the world belongs to us

MICHAËL GOLDBERG AND BORIS VAN GILS
VINCENT
ROTTIERS
YMANOL
PERSET
OLIVIER
GOURMET
REDA
KATEB
THE WORLD BELONGS TO US
MUSIC BY
A FILM BY
OZARK HENRY
STEPHAN STREKER
MICHAËL GOLDBERG AND BORIS VAN GILS
THE WORLD BELONGS TO US
(LE MONDE NOUS APPARTIENT)
STARRING
VINCENT ROTTIERS
YMANOL PERSET
OLIVIER GOURMET
REDA KATEB
DINARA DROUKAROVA
AND SAM LOUWYCK
MUSIC BY
OZARK HENRY
A FILM BY
STEPHAN STREKER
One night, on a bridge… a stabbing. There’s Pouga. And there’s Julien.
The film shows the parallel destiny of these two young men who resemble each other but who have
never met. They share the same values and a thirst for the absolute. They could be friends. And yet…
The vision and the voice
Director Stephan Streker and musician Ozark Henry bring together their talents in
a film that combines their respective vision and voice.
Stephan Streker, at what point did you find yourself wanting to ask Ozark Henry to work with you on «The World Belongs to Us»?
Stephan : Immediately. As soon as I started to write, I had Ozark’s voice in my
mind. And it stayed with me throughout the whole writing process. He’s an artist
I discovered a long time a go and whose sensitivity spoke to me right away. I
felt an amazing intimacy with his work. As soon as I finished writing, I went to see
him and showed him the script. I said: «Here, that’s my part, if you like, we could
live this adventure together.»
Ozark :When Stephan came to my place in Courtrai, I knew right away that
we could share a joint artistic venture; that we were almost like brothers. It’s
a unique relationship. I had never been lucky enough to lay hands on a script
of that quality before, but it was more the meeting that decided me. I knew
straight away that I could enter Stephan’s world. It’s difficult to explain. It’s
like when I read a book. After the first twenty pages or so, no matter what it’s
about, I can tell by the way it is written whether or not I’ll carry on reading. Why
exactly? It’s difficult to pin down. It was the whole thing, these characters who
were neither good nor bad, who simply had their own stories, and this author
who never judged them.
Was this refusal to judge important?
Stephan :I don’t think it’s the artist’s place to judge. It’s not up to him to do the
spectator’s work. In my opinion, a director has nothing to say. He has things to
do, to show, and he lends, of course, his vision. But I leave judgement up to the
spectator. My goal is to make films that respect the spectators’ intelligence and
leave them free.
Ozark : The goal was to suggest a representation, a way of seeing, a point
of view. That’s why, for example, the viewer had to know immediately that
there had been a stabbing. It was important that the suspense of the film
did not rest on that…
«I knew straight away that I could enter Stephan’s world. It’s
like when I read a book. After the first twenty pages or so,
no matter what it’s about, I can tell by the way it is written
whether or not I’ll carry on reading.» (Ozark)
Stephan : From the outset, the film assumes the fact that it is staging the
perpetrator and the victim of a stabbing. By definition, everything separates
them, but what I was interested in was approaching them in a similar way.
I wanted to show, through the language of cinema – image, sound, time –
the daily lives of these two human beings caught up in an absurd conflict,
united in tragedy. I wanted to stage their desires, their longings, their ambitions, their relationships with others. I wanted to approach them both with
the same benevolence and generosity. They are alike though they have never met each other and end up united forever by one tragic event. By definition, life is more complex than the simple reading of a highly coded event:
the perpetrator on the one hand, the victim on the other. Life is always more
complicated, more rich.
© Alice Pacaud
«Our film is about all news items»
Stephan Streker, is «The World Belongs to Us» inspired by a
particular news item?
Stephan : No. The film perhaps brings to mind the Joe Van Holsbeeck
affair but, apart from the fact that there is a stabbing for a material
motive, the film has nothing in common with that event and the
lives of those involved. Our film isn’t about a particular news item, it’s
about all news items! We wanted to raise this type of event to the level of an abstraction. I asked myself what relationship an artist has to
such news items. I perfectly understand why some people choose to
seize a news item that’s on the front burner and bring it to the screen.
