Friday, May 30, 2008

SIFF 2008 Favorite: Nic Bathazar's Ben X

BEN X
(Nic Balthazar, Belgium/Netherlands, 2007, 93 minutes)

Ben X screens at the 34th Annual Seattle International Film Festival tonight, May 30th, 9:30pm, and Sunday June 1, 4pm @ Uptown Cinema.*
You can buy tickets here.

This visually engaging film focuses on Ben (Greg Timmermans), a teenager with a severe case of Asperger's syndrome. Through interviews with family, psychiatrists and schoolmates, we string together bits and pieces of his story. Unable to express his feelings easily, Ben retreats into a fantasy game world, imagining himself a demon-slaying hero who can win his dream girl and complete his "endgame." In addition to being beautifully shot, this film has a strong script and top-notch performances.

*Director Nic Balthazar is scheduled to attend both screenings.

2 comments:

  1. Didn't expect to like this one all that much, but I really enjoyed it!

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  2. Glad to hear it! :)

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