The Wall (1998 Belgian film)

The Wall (original title Le Mur) is a 1998 Belgian tragicomedy film, directed by Alain Berliner for the 2000, Seen By... series. The story is a surreal[1] satirical allegory of the bi-lingual problems in Belgium.[2][3]

Le Mur
Directed byAlain Berliner
Written byAlain Berliner
Produced byArte France, Haut et Court
StarringDaniel Hanssens
Pascale Bal
Music byAlain Debaisieux
Release date
18 December 1998.
Running time
65 min.
LanguagesDutch, French

Plot

Belgium, 1999. Albert is a 35-year old Walloon philosopher who works as a Belgian fries salesman. His store is located right on the Belgian language border. He serves his customers in Flanders and bakes his fries in Wallonia. Albert fancies the Flemish woman Wendy. After a new year celebration Albert wakes up and discovers to his horror that overnight a giant wall has been built on the language border, effectively separating Flanders from Wallonia. His store is therefore cut in half. As a citizen of Wallonia he is only able to travel to Flanders by using a visa...

Production

The film was made for the 2000, Seen By... project,[4] initiated by the French company Hout et Court to produce films depicting the approaching turn of the millennium seen from the perspectives of 10 different countries.[5]

Cast
  • Daniel Hanssens: Albert
  • Pascale Bal: Wendy
  • Mil Seghers: Marcel
  • Michael Pas: Stijn
  • Peter Michel: Ivo
  • Damien Gillard: Didier
  • Peter Rouffaer: Fred
  • Harry Cleven: Gréviste
  • Dett Peyskens: Nicole
  • Laurence Bibot: Journalist
  • Daniël Van Avermaet: Negotiator
  • Emile Ringoot: Soldier
  • Bruno Van De Voorde: Flemish man
  • François Lahaye: Walloon woman
  • Julian Cope: Mel
  • Michèle Laroque: The TV announcer

References
  1. Bainbrigge, Susan; Charnley, Joy; Verdier, Caroline (2010). Francographies. ISBN 9781433103483. Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  2. "Critique - Le Mur d'Alain Berliner (Webzine n° 17 - Mai 1998) - Webzine de Cinergie.be". Retrieved 5 April 2016.
  3. "Alain Berliner » Le mur". alainberliner.com. Archived from the original on 2016-04-23.
  4. "Le Mur," Haut et Court, URL accessed 15 August 2016.
  5. Yoram Allon, Del Cullen, Hannah Patterson, Contemporary North American Film Directors: A Wallflower Critical Guide, Wallflower Press, 2002, p. 367.


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