It’s a coherent undertaking. But it’s possible to take an entirely different approach and paint such news events with an artistic brush, to
raise them to the level of an abstract idea, to create freely. That’s what
Ozark and I wanted to do.
The choice not to adapt an existing story allowed you greater
freedom.
Stephan : Precisely. I was able to freely approach what really
interested me, do things my way. It was important not to be
constrained, not to have to conform to any sort of “historical” reality.
So I was free to introduce a father unable to tell his son: “I love you”,
who would carry this terrible weight right up to the end, and show a
young man madly in love with a woman who is not made for him…
two situations that take on great gravity given the programmed
outcome of our two heroes. It was very important for me to break
free of the constraints linked to a precise news item. Such events are
usually particularly dreadful, do not personally involve us and always
leave us faced with our own sense of powerlessness. The way such
news items are used by the media these days is absolutely awful.
Most of the time, they are covered in such a way as to create morbid
« It is possible to paint such news items with an artistic brush, to
raise them to the level of an abstract idea, to create freely. That’s
what Ozark and I wanted to do.»
fascination, a sort of detached voyeurism - which is nevertheless
real - and a «sharing of pain» that serves to reassure us of our
own situation («It didn’t happen to me… thank God. Those poor
people…»). In fact, the real outcome is the creation of anxiety. It
makes you wonder if it is possible to look at such events in any other
way, as if the only two options are exploitation or silence. Ozark and
I took up the challenge of doing something different. Hence the film.
Whence this title, «The World Belongs to Us»?
Stephan : The expression: «The World Belongs to Us» perfectly defines the two
protagonists of the film. «The World Belongs to Us» is the two of them! The title
corresponds to their state of mind at the very instant that we see them in the
film. Julien is at a decisive moment of his life: he’s just about to play an important
match, and as we all know, in football, things can happen very fast. Pouga finds
himself in the situation of replacing his father to pull off an important job. We
have all, at some point in our lives, gone through a phase where we thought that
the world belonged to us. Becoming adult means realising that things are a jot
more complicated than that. (Laughter)
tion is decided by the artist, filmmaker or musician. It is he who fixes the duration
and the rhythm. The time of communication for the painter is a matter for the
viewer. The same is true of sculpture, architecture and even literature. Cinema is
music, I’m certain of that. Even a silent movie is music!
In practice, how did you work together?
Ozark : I realise that it’s quite difficult to talk about that. We communicated in a
way that is pretty rare between two human beings. It was of course communication beyond words. We communicated through the things we are able to do.
Stephan dealt in images, I in music. Stephan filmed, he showed me the images,
Ozark, is cinema generally a source of inspiration for you?
Ozark : Images have always been an inspiration to me, as has literature. I like
films by David Lynch and David Cronenberg. I have always been a big fan of Peter
Greenaway. I love «Prospero’s Books», for example. I have seen it several times.
What richness, what a world! I think that a film is a combination of disciplines
and that, when everything is in balance, something unique is created. I am very
« We have all, at some point in our lives, gone through a
phase where we thought that the world belonged to us.
Becoming adult means realising that things are a jot more
complicated than that.» (Stephan)
sensitive to form. Actually, what I like most in Stephan’s work is the way he shoulders a cinematographic ambition, strong aesthetic choices. I see this film as both
timeless and universal. Stephan creates cinema with a capital C. The film is in
35mm, in cinemascope, with vivid colours. There are camera movements. Stephan likes to create things on a big scale. That’s what I try to do with my music
– plunge into emotion, never protect myself. Stephan’s films are full of sensitivity,
full of fragility. In that regard, artistically speaking, we are incredibly close.
Stephan : To my mind, the art closest to cinema is music. More than painting!
Cinema and music both involve time and rhythm. The time of the communica-
« I felt that if Stephan had been a musician, if he had been
composing the music for the film, he would have done
what I played to him. I was very happy to be able to give
him that. » (Ozark)
I gave him the music, sometimes he re-edited the images, then it was my turn
to adapt the music to what he brought back to me. Sometimes he asked me to
change the music completely. He pushed me to dig deeper. I learned a lot.
