Louse the hero

Synopsis

Through a mosaic flashbacks complexes, an old man of the name of Thomas Van Hazebrouck (Louse) apparently remembers the life without glare that it carried out and imagines how the events could have turned differently.

Since the eight years age, Thomas is persuaded - wrongly or rightly - to be exchanged by error with his birth with another baby, his neighbor Alfred Kant. The jealousy re-sifted with regard to this better parcelled out man wasted all its existence to him, sometimes with tragic consequences for its close relations. He only thinks of being avenged and even plans to kill Alfred. However Thomas will find on late more original manner to give a direction to his life.

Comment

Toto the hero is the first feature-length film of fiction of Jaco Van Dormael, which already turned some documentary such as Stade or Imitateur as well as short films ( E pericoloso sporgersi ). Today regarded as “the film event of decade 90” , it is a very great public and critical success and gains many international rewards, of which the Caméra of gold to the Cannes festival.

(Die) the sophisticated construction of Louse the hero , with his flashbacks, its conjugation of truth and the forgeries, its passages ceaseless of subjective to the objective, constitutes a true puzzle, however coherent and controlled. With the wire of criticisms, the most flattering bringings together were considered, such as Cours, Lola, course! , even Citizen Kane . David Lynch, Terry Gilliam or Lars von Trier was also evoked about it.

Beyond the formal merits, the identity interrogation, the reflection on the destroying forces of rancour or the innovative exploration from the point of view of childhood obviously knew to touch many people.

In spite of its success, Jaco Van Dormael does not turn of another feature-length film before the Eighth Day (1996), which will be worth new distinctions to him.

Data sheet

French Title: Louse the hero
Flemish Title: Louse of held
Realization: Jaco Van Dormael
Scenario: Jaco Van Dormael, Laurette Vankeerberghen, Pascal Lonhay, Didier De Neck
Production: Pierre Drouot, Dany Geys for Iblis Films (Brussels)
Music: Pierre Van Dormael
Country: Belgium, France, Germany
Language: French
Format: color; 35 mm
Lasted: 91 minutes
Coming out date: May 1991 (Cannes festival)

Distribution

Michel Bouquet: Thomas (old) and voice of Thomas (adult)
OJ De Backer: Thomas (adult)
Thomas Cup: Thomas (child)
Gisela Uhlen: Evelyne (old)
Mireille Perrier: Evelyne (young woman)
Esthelle Unik: Evelyne (child)
Sandrine Blancke: Alice
Peter Böhlke: Alfred (old)
Didier Ferney: Alfred (adult)
Hugo Harold Harrison: Alfred (child)
Fabienne Loriaux: the mother of Thomas
Klaus Schindler: the father of Thomas
Pascal Duquenne: Célestin (adult)
Karim Moussati: Célestin (child)
Didier De Neck: Mr. Kant
Christine Smeysters: Mrs. Kant
Bouli Lanners: A gangster

Distinctions

1991 : Price Joseph Plate: Better actor (Michel Bouquet), Better actress (Mireille Perrier), Better Belgian realizer (Jaco Van Dormael), Better Belgian film
1991: Cannes festival: Price of the Young public (foreign film) and Camera of gold
1991: European Film Awards: Best Actor (Michel Bouquet); Best Cinematographer (Walther van den Ende); Best Screenwriter (Jaco Van Dormael); Best Young Film (Jaco van Dormael)
1992: BAFTA Film Awards: nomination like Best Film not in the English Language
1992: César of the Better foreign film
1992: Fantasporto (International Fantasy Award Film): Best Film and Best Screenplay for Jaco Van Dormael
1999: Price Joseph Plate: Better scenario Belgian 1984-1999 (Jaco Van Dormael)

See too

Belgian Cinema

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