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a f i lm by Michal R.Roskam
Young cattle farmer Jacky Vanmarsenille (Matthias
Schoenaerts) is approached by an unscrupulous
veterinarian to make a shady deal with a notorious beef
trader.
But the assassination of a federal policeman and an
unexpected confrontation with a mysterious secret
from Jackys past set in motion a chain of events with
far-reaching consequences.
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Bullhadi a coml cotmorar trad ith tro comic a ll a rotqu
lmt, tical of m ork. Th mai rfrc for m filmic uir ar th
Co brothr, Akira Kuroaa ad Quti Taratio. It i crucial to udrtad
that th hai of thi cotmorar film oir/trad that dal ith a-old
qutio a ll a ith cotmorar iu i balacd aait to r tro
coutr-forc. O th o had humor, rotqu c ad dialou, local
tti ad dialct, o th othr had th iual act of th moi ad tro
acti rformac.
Th crit i tihtl oraizd aroud a cor ida that i lord i ariou
dirctio that cd th litral ll: mahood ad maculi irtu lik coura/
coardic, hormo ad th qutio of atur/artific. I thi a, a tor t i
th cotmorar iromt of th hormo-trad acquir th charactritic
of a claical trad. Th rotaoit ar dri b Fat or Dti aait hich
th ar to a crtai tt orl. Th tor i trird h Fat bri to
damad charactr, Jack ad Didrik, back tothr throuh thir iolmt
i th illal hormo trad. It i th chmitr of thi accidtal mti that i th
iciti icidt of th traic olutio of th film.
Th focu i ot o much o th choloical dlomt of th charactr a
o th thical dilmma th fac: fridhi, r, btraal ad mahood.
Both Jack ad Didrik ha clar oal. Jack oal i to rai a of
bi a ma i th fullt of th ord. Dit all th hormo h ha b
taki, h caot rair hat ha b tak from him. Ufortuatl, th abu
of hormo ha affctd hi roalit ad turd th hurtd littl bo ito a
ari bat. Aftr th mti ith Didrik, Jack tri to rcor om of
hi lot mahood ad humait b oi back to Lucia, th irl h facid h
h a till a ormal bo. Bcau of hi lack of cotrol, hi qut lik th traic
hro i doomd to fail. Didrik, th ataoit, i ot a oot of Jack: h
i ot blamd b Jack, but h blam himlf. Lik Jack, h i alo markd b
th traumatic t of th at. Hi oal i that h ha to com to trm ith hi
coardic, doubld b hi fathr btraal ad uicid.
Didrik homoualit, hich i caril hidd i th atr miliu, hl
u udrtad th dth of hi fli for hi childhood frid Jack. All th
motiatio ad motio ar ho rathr tha laid.
Michal R. Rokam
DIRECTORS STATEMENT
FATe sHOws ITseLF, THeReFORe,
In THe vIew OF LIFe, As COnDeMneD,
As HAvIng essenTIALLy FIRsT Been
COnDeMneD AnD THen BeCOMe gUILTy.
Walter Benjamin
BULLHeADIs A FILM ABOUT peOpLe
BeIng DRIven TO exTReMes. IT Is
nOT ABOUT COwBOys AnD InDIAns,
ABOUT gOOD OR evIL, BUT ABOUT
HOw seeMIngLy sMALL evenTs CAn
sOMeTIMes HAve HUge COnseQUenCes
FOR THe peOpLe InvOLveD. THeIR FATe Is
ALsO THeIR DesTIny.
Michal R.Roskam
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A traic tal of dti ad iocc
Early on in Michal R. Roskams Bullhead there is a
shot of the main character Jacky sitting on the edge of
a bath in the near dark. Its an image eerily reminiscent
of paintings by Lucian Freud or Francis Bacon. It is often
said of these artists that they depict the human body as if
it is a lump of flesh in an abattoir. In Bullhead, set in the
world of hormone smuggling, the slaughterhouse isnt
just a metaphor. The world that Jacky inhabits is one
in which cattle are injected with drugs that make them
grow quicker so that they can be killed quicker and more
profitably.
TexT goffr Macab | PorTraiT Bart Dal
INTERVIEWith Michal R. Rokam
I th lat
ito hat
to fatt
bribd a
lo to r
of Mafia c
dtro t
mo. T
Rokam
o hat
that thi
Bullhad
ad io
lo thm
backrou
strange
Rokam
atr
Italia-Am
cour, B
hormo
idkick
Bullhad
lt of
i a a
h ha tra
no o m
a ioc
A a ou
th film i
But thr
mlod
Thr ar
i thir 3
30 ad
th ca
hich a
o throu
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R2D2 a
Bullhad
mchaic
aalld
you ko
R2D2 a
actuall c
Bullhad
Or th
o th B
charactr
atit a
Rokam
th hort
Francis
Th 38-
fathr i ab u
had b
atd
20, h
i rim
riod. I t
H dcr
mdium i
y, filmm
It i alo
ad bi
I a that
Bullhad
rlihd t
Hor
o, th
aiti.