Stephan : It was like two bodies breathing in tune: one would breathe in, the
other breathed out. I had the impression that this curious intimacy between us
cannot be analysed. In any case, we saw a lot of each other. After that first meeting, we were together practically all the time. (Laughter). Ozark was with me
through all the preparation stages, during shooting and during post-production.
His work, his presence even, naturally took on a greater importance than is usual
for a simple film music composer. Ozark is certainly the person who, apart from
the editor and producer, saw the film in all its versions. I remember a technician
of Studio L’Equipe, where the editing was done, said to me: «Incredible, he comes
every day! We never normally see the composers!» One day, Ozark ended one of
the text messages he sent me by: «We are kindred spirits.»
Ozark : The greatest pleasure for me was when I started to glean a deeper understanding of the things that Stephan could not express with words, the little
nuances, the little sounds that would enrich his world. In those moments, I felt
that if Stephan had been a musician, if he had been composing the music for the
film, he would have done what I played to him. I was very happy to be able to
give him that. I was also able to make suggestions that have nothing to do with
« My goal is to make films that respect the spectators’
intelligence and leave them free.» (Stephan)
Stephan : Ozark said to me: «Look, I’ve got a song that I think is just right for the
film». He played me «Hvelreki». For me, it had everything, everything I like about
Ozark.
Ozark : And curiously, even today, right at the end of the adventure, it’s still right.
«An original soundtrack can exist in
and of itself»
Ozark Henry «The World Belongs to Us» is also an album.
the music, but which are more to do with the sound design. I even continued to
make suggestions for the sound during mixing. We’d go into the little studio next
door, record a sound and add it to the sound track. Apparently, that’s not the way
things are usually done. But it’s the way we did things. In any case, our rule was
that we should always give it a shot.
Stephan : I felt it was very important that neither of us ever censor ourselves. In
effect, our rule was: always try everything.
Where did you work?
Stephan : Everywhere. At his place or in Brussels. In his studio, in the editing
or mixing studios. He would play me things he had composed over previous
days and send them to me by Internet. Sometimes he would compose on the
piano when I was there. I felt we worked hand in hand all the time, right from
the writing stage.
Ozark :Some things were created right at the last moment, at the very end of
mixing. But others were there from very early on. For example, the song was
there from the outset, long before shooting and even before the release of my
album.
Ozark : I asked Stephan to come to my place so that we could pull together our favourite pieces of music, the songs and some of the film
dialogues. It was my way of prolonging our collaboration, but this
time, on my ground. (Laughter). And the two of us had fun making
an album, choosing the order of the pieces to build and deconstruct
emotion. The most important part of this work is the transitions. So
we tried to be as precise as possible in that aspect, which reminded
« It was my way of prolonging our collaboration,
but this time, on my ground.»
Stephan of what he had done during the editing process of the film.
An original soundtrack can exist in and of itself, whereas a film can’t
exist without its music. For me, the important thing was to create a
work that held together, that naturally brought to mind the film, but
which could exist perfectly well as an independent entity.
This song is sung in its entirety in the film, by all the characters. Was this choral
sequence present in the script?
Stephan : It didn’t figure in the writing at all. There is something very similar in
Paul Thomas Anderson’s film: «Magnolia» and I wondered if we dared to do it.
The thing that decided me was that we were right at the heart of the subject
of the film: behind that which separates us, there is something that brings us
all together. So, having all the protagonists participate in a moment of communion that precedes the tragedy felt right. It served the film. It wasn’t just a song
stuck on for effect. It made sense to bring together all the characters in this way
using Ozark’s voice, which is, quite simply, the voice of the film. This voice is truly
unique and it becomes a musical instrument in the film, probably the instrument
looking for. If I were to give myself any credit at all, it would be for having
been capable of receiving.
What did you learn from each other?
Stephan : Ozark is always willing to take a new slant on things and accept doubt
as a positive value. He always wanted to hear my take on his work, was always
ready to listen and to change everything. It’s as if he has no ego. That was a real
lesson for me. I think that the path we should all follow is to slough off our egos.
I think Ozark has travelled a long way down that path.
