2009

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Genre: DRAMA
Director: Bouli Lanners
Screenplay: Bouli Lanners

Director of photography: Jean-Paul De Zaeytijd

Cast:
Bouli Lanners (Yvan)
Fabrice Adde (Elie)
Philippe Nahon (Le Collectionneur)
Didier Toupy (Le Naturiste)

Running time: 1hr 20min
Production: Belgium, 2008
Distributor:Film Movement
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Awards
WINNER- Best European Film- Director’s Fortnight, 2008 Cannes Film Festival
SPECIAL MENTION- 2008 Pesaro Film Festival
Eldorado

Screening preceded by the Short film "De si près"
>> All about this short film
Sponsored by The Society of Friends of Belgium in America
Introduction by Professor Yaelle Azagury from Purchase College


Yvan and Elie are two loners. They wander aimlessly through their lives.
Yvan is a quick-tempered, 40-year-old vintage car dealer. Elie is a young burglar and ex-junkie. One day Yvan catches Elie trying to rob him, but instead of beating him up or turning him in,, Yvan becomes strangely attached to the thief and agrees to drive the young man home to his parents in an old Chevrolet. Yvan and Elie, each trying to piece together the puzzle of a lost relationship, undertake a journey through a bizarre yet spectacular backdrop.

Director's quote
“I wanted to move beyond Belgium’s image as a sad, grey place, to something more cheerful. I opted for a film full of colour and light, avoiding the more traditional social realism. I shot the Walloon landscape in 35mm to evoke the American West. Jean-Paul De Zaeytijd, the cinematographer, did a fantastic job, and when you watch the film it makes you think of an old, worn-out cowboy.”

Bouli Lanners, Director
Bouli Lanners was born in Belgium in 1965. A self-taught painter, he worked in many different capacities for Belgian television, before achieving popularity as an actor on the sketch comedy series “Snuls,” introduced on Canal+ Belgium in 1989. Since then, he has played many supporting roles in Belgian and French productions, including “Cow Boy” by Benoît Mariage, and “A Very Long Engagement” by Jean-Pierre Jeunet. After directing two critically acclaimed short films “Travellinckx” (’99,) and “Muno”, (‘01) he made the features “Ultranova” (’05) and, now, “El Dorado.”
2004 Ultranova