The programme at Palm Springs International Shortfest has been unveiled, and several francophone Belgian films are part of it.
The international première of Betelgeuse by Bruno Tracq will be part of the “Futureshock” programme in the official selection.
It could be the end. Red supergiant star Betelgeuse is about to die, and the gamma rays from its supernova could wipe out life on earth. Scientific opinion is divided and rumours are spreading. Sarah, a Belgian astrophysicist based in New Mexico, spends her days going over calculations and theories about the explosion of the star. Since her colleague and lover, Elliot, died in a car accident, she’s shut herself away at home to escape the panic attacks that strike as soon as she steps outside her door. Sarah decides it is time to put an end to this impossible situation. But a ghost from the past convinces her to do one last thing: if she is to kill herself, she must do it in the mountains, where she met her lost love. The day arrives. Betelgeuse is about to explode, and Sarah is ready to go out. It could be the beginning.
The film was produced by Wrong Men and supported by the Centre du Cinéma et de l’Audiovisuel de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles.
The international première of Le scénariste by François Paquay has been included in the “Brief Encounters” and “C’est la vie!” programmes in the official selection.
To finish his film, Jonas, a young, ambitious film-maker, accepts the conditions imposed by his producer - to re-work his script with the help of an American scriptwriter: John Loubric, a “great guy”. John will stay at his house for a few days, much to the dissatisfaction of Hélène, Jonas’s wife. One evening, John turns up unexpected...
The film was produced by Take Five and supported by the Centre du Cinéma et de l’Audiovisuel de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles.
Etat d’alerte sa mère! by Sébastien Petretti will get its American première as part of the “Cons & Consequences” programme.
Etat d’alerte sa mère is a surreal comedy which depicts a society where police violence and invasion of privacy has become banal, normal, even tedious. The victims themselves have become used to it. The police too! Everyday the cops are back, and Samy and Mehdi don’t pay much attention to what they do any more, and neither does the viewer. The real question of the film is to find out whether Samy has finally been able to seal the deal on Valentine’s day.
The film was produced by Lovo Films, Abyssal Process, WFA Pictures and Squarefish.
The documentary Ma fille Nora by Jasna Krajinovic will be screened as part of the “Moments that Define Us” programme.
Nora, Samira’s daughter, left for Syria in May 2013. Since then, her mother has been moving heaven and earth to get her to come back home. Ma fille Nora is a letter from Samira to her daughter. It follows Samira, and her fight to stop other young people from leaving too, her journey to the Syrian border, and her painful day to day life, torn between hope and the fear of losing her daughter to the Syrian war.
The film was produced by Dérives asbl and supported by the Centre du Cinéma et de l’Audiovisuel de la Fédération Wallonie-Bruxelles.
Finally, Dem Dem! by Christophe Rolin, Pape Bouname Lopy and Marc Recchia will be shown as part of the “Identity Crisis” programme.
Out fishing one day, Matar discovers a mysterious package on a beach in Dakar. Inside, he finds a passport for a Belgian man of African origin. He decides that he’s going to become just like him.
The film is co-produced by Man’s Films Production and produced by Ciné Banlieue Dakar (co-production: Belgium, Luxembourg, Senegal).
Palm Springs International Shortfest will take place from 20 to 26 June.