Karakat
h Rok
likd it. Th
Th a
Ive ALwAys Been FAsCInATeD By
THe AMeRICAn gAngsTeR FILMs.
I LOve THeM! I wAnTeD TO DO One
In My Own wAy, On My Own sOIL,
wITH My Own BACKgROUnD.
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Th Matt
bi a th
lo om
hormo
wh dir
our o
a if thi
schoa
ar bf
to thi ki
to maita
o... hulk
roc.
ork out
of atr.
ha to
David Csom ta
For am
Th aud
Hor
oortu
Frid a
i th ru
for a cou
ou! Th
mi
Hi mta
Ad, ,
I had thi
a ha
Jack, hi
crt i
H i ot
ad chm
h la.
ario
lif... h d
lack of lo
INTERVIEW Ms Sees
Bee U
Take 3000 tins of tuna, several hundred chickens, plenty
of oats, rice and pasta. Combine them with days spent
pumping iron and long nights of uninterrupted sleep.
This is the regime that enabled the slender Flemish actor
Matthias Schoenaerts to transform himself into the bulky
and brooding figure we see on screen in Michal R.
Roskams debut film, Bullhead. Its a remarkable piece of
character acting in the vein of Robert De Niros celebrated
turn as Jake La Motta in Raging Bull. Schoenaerts spent
two years preparing for Bullhead.
TexT goffr Macab | PorTraiTThoma vahaut
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A a t
hi fathr
to hi tu
dircti
i Atr
that acti
Paul Ve
no, h h
chorora
of a
h ork
pular) a
moi a
roal
Itratio
art i pa
that h radi
full rco
ralid t
Dutch dir
aim
or bud
a, vrh
mor im
schoa
thouh, i
ct h
i, h rf
whats
so hat
har m
Th film i
nt to
ooit
EvEn withoUt wordS, yoU can ExprESS a lot of what
iS going on with yoUrSElf. that waS a challEngE
BUt at a cErtain point, it all caME natUrally. i had So
MUch tiME to grow into thiS part... all of a SUddEn
yoU gEt into thE zonE.
Jerzy Grotowski
Th rol com ith limitd amout of dialou. Bod laua alo
ak, schoart tat. e ithout ord, ou ca r a lot of
hat i oi o ith ourlf. That a a chall but at a crtai oit, it
all cam aturall. I had o much tim to ro ito thi art... all of a udd
ou t ito th zo.
O of schoart iiratio a th clbratd polih dirctor ad
acti thorit Jrz grotoki, ho oud th thor that a crtai
hical tat iol a crtai tat of mid ad motioal bi. I othr
ord, if ou dlo th outr id of th charactr firt, th th ir lif ill
follo. Thi, schoart ot, i th atithi of th stailaki aroach,
i hich ou build th charactr from th iid out.
Taki o th rol taild schoart to mak a bi la of faith i hi
dirctor. It hld that h had orkd ith Rokam bfor, o a hort film.
Th othr k factor a th crit. schoart ralid that r lat dtail
had b orkd hautil throuh b th ritr-dirctor.
Bullhada a touh film to mak. Th chdul a hort ad th budt
a tiht. Thr r ha da. It a a ha chdul, th actor rcall.But rbod a o ll rard ad o ar. Th had b aiti
for o lo to t to thi rojct. you could fl thi rat thuiam. It a
it ad ha but r rall joi th hard ork.
Or th ar i hich h a rari for th rol, h lol chilld aa
toard hat h call th cor of th charactr.
acting background
schoart a hartd to dicor ho tdrl th farmr tratd thir
litock. wh it cam to butchri thm, thouh, thr a o hitatio.
To thm, it a jut atural. Th ar ot i it a killi. O momt,
thr r t to a aimal. Th t, th cut it throat.
schoart i o uch a rular fitur i idiou film that it com a
a liht urri to lar that acti at hi firt choic of carr. Th o
of clbratd Flmih ta ad cr ld, Juli schoart, h r
u i a acti backroud. Hi fathr ld th tical itc of th
actor, moi aroud from lac to lac ith hi famil folloi i hi ak.
I rmmbr a a child I a a la. Th liht cam o. pol alaudd
ad th th lft th thatr. I a till i thr. wh rbod lft, I jut
jumd o ta, rabbd th cotum ad tartd rati thi I
rmmbrd from th la I had jut ... omho it mut ha touchd
m dl at that tim.
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a career-defining, powerfull phsical lead perfb Matthias Schoenaerts and ace lensing b local
widescreen wiz Nicolas Karakatsanis.
