filmmaker living in Belgium, will be produced by Diana Elbaum on behalf of Beluga Tree. Joachim Lafosse, meanwhile, whose latest film Un silence [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Joachim Lafosse
film profile] has just been unveiled in San Sebastian, is due to begin shooting Les Petits Voleurs in the spring, continuing to work with Anton Iffland Stettner and Eva Kuperman of Stenola Productions.
Other especially eye-catching filmmakers supported by this second session include Baloji (whose first feature, Omen [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Baloji
film profile] - which was unveiled in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section where it scooped the New Voice Award - is due for release in November), produced by Wrong Men once again and supported in the writing stage, and Laura Wandel (the author of Playground [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Laura Wandel
film profile], which was also discovered in Cannes’ Un Certain Regard section and which earned itself 7 Magritte awards), who’s also continuing her relationship with her previous partner Dragon Films Productions and who’s receiving support for her feature film’s development. Another movie aided in development comes courtesy of the Macedonian director now living in Brussels Teona Strugar Mitevska (God Exists, Her Name is Petrunya [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Labina Mitevska
interview: Teona Strugar Mitevska
film profile], The Happiest Man in the World [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Teona Strugar Mitevska
film profile]): Mother, which is a fictionalised biopic about Mother Teresa, produced by Entre chien et loup.
Three fiction feature films will also be backed in the production phase: Bérangère Mc Neese, who recently graced the brilliant Arte series Good People as well as the ratings colossus HPI: Haut Potentiel Intellectuel broadcast on TFI, and who scooped the Magritte for Best Short Film in 2020 thanks to Matriochkas, is now working on her first feature film, Filles du ciel, accompanied by Annabella Nezri on behalf of Kwassa Films; Alexe Poukine, who distinguished herself with her remarkable documentary That Which Does Not Kill [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Alexe Poukine
film profile] and with her sensitive short film Palma, will soon begin shooting Kika, which tells the story of a young woman who finds out that she’s pregnant when her partner has just died. The movie is produced by Benoît Roland on behalf of Wrong Men; and, last but not least, Catherine Cosme, who’s leading a dual career as a director and a production designer, will be launching herself into Bagarres, which she co-wrote with Ann Sirot (who has just co-written The (Ex)perience of Love [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Ann Sirot & Raphael Balboni
film profile], currently touring cinemas in Belgium) and which is produced by Julie Esparbes on behalf of Hélicotronc.
The full list of supported projects is available for consultation here.
(Translated from French)
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