- Title: BELGIUM/FILM LOCATIONS: 26TH INTERNATIONAL FLANDERS FILM FESTIVAL IN GHENT
- Date: 16th October 1999
- Summary: GHENT, BELGIUM, (OCTOBER 16 1999) (RTV - ACCESS ALL) (SOUNDBITE) (English) MIKE FIGGIS SAYING: "I'm dealing with text that to me is highly confrontational, a new experience and so to approach it is really exciting because it really is something new and fresh to me and because I'm not immersed in that culture, in that theatre tradition and I have no desire to sort of expan
- Embargoed: 31st October 1999 12:00
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- Location: GHENT, FLANDERS, BELGIUM AND VARIOUS FILM LOCATIONS
- Country: Belgium
- Reuters ID: LVAD2CHM4U0GZ6R009UAONE2OQN
- Story Text: From movies shot in remote regions of the Himalayas to top US blockbuster films, this year's 26th International Flanders Film Festival was an eclectic mix of offerings.Top film directors, such as Sydney Pollack and Mike Figgis, saw the curtain come down on the Belgium fest's unconventional combination of cinematic styles and doctrines in the city of Ghent on Saturday night (October 16).
The 26th International Film Festival came to a dramatic close on Sunday with a showing of some wildly assorted movies, ranging from US glitz to a visually stunning film called 'Himalaya'.
'Himalaya' was shot over nine months on location in Tibet, with a cast entirely made up of non-professional actors.But that didn't stop the movie from scooping the Grand Prize of best movie, and a jubilant Eric Valli, who directed the film was presented with the award by North American film-maker Sydney Pollack.
Valli says: "There is no star in it.There is no professional actor in it.Everything is shot on location.
There is no special effect, so it's a film which is very different from anything you can see on the big screen these days.I didn't realise that the film would touch people so well, and it was my goal to touch people.You make films or you make books -why?- because you want to build a bridge in between people.You want to make them understand one another, and it seems it's working so its very, very encouraging."
The movie also won a special jury award for its haunting musical score, composed by Bruno Coulais.No easy achievement with the main theme of this year's Ghent festival being the impact music has on cinema.
'Himalya', which also won an audience prize, was screened alongside some top international films, such as Mike Figgis' movie 'Miss Julie'.'Miss Julie' had its international premiere in Ghent, attended by both Figgis and his female lead Saffron Burrows, who plays the daughter of a wealthy count, the title role.The movie is based on August Strindberg's theatre play also called 'Miss Julie'.The sexually fraught film centres on the relationship between Julie and Jean, her father's groom, played by Peter Mullan, best known for his role in Ken Loach's, 'My Name Is Joe'.
Burrows said the only challenge she had working with her co-star Mullan was vertical.
Burrows: "I'd like to make every film with Peter Mullan, he's amazing.I was very fortunate because I'd had a similar experience on the level of generosity from an actor, Albert Finney is very much the same way, just in terms of working with people in a very equal way and being very open and being sort of willing to make mistakes and Peter, I felt with Peter that he's such an extraordinary actor that when I had to meet him on the first day for the read through for so many reasons I was incredibly nervous, one was height so I did a lot of sitting down that day and leaning against walls and things and one of the first things he said was, you know Saff, I like this height difference and I was so relieved because a lot of male actors just look at me and run a mile because I am quite tall.Peter seemed to like it."
It was a busy day for Sydney Pollack as the festival closed with the European premiere of his film 'Random Hearts', after he awarded Valli with the Grand Prize.'Random Hearts' stars Harrison Ford and Kristin Scott Thomas in a rollar coast ride of emotions.The director admitted the movie was his hardest to make.
The jury, which included Christopher Lee, Amanda Plummer and Belgian director-producer Marion Hansel gave the best director prize to Solveig Anspach for his movie 'Haut Les Coeurs'.Rachel Portman also won the best music award for her musical composition in Lynne Ramsay's critically acclaimed 'Ratcatcher'. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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