«The film is 100% Stephan’s and 100% mine, too.» (Ozark)
« That which emerges spontaneously out of events is often
stronger than what you were looking for. If I were to give
myself any credit at all, it would be for having been capable
of receiving.» (Stephan)
with the strongest presence. To my mind «The World Belongs to Us» is my vision
and his voice. Of course, putting a sung sequence in the middle of the film was a
risky choice. We could have lost our spectators with a stunt like that.
Ozark : That’s typical of Stephan, in my view. He always takes the risk of pushing
further than planned. He is very open to the unforeseen, that which was not
planned. So much so that the finished film is both stronger than and different
to the film he wrote. The way he works forces everyone to be very open, to
keep their finger on the pulse…
Stephan : I always say to my collaborators that if we go somewhere for a
reason and come back with what we went for, it’s disappointing. That which
emerges spontaneously out of events is often stronger than what you were
Ozark : For me, one of your strengths is the way you create an atmosphere for
the people you work with, an atmosphere that makes them better. You gave everyone confidence. People had the confidence to give of themselves. I felt that
through all the stages of the filmmaking process. It’s amazing what you got out
of your actors. You dug deep but always with a great deal of gentleness.
Stephan : I find it impossible to work in an atmosphere of conflict or tension. I
don’t actually think I could do it.
Ozark : When I watch «The World Belongs to Us» today, I am very happy. I don’t
feel betrayed, I recognise myself, and yet I managed to serve the film. The film is
100% Stephan’s and 100% mine, too.
Brussels, August 2012
© Alice Pacaud
Stephan Streker
Ozark Henry
A journalist by training, Stephan Streker worked for a long time as a
film critic and sports journalist. In 1993, he wrote and directed «Shadow
Boxing», his first short film. In 2004, his first feature-length film, «Michael
Blanco», a film directed in Los Angeles in guerrilla-like conditions, was
released on the big screens.
Ozark Henry adds a new chapter to his already long story. This prolific singer,
songwriter and composer is the creator of both the original soundtrack and the
sound design of the film. He takes his inimitable style of sound - a subtle blend
of electro, arty rock and classical music influences - and places it at the service
of a cinematographic work.
Filmography
Discography
2012 : The World Belongs to Us (Feature)
2012: Le monde nous appartient (Original Motion Picture Soundtrack)
2004 : Michael Blanco (Feature)
2010: Hvelreki
2000 : La guerre du foot n’aura pas lieu (Short, docu)
2006: The Soft Machine
1998 : Le jour du combat (Short, docu)
2004: The Sailor not the Sea
1996 : Mathilde, la femme de Pierre (Short)
2001: Birthmarks
1993 : Shadow Boxing (Short)
1998: This Last Warm Solitude
1996: I’m Seeking Something That Has Already Found Me
© Alice Pacaud
«Actors take such risks with their own inner depths that you have to love them. Unconditionally.
For me, that was easy, since I loved them. All of them. Without exception.»
St. St.
Vincent Rottiers (Pouga)
«Vincent’s only limitation is that he has no interest in becoming a star. That’s
completely unusual for a young actor, perhaps unique. What motivates Vincent
is acting, going as deeply as he can into real emotions. He gives his all to the
director, to whom he listens with great attention. He gives his all but of course,
remains untameable. In general, one can say that any given actor is more
instinctive or more technical. Well Vincent is a perfect blend of both. Despite his
young age, he has a great deal of experience since he has been in acting for most
of his life. My only regret is that Vincent and Olivier only pass each other by in the
film (not even a glance is exchanged on the street corner). I would love to have
them act together for real one day. On the set everyone said that Vincent was my
favourite. Now I can admit it: everyone was right.» (St. St.)
See filmography on IMDb
Ymanol Perset (Julien)
«For the role of Julien, we saw every actor in France and Belgium of the right age
for the character. We also saw many Belgian footballers because I had the hope
of finding a real footballer capable of acting. In the end, in a casting session in
Paris, we discovered Ymanol Perset, son of the sublime Laura del Sol («Carmen»,
«The Hit»), and unanimously agreed he was the one. Ymanol is more than an
actor, he is an artist - he draws, plays music, directs short films. Actually, Ymanol
has it all: looks, charisma, passion, the ability to listen. He obviously has a great
future ahead of him if he’ll only let himself. If he manages to calm his inner
demons. When it comes right down to it, Ymanol has only one enemy… just as
we all do.» (St. St.)
