Archive of films Blue Bird / Blue Bird

Belgium
2011, 86 min

Section: Another View
Year: 2011

Blue Bird is loosely based on the stage play of the same name by Maurice Maeterlinck. One morning Bafiokadié and his sister Téné leave their village to find their lost blue bird before the day is over. The film’s appeal comes from a combination of its visual components and its spontaneous, amateur performances.

Synopsis

Blue Bird is loosely based on the stage play of the same name by Maurice Maeterlinck. Although the protagonists are still two children, the director set the story in Africa, specifically in Togo. One morning Bafiokadié and his sister Téné leave their village to find their lost blue bird before the day is over. But they find much more along the way – they meet their dead grandparents, fight with the Soul of the Forest, and get invaluable advice from the Chief of Pleasure. On their path to maturity they lose their bird but gain understanding. The highly stylized movie adaptation is no less original. Its magic and appeal come from a combination of its visual components (the film is presented in supercinemascope and tinged blue) and the lively, spontaneous, amateur performances by the two children and the other players. In connection with the film, director Van den Berghe remarked that "a day is a life.”

About the director

Gust Van den Berghe (b. 1985) is a multi-talented Belgian artist. He began dancing at a very early age, and performed with Praga Khan, the Royal Ballet of Flanders, and Marc Bogaerts, as well as in several plays. He then studied at the School of Audiovisual Art of Brussels. He has shot several short films (My Daddy and Me; Cut, both 2006; On the Surface, 2007) and documentaries (cum*SHOT and Les Petits Rois, both 2007; Tegenpolen, 2008). This year, like his feature debut Little Baby Jesus of Flandr (En waar de sterre bleef stille staan, 2010), Blue Bird was presented at Cannes in the Directors’ Fortnight section. The director is now writing another script for a feature, the final installment of his triptych.

Contacts

Coproduction Office
24, rue Lamartine, 750 09, Paris
France
Tel: +33 156 026 000
Fax: +33 156 026 001
E-mail: [email protected]
www: www.coproductionoffice.eu

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About the film

Color, DCP

Section:	Another View

Director:	Gust Van den Berghe
Screenplay:	Gust Van den Berghe podle divadelní hry / based on the stage play by Maurice Maeterlinck
Dir. of Photography:	Hans Bruch Jr.
Music:	Alexander Zhikarev, Michel Bisceglia
Editor:	David Verdurme
Producer:	Tomas Leyers
Production:	Minds Meet
Cast:	Bafiokadié Potey, Téné Potey, Ayekem Narisse, N’Dah Dodji
Contact:	Coproduction Office

www:	www.bluebirdfilm.eu

Guests

Gust Van den Berghe

Film Director