Variet Bod van Hoeij
DP Nicolas Karakatsanis plas with chiaroscurolighting and stunning landscape photograph when
not sticking close to the protagonists face, isolatinghim all the more along with sound designer BenotDe Clercs frequent audio fade-outs.
The Hollwood Reporter Natasha Senjanovic
This is a film especiall for an audience that hateswaste; people who want ever minute to count, foreach scene to mean something, and add to thebigger picture.
Indiewire
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Jacky Vanmarsenille i a 30-ar-old lor ho hl hi ucl ru th famil mat maufacturi buii a mall to i Blium. Th famil t iold ith illal roth hormo for cattl. Jack i a imoi
fiur ith trml dlod mucl. H rojct iolc ad mtr. Hi mucl, ad hi urdictabl
bhaior, ar th rult of ttotro ad othr dru u but th alo o back to a crt from hi at.
A traumatizi ric a a child ha affctd hi roalit ad mad him a trar to hi o atur.
A chac mti ith hi childhood frid Didrik bri back th at ad t i motio a ri of t
from hich thr i o rtur.
MATTHIAS SCHOENAERTS (1977) i th comi ma of cotmorar Flmih-Blia cima. Aftrraduati from th Coratorium Tol Dora va dr gro chool of acti i 2002, h ha tarrd i
a umbr of aard-ii hort ad fatur moi.
Selected filmographyRut ad Bo(b Jacqu Audiard, 2012)
Th Loft(b eric va Loo, 2012)
Th ga of O(b Adr a Dur, 2011)
Bullhad(b Michal R. Rokam, 2010)
pular (b Al stockma, 2010)
La mut(b Frack Richard, 2010)
My Qu Karo(b Doroth a d Brh, 2009)
Th emror of Tat(b Frak va pal & Ja Matth, 2008, Tv)
Loft(b eric va Loo, 2008)
Lft Bak(b pitr va H, 2008)
nadi (b erik D Bru, 2007)
Black Book(b paul vrho, 2006)
Lo Blo to eryo(b Hild va Mihm, 2006)
Ay way th wid Blo (b Tom Barma, 2003)
A girl(b Doroth a d Brh, 2002)Da(b stij Coi, 1992)
Ad ma hort film.
KEy CASTMATTHIAS SCHOENAERTS / JacKy vanMarSEnillE
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JEROEN PERCEVAL /diEdEriK MaES
Diederik Maes a Jack bt frid h th rkid. Lik Jack h i till tormtd b th t from thir
childhood. Th lot touch aftr Didrik fathr a arrtd
i a illal hormo ca ad th Ma famil mod aa
to wt Fladr. Didrik ha ro u to b a mall-tim
crimial ho i rurd ito iformi th olic about th
actiiti of hi bo, Marc d Kur. wh Didrik ad
Jack mt aai a art of a illal hormo dal, Didrik
i i a uctd chac to riht a ro from th at.
JEROEN PERCEVAL (1978) raduatd from Bliumrod studio Hrma Tirlick drama chool i 2001.
H ha ic rformd i ma ta la. I 2007 h
lad a ladi art i with Frid Lik Th,Fli a groi (Th Mifortuat) cod fatur.
H currtl ork o a crla bad o hi o la,
DArd, a saa Film roductio ith
Michal R. Rokam a cuti roducr.
BAREva
Eva Forito th d
sh ca
i th ca
boud i
at.
BARBARth natio
a rutat
rforma
sh mad
8 1/2 wo
Fortr Hr ortr
(Chrito
itratio
JEANNE DANDOY /lUcia SchEpErS
Lucia Schepers o a rfum ho i Li. Tothrith hr mothr h tak car of hr hail hadicad
brothr Bruo. Fat lik Lucia itricabl to Jack althouh
h dot ko it t. If hormo dfi Jack, th
hromo dfi Lucia...
JEANNE DANDOY(1974) r u i a famil of artit.sh rot hr firt la at th a of 14.
At 17 h rolld i th Li corator hr h tudid
udr Jacqu Dlcullri ad dicord th ork of
grouo. sh ha ic rformd i a lar umbr of ta
roductio. Lucia i hr firt rol i a fatur.
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NICOLAS KARAKATSANISdirEctor of photography
Aftr taki dircti cour at film chool, nicola
Karakatai dicord hi talt ad aio a a
cimatorahr. H ha b hooti ma hort film,
muic ido, documtari, fatur film ad commrcial.
H actuall hihl i dmad a dirctor of hotorah.
SELECTED FILMOGRAPHY
Th Loft(2011)Bullhad(2011)
Lot pro Ara (2009)
Lft Bak (2008)
small god(2007)
FILMOG(a mai
Bullhad
portabl
emir o
no Comm
27: 12
Th Co(t
walki B
Croo
sour o
Ccil D
Lot i Tr
wild Ba
nohr
KEy CREW PRRAF KEUNENcoMpoSEr
Raf Ku tudid hilooh ad muic comoitio ad orchtratio.