See filmography on IMDb
Olivier Gourmet (Freddy)
«When I wrote «The World Belongs to Us», I had two things on my mind: the voice
of Ozark Henry and the face of Olivier Gourmet. The father of the young footballer
was the only one to have a face as I did the writing. None of the other characters
did at that time. Logically, Olivier was the first person I contacted. And he was the
first to say yes. I will never be able to thank him enough have having thus given
me the confidence necessary to carry the adventure through to the end. Directing
Olivier Gourmet on set gave me a kick equivalent to driving a Ferrari or playing
football with Maradona. Well, I assume knowing that I’ve never drove a Ferrari or
played football with Maradona. But above all, Olivier managed, in the few scenes
in which he played, to impart great depth to the father who is unable of saying to
his son ‘I love you’, and the terrible pain that goes with it.» (St. St.)
See filmography on IMDb
Reda Kateb (Zoltan)
«In the script, the Zoltan character was 65. He was the «old friend» of Pouga’s
father. Quite by chance, I saw a late-night programme – which is exceptional
since I don’t have a television – where I recognised Reda Kateb in Jacques
Audiard’s film «Un prophète». I realised, with stupefaction, that he was an actor.
He had so convinced me in the cinema that I thought he had been discovered in
the street, not in the theatre. Reda is thirty years old and so, therefore, is Zoltan.
And yet, I decided not to change a single line of dialogue. So Zoltan speaks like
a 65-year old. And it works. Reda Kateb not only has a fantastic mug, he is also
a great actor, precise and demanding. Reda Kateb is a cat. That’s why, when he
appears in the film, I wanted him to be accompanied by a cat. » (St. St.)
See filmography on IMDb
Dinara Droukarova (Magali)
«In 1989, as a young film critic, I discovered a little gem at the Cannes Film Festival:
«Freeze Die Come to Life» by Vitali Kanevski, featuring two unforgettable little
kids, a boy and a girl: Pavel Nazarov and Dinara Droukarova. Twenty-three years
later, Dinara is starring in a film that I am directing. It would be an understatement
to say that back then, I would never have believed it possible.» (St. St.)
See filmography on IMDb
Sam Louwyck (Eric)
«Anyway the Wind Blows», «Lost Persons Area», «Bullhead»… Every time I
have seen Sam Louwyck in a film, he has impressed me with his presence and
humanity. Sam is a face, a voice, a look. Sam is a dancer, Sam is an actor, an
all-round artist and above all a human being whose kindness and generosity
shine out.» (St. St.)
See filmography on IMDb
Albert Cartier (The Coach)
«I’ll never forget the tests Albert did in my apartment while my assistant Lionel
filmed. From the first take, the real football coach turned into an incredible actor.
It just seemed absolutely obvious. On the set, Albert impressed everyone. Albert
is an orator, a lord. And therefore, of course, an actor.» (St. St.)
Fabrice Bénichou (Unnamed Gambler)
«At the launching of his biography of his stupefying, unbelievable, exceptional
life, Fabrice Bénichou met me in Paris for a one on one marathon interview
in Paris. At the end of the meeting, the former triple boxing world champion
confided: «I like acting.» Today, I thank him for this sentence, which we both
thought without consequence…» (St. St.)
Maurice Martens and Jacques Teugels (Football Legends)
«Maurice Martens is more than a footballer to me. He was my first idol. «Golden
Boot» in 1973, he is the best player in the history of the club dearest to my heart,
RWDM. Maurice Martens was a defender who never made a mistake; he was the
epitome of good manners, fair play and elegance on the pitch. He also gave me
my first autograph.»
«To Jacques Teugels I owe the two greatest moments of emotion in my life as
a football fan (and as a child… it’s the same thing). Jacques scored the goal
of the century in the 1-0 match between RWDM and Sporting Anderlecht in
1975, the year of the title, and, two years later, the penalty against Feyenoord
that put my team in the semi-finals of the UEFA Cup. I will be eternally grateful
to him for that.» (St. St.)
