EN - Ben is mildly autistic and a sitting duck for the school bullies. He wants to cry out his hurt to his tormentors and all the silent bystanders. Inspired by his mystery girl on the web and fuelled by his signature video game, he takes revenge. In their faces !
FR - Ben est un autiste léger et le souffre-douleur des racailles de l’école. Il veut crier sa douleur à ses persécuteurs et à tous les spectateurs silencieux. Inspiré par la fille mystérieuse du web et par son personnage de jeu vidéo, il prend sa revanche. En plein dans le mille !
Info
| Title | Ben X |
|---|---|
| Original title | Ben X |
| Original version | Dutch |
| Status | Completed |
| Category | Features |
| Year of production | 2007 |
Credits
| Cast | Greg Timmermans, Laura Verlinden, Marijke Pinoy, Pol Goossen, Titus De Voogdt, Maarten Claeyssens |
|---|---|
| Screenplay | Nic Balthazar |
| Editing | Philippe Ravoet |
| Music | Maurice Engelen - Praga Khan |
Technical specs
| Running time film | 90' |
|---|---|
| Release format | High Definition |
| Aspect ratio | 1:1.85 |
| Sound format | Dolby Digital |
| Colour | Colour |
Partners
| Supported by | Flanders Audiovisual Fund, Dutch Film Fund, Media Plus, KFD, Bridge Entertainment Group and Telenet |
|---|
Festivals
2010: European Film Festival (RO) / Cycle of Belgian Film (HRV) / Best of Fest (USA)
Awards
2010: Official Best of Fest Award (Best of Fest)
2009: Winner International Cinema Section (Medcine – Festival de Cinema Médico de Cascais)
2008: Public Prize and Prix du Conseil Général (Festival Espoirs Mulhouse) / Fipresci Prize of the International Filmcritics (Istanbul International Film Festival ) / Heineken Red Star Award (Palm Springs International Film Festival) / Director's and Audience' Choice Awards for Best Foreign Film (Sedona Film Festival ) / Public Prize & Prix du Conseil Général (Wisconsin Film Festival)
2007: Black Pearl Grand Jury Prize for Best Feature Film (Middle East International Film Festival (MEIFF) ) / Grand Prix Las Americas, Public Prize, Ecumenical Jury Prize (Montreal World Film Festival)
Ben X to get Swedish remake
Erik Leijonborg is to direct the Swedish remake of Nic Balthazar's award-winning feature debut, Ben X. Principal photography is set to start on 26 March in the Stockholm region. Balthazar's second feature, Time of My Life, receives its international market premiere this Saturday at the EFM in Berlin.
Ben X won the Grand Prix des Amériques as well as the Audience Award and the Ecumenical Jury Award at the 2007 Montréal World Festival. The film was also the very first to win the Black Pearl at the inaugural Abu Dhabi Film Festival. Besides touring festivals around the globe, including the 2008 edition of Generation 14+ at the Berlinale, Ben X also sold to over 50 territories. Producers of the Swedish make-over are Martin Söder and Tomas Bäckstrom for Eyeworks Film & TV Drama AB. Alex Haridi (Departure, Miss Kicki) adapted the original screenplay written by Balthazar.
Ben X adaptation lauded at Sicily fest
Ben X, Nic Balthazar’s award-winning feature debut, continues to score following its premiere at the World Film Festival of Montréal in 2007. This week, the film received the prestigious Efebo d’Oro at the 33th Film Festival of Agrigento in Sicily (17-21 October). Balthazar is currently working on his second feature, Time Of My Life, which is currently set for a January 2012 release in its home territory.
The Efebo d’Oro, which is awarded to successful book adaptations, has in the past been won by such distinguised international filmmakers as François Truffaut, Claude Lelouch, Giuseppe Tornatore and Manoel de Oliveira. Ben X is based on director Nic Balthazar’s own theatre play and book Niets is alles wat hij zei (Nothing Is All He Said) which, in addition to being adapted for the screen, has also been translated into Italian and published in Italy.
Last edited on 16 April 2012