The coproduction between Belgium, The Netherlands and Bulgaria, with participation of Nina Nikolina and Valentin Ganev, will compete in the world's oldest film festival "Orizzonti" programme
King of the Belgians, the fourth feature film by Peter Brosens and Jessica Woodworth, wich was shot last year almost entirely in Bulgaria, will have its world premiere as part of the Orizzonti Competition at the 73rd International Film Festival of Venice which takes place from August 31st until September 10th 2016.
The International Film Festival of Venice is the oldest film festival in the world and, together with Cannes and Berlin, one of the three most important filmfestival. Peter Brosens and Jessica Woodworth started with their film Khadak (winner of the 2006 Lion of the Future in Venice in 2006) followed by Altiplano (Selection of Critic’s Week in Cannes in 2009) and The Fifth Season (International Competition in Venice in 2012) and are now continuing their successful festival trail with King of the Belgians.
Nicolas III is on a state visit in Istanbul when Wallonia, Belgium’s southern half declares its independence. The King must return to save his kingdom. But a powerful solar storm distrusts all telecommunication and air traffic. The King and his entourage are now stuck in Istanbul. With the help of a British filmmaker they manage to escape from Turkey, incognito among a group of Bulgarian singers. Thus begins an odyssey through the Balkans in which the King discovers real life and himself.
Main actors are the royal Peter Van den Begin, Titus De Voogdt, Lucie Debay and Bruno Georis. Among other actors are Pieter van der Houwen and Goran Radaković. Valentin Ganev plays the role of Deputy Head of Turkish Security and Nina Nikolina is a Bulgarian folk singer from a small village and wins the heart of the King of Belgians. The singers in the folklore ensemble, participating in the film, are selected from the most famous Bulgarian choirs - like "Misteriata na bulgarskite glasove / The Mystery Of The Bulgarian Voices", "Filip Kutev Ensemble" and "Slavey quartet". Director of Photography is Ton Peters, Production Designer is Sabia Christova, Costumes - Eka Bichinashvili (Bulgaria), Director of Sound is Michel Schöpping and the editor is David Verdurme.
“It's an honor to represent Belgium once again in Venice, this time with a road movie in which an unlikely Belgian delegation loses its way in the Balkans", says Jessica Woodworth.
King of the Belgians is a production of Bo Films in coproduction with Entre Chien et Loup (Belgium), Topkapi Films (The Netherlands) and Art Fest (Bulgaria). Pamela Leu of Be for Films represents the film internationally. The film received support from the Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF), Flanders Image, Netherlands Film Fund, Netherlands Film Production Incentive, Eurimages, Bulgarian National Film Center, Centre du Cinéma et de l’Audiovisuel de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles, Screen Flanders, Belgian Federal Government Tax Shelter, Casa Kafka Pictures, Casa Kafka Pictures Movie Tax Shelter empowered by Belfius and the Media Programme of the European Union.
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