Ben X (2007)

De zeventienjarige Ben (Greg Timmermans) duikt in zijn eigen kamer weg in de wereld van de online roleplaying games. Ben lijdt aan het syndroom van Asperger, een vorm van autisme en wordt op school gepest omdat niemand hem begrijpt. Online ontmoet hij regelmatig de mysterieuze Scarlite. Als de pesterijen een triest dieptepunt bereiken kruipt Ben steeds verder terug in zijn schulp. Zijn moeder had al moeite hem te begrijpen maar kan nu helemaal niet tot haar zoon door dringen. Als Scarlite vermoedt dat haar cybervriend in de problemen zit probeert ze wanhopig contact met hem te zoeken maar de vraag is of ze elkaar ooit zullen ontmoeten.

Seventeen-year old Ben (Greg Timmermans) has his own world – role-playing games online. He suffers from Asperger's syndrome, a form of autism and very often bullied at school because no one understands him which is viciously making his life a living hell. His mother seems not capable of understanding him but cannot help him until he asks for it. Online, he regularly meets the mysterious Scarlite but when she suspects that her cyber friend is in a lot of trouble, she desperately tries to contact him and meet each other for real.

BEN X is a well made, superbly acted piece with an emotionally engaging script and an important message. It is for every human to watch and feel. A highly recommendable film from Belgium and the Netherlands based on a true story...

(In DUTCH with ENGLISH subtitles)

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Mauvais Genres (2001)

Bo Ancelin (Robinson Stévenin), jeune homme qui ne se voit, ne se comprend et ne s’habille qu’en femme, tombe amoureux de son nouveau voisin, Johnny (Stéphane Metzger). Mais ce dernier, qui se veut un « dur », n’a que faire de ses avances, auxquelles il ne répond que par le mépris et la méchanceté. Bo est le fils d’un notable poursuivi pour pédophilie. Le policier chargé de l’enquête voudrait bien obtenir son témoignage, qui confirmerait celui qu’il a déjà donné sept ans auparavant, étant enfant, et que la justice avait négligé. Mais une autre affaire vient perturber ce petit monde : des prostituées sont retrouvées assassinées et mutilées, et parmi elles, des amies ou connaissances de Bo. Cette dernière (parlons d’elle au féminin, puisque c’est le souhait du personnage) va passer du rôle de témoin à celui de suspect et même d’enquêteur, cherchant à trouver un fil conducteur dans cette affaire compliquée qui semble prendre ses racines une quinzaine d’années plus tôt.

Bo Ancelin (Robinson Stévenin) is a young man who sees himself as a woman and falls in love with his new neighbour, Johnny (Stéphane Metzger). However, Johnny only reciprocated Bo’s advances with sarcasm and nastiness. On the other hand, Bo is the son of a notable paedophile being investigated by the authorities. They want Bo’s additional testimony to follow up the allegation he made seven years before which was kind of neglected by them. In the meantime, prostitutes are found slaughtered and mutilated, and among them, are friends or acquainted with Bo. This time Bo becomes the prime suspect which he will investigate himself to clear his name and later found out that the scrupulous murders has something to do with an incident that took place fifteen years earlier.

MAUVAIS GENRES also known as BAD GENRES, TRANSFIXED and GENDER BIAS is mainly a serial-killer thriller with minor sub-plots that are somehow related if not directly related to the main story. This Belgian-French offer which is directed well with a fine cast of actors will keep you guessing until the end. It is definitely worth your time.

(In FRENCH with ENGLISH subtitles)

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Wild Side (2004)

La rencontre d'un trio de marginaux, composé d'un soldat "ASC" russe (Mikhail - Edouard Nikitine), d'une prostituée de transsexuel (Stéphanie - Stéphanie Michelini) et d'une prostituée masculine algérienne (Djamel - Yasmine Belmadi), dans le Paris contemporain, et l'amour qui naît entre eux. Leur alliance sera d'autant plus forte qu'elle se déroulera sur fond de clandestinité et de mort...

The meeting of a marginal trio -- Mikhail (Edouard Nikitine), an AWOL Russian soldier; Stéphanie (Stéphanie Michelini), a transsexual prostitute; and Djamel (Yasmine Belmadi), an Algerian hustler -- in contemporary Paris and the powerful love that binds the three of them. Their alliance becomes stronger as it takes place from the depth of a clandestine nature and death...

WILD SIDE is an award-winning dramatic project from France, Belgium and the UK. It is moving and heartbreaking. The lead trio's performances are so natural and (almost) flawless. The direction is great and the cinematography is stunningly beautiful. And... the musical number is the beginning is so arresting that I happen to believe that the idea of that musical ending in Shortbus was derived from it.

(In FRENCH, ENGLISH & RUSSIAN with ENGLISH subtitles)

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