H ha ritt muic for ral hort fi lm ad documtari.Hi claical
iird muic cor for Bullhada rformd b th Muiqu noull
mbl. Alrad from th tart of crriti Raf orkd clol tothr
ith Michal R. Rokam to t th riht to ad ubtlti i th muic i
ordr to udrli th drama of th tor ad it iualit.
SELECTED FILMOGRAPHYskuk (2011, hort film)simiay(2009, hort film)
Today Friday(2008, hort film)
ga statio(2006, documtar ri - 2 iod)
vlul(2006, Tv film)
Th O Thi To Do(2005, hort film)
Carlo(2004, hort film)
BAR
Bart va
aociat
Ala d
boudari
Dirctor
Bram va
Co, A
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CO-PRODUCERS
EYEWORKS FILM & TV DRAMA (BELGIUM)eork Film & Tv Drama Blium (formrl ko a MMg)
i art of th Itratioal eork grou ad i a acti
lar i th roductio of drama ri ad film for th (itr)
atioal marktlac. Th coma i hadd b
ptr Bouckart ad tra roducr eri prooot.
Fi of th t to roi Flmih moi of all tim ha
b roducd b eork Film & Tv Drama or o of it
ubidiari.Additioall, eork Film & Tv Drama artrd o ariou
itratioal co-roductio.
ARTEMIS PRODUCTION (BELGIUM)sic it cratio i 1992 b patrick Quit, Artmi
productio ha roducd ma hort film ad documtari,
15 Blia fatur fil m ad ha additioall co-roducd 41
fori fatur film ad 8 Tv film.
WATERLAND FILM (THE NETHERLANDS)watrlad Film a cratd i 1994 b Ja a dr Zad
wilat Boklma. Th ala aim at tlli catiati tori
that dal ith rlat thm of our ocit hil lori
cimatorahic boudri.
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FESTIVALS AND AWARDS
SELECTIONS Berlinale Panorama (February 2011)
Festival du Film Policier de Beaune, France ( March 2011)
International Film Festival Breda, The Netherlands (March 2011)
International Film Festival Made in Europe, The Netherlands (April 2011)
Transilvania International Film Festival, Romania (June 2011)
Karlovy Vary International Film Festival (July 2011)
Jerusalem International Film Festival (July 2011)
Puchon PIFAN International Film Festival (July 2011)
Fantasia International Film Festival Montral (July 2011)
Melbourne International Film Festival (July 2011)Motovun International Film Festival, Croatia (July 2011)
Two Riversides International Film Festival, Poland (July 2011)
LEtrange Festival, Paris (September 2011)
International Film Festival Ostend, Belgium (September 2011)
Athens International Film Festival (September 2011)
Helsinki Love & Anarchy (September 2011)
Austin Fantastic (September 2011)
Vancouver International Film Festival (September 2011)
Chicago Film Festival (October 2011)
Hawai International Film Festival (October 2011)
The Hamptons International Film Festival (October 2011)
International Film Festival Sitges (October 2011)
Festival des jeunes ralisateurs, St. Jean de la Luz, France (October 2011)
Katowice Regiofun, Poland (October 2011)
Moscow 2 in 1 International Film Festival (October 2011)
Kiev Molodist International Film Festival (October 2011)
Mostra Sao Paulo (October 2011)
Doha Tribeca Festival (October 2011)
AFI Fest L.A. (November 2011)
Taipei Golden Horse International Film Festival (November 2011)
Minsk International Film Festival (November 2011)
Stockholm International Film Festival ( November 2011)
Osaka European Film Festival (November 2011)
Goa International Film Festival (November 2011)
European Film Awards Berlin (December 2011)
Palm Springs International Film Festival (January 2012)
AWARDSJury Prize and Critics Prize - Festival du Film Policier de Beaune(March 2011 I ex-acquo with 2011 Oscar-nomineeAnimal Kingdom)
New Flesh Award for Best First Feature - Fantasia International Film
Festival Montral (July 2011)
Propeller Award for Best Film - Motovun International Film Festival,Croatia (July 2011)
New Genre award for Best Film - LEtrange Festival, Paris (Sept 2011)
Six Flanders Film Awards: Best film, Best Director, Best Debut,Best Actor, Best Supporting Role, Best Photography -International Film Festival Ostend, Belgium (September 2011)
Best Picture, Best Director, Best Actor (M.Schoenaerts) - AMD & Dellnext wave spotlight competition Fantastic Fest, Austin (September 2011)
Heroes Award for Matthias Schoenaerts standout performance -Moscow 2 in 1 International Film Festival (October 2011)
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