Noticias

Exclusive: Paris-based genre specialist has boarded sales on Belgian black comedy Krump about a down-on-his-luck ex-porn actor who embarks on a seemingly hopeless mission to raise 50,000 euros when his daughter is kidnapped.

The film is the debut feature of French-born, long-time Brussels resident director Cédric Bourgeois after a raft of half a dozen shorts including Laura and Dreamcatchers.

Veteran Belgian actor Jean-Benoit Ugeux stars as the titular Krump who turns to his former acquaintances in the porn world to raise the ransom money in a race against time in the underbelly of Brussels nightlife.

Other cast members include Jean-Jacques Rausin (Death By Death), Babetida Sadjo, stunt woman and actress Barbara Hellemans and Ingrid Heiderscheidt (Employee Of The Month).

Bourgeois and Ugeux, and director Xavier Seron co-wrote the screenplay taking inspiration from the figure of President Donald Trump after he was swept from power in the 2020 elections.

It’s review day and everyone is laughing about what raises and bonuses they’re going to request this year. Nico (Alex Vizorek) jokes about asking for an SUV and money. Why not? It worked for someone else in the past. EcoClean Pro’s manager Patrick (Peter Van den Begin) decided to give his latest intern (Laetitia Mampaka’s Melody) a stack of papers to shred on her first day, so it’s not much of a leap to assume the books have been cooked to allow for such extravagant perks to be passed around. Except, of course, when it comes to the team’s legal expert Inès (Jasmina Douieb). She’s worked here for seventeen years, does the equivalent of five jobs, and still makes the same abysmal salary as day one.

Will this be the year she refuses to leave Patrick’s office without compensation? Director Véronique Jadin...

Kill Me Please

Written by Olias Barco, Virgile Bramly and Stéphane Malandrin

Directed by Olias Barco

France / Belgium, 2010

Other than abortion, no issue provokes as much passionate debate as euthanasia. Of all possible liberties, the “right to die,” as a base concept, stokes personal insecurities and misgivings in a way that can be difficult to quantify. That makes the subject an ideal one for a black comedy, and – at least for its first hour – Kill Me Please seems to offer a take on the subject that is equal parts lampoon and earnest inquiry. That co-writer/directer Olias Barco opts for a broader form of resolution is disappointing, but doesn’t completely rob the movie of its peculiar lyricism.

Aurélien Recoing stars as Dr. Kruger, a calm, reassuring figure who operates a high-end assisted-suicide clinic (palace, really) wherein the wealthy can be given an ideal termination experience – for a considerable fee.