Pouga Vincent Rottiers
Barman Christian Degeimbre
Julien Ymanol Perset
Policeman in the subway Cédric De Troetsel
Freddy Olivier Gourmet
Little girl in tram Chloé Nguemaleu
Zoltan Reda Kateb
Woman on the bridge Vinciane Le-Mên
Magali Dinara Droukarova
Man on the bridge Serge Nuten
Eric Sam Louwyck
Crematorium employee Vince Davy
Singer in the subway Earl Okin
Lifeless young girl Elodie Laura Davidt
Ambulance man in bathroom Vincent Dutilleux
The Coach Albert Cartier
Mother of lifeless young girl Nicole Colchat
Kestemont Bernard Suin
Emergency doctor Thomas Leruth
Unnamed gambler Astrid Whettnall
Fireman in fire station Kevin Van Doorslaer
Unnamed gambler Pouga’s colleague Alexandre De Melas
Football legends Jacques Teugels
The Tricker
Fabrice Bénichou
Geoffrey Thompson
Harmonie Rouffiange
Max Michaël Jonckheere
Maurice Martens
Girl in the red window Caroline Lemaire
Coach’s assistant Eliane Nsanze
Stéphane Stéphane Mahaux
Girl in the yellow window Girl in the blue window Caroline Venturini
Frédéric Renotte
The footballers Jérôme Nollevaux
Dancers in the nightclub Rita Jashari
Sébastien Phiri
Maïté Detal
Benoît Ladrière
Mike Star
Aurélien Coppin
Stretcher bearers Karim Gassama
Romain Haghedooren
Alexandre Teirlinckx
Julien’s mother (photos) Laura del Sol
Trésor Diowo
Postwoman
Coraline Clément
Loki Boto
Policeman Olivier Fagel
David Sanchez
Magali’s colleague David Lievens
Sergio Aragon
Bass player Jacky Fire
Gary Ambroise
Unnamed gamblers Mostafa Khadri
Yohan Chalon
Eric Walkens
Jonathan Lusadusu
Alain Bellot
Pouga’s father Didier Van Nieuwerburgh
Billard stand-in (Zoltan and Pouga) Roland Forthomme
Night watchmen Christian Petersson
Stand-in with knife in hand (Pouga) Bob Alan
Simon Mazier
The cat Dark
Lady with a handbag The dog Flip
The rhinoceros Rafiki
Carmela Locantore
Alain Vandael
Written and directed by Stephan Streker
Produced by
Michaël Goldberg
Editing Dan Dobi
et Yann Dedet
et Boris Van Gils
Original music and songs Ozark Henry
Co-producersNicolas Blanc
Set Design Catherine Cosme
Costumes Frédérique Leroy
Marc Bordure
Production Manager Thomas Jaubert
Adrian Politowski
Post-production Manager Jeanne Granveaud
Assistant director Antonin Morel
Shooting Medium 35 mm
Tomas Leyers
Denis Vaslin
Gilles Waterkeyn
et Arlette Zylberberg
Image Antoine Roch, afc
Sound Carine Zimmerlin
Ranko Paukovic
Vincent De Bast
Louis Vyncke
et Cyrille Lauwerier
Format 2,35 :1 (Cinémascope)
Projection Medium DCP
CNC Visa 122976
Duration1h28
Produced byBardafeu Cinéma
Produced with the participation of
Formosa
Ciné +
Ex Nihilo
Régions Wallonne et
de Bruxelles – Capitale
Minds Meet
Volya Films
uFilm
RTBF (télévision belge)
Belgacom
Canal +
Vlaams Audiovisueel Fonds
Nederlands Filmfonds
Rotterdam Media Fonds
Cofimage 22
uFund
Be TV
Produced with the assistance of
Centre du Cinéma et de l’Audiovisuel de la Fédération Backup Films
Wallonie - Bruxelles et de VOO
Centre National du Cinéma
et de l’Image Animée
Programme MEDIA de
la Communauté Européenne
lmna-lefilm.com
Zouzou Van Besien • [email protected] • 0032 475 606 736
Bardafeu Cinéma • [email protected] • 0032 2 611 12 26
Alibi Communications • Brigitta Portier • [email protected] • 0032 477 982 584