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THE BAREFOOT EMPEROR

By Peter BROSENS, Jessica WOODWORTH

SOFIA INTERNATIONAL FILM FESTIVAL / ART FEST LTD. - as DISTR Theatrical, TV / PROD

Black comedy - Completed 2018

Following an unfortunate incident in Sarajevo, the King of the Belgians wakes up in a sanatorium on a Croatian island. As he tries to escape the island to save his Kingdom, a delegation arrives to announce he has been chosen to become the first Emperor of a nationalist Nova Europa.

Festivals
& Awards

Toronto - TIFF 2019
Contemporary World Cinema - Grolsch People's Choice Award
Filmfest Gent 2019
T.B.C. - Joseph Plateau Honorary Award for Geraldine
Warsaw FF 2019
Opening Gala Film
Festival du Film Européen de Virton 2019
Belgian Focus
Zagreb Film Festival 2019
Closing Gala Film
Festival de Sevilla 2019
Eurimages Competition - Eurimages Award Best European Coproduction
Tallinn Black Nights IFF 2019
Signatures
Cairo IFF 2019
International Panorama
See all
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    • Year of production
    • 2018
    • Genres
    • Black comedy, Comedy, Social issues
    • Countries
    • BELGIUM, CROATIA, NETHERLANDS
    • Languages
    • ENGLISH, GERMAN, FRENCH, FLEMISH
    • Budget
    • 1 - 3 M$
    • Duration
    • 107 mn
    • Director(s)
    • Peter BROSENS, Jessica WOODWORTH
    • Writer(s)
    • Peter BROSENS, Jessica WOODWORTH
    • Producer(s)
    • Peter BROSENS (BO FILMS), Marc-Henri WAJNBERG (WAJNBROSSE PRODUCTIONS), Laurette SCHILLINGS (TOPKAPI FILMS)
    • Synopsis
    • On his way home from a state visit to Istanbul, the KING OF THE BELGIANS suffers a gunshot wound to the ear during an unfortunate incident in Sarajevo. A few days later, he wakes up in a sanatorium on a Croatian island, once Tito’s renowned summer residence. His devoted entourage tries in vain to protect him from the news that the recent implosion of their kingdom sparked the collapse of the European Union.

      The fragile King wants to return home at once to save his broken kingdom. But instead he is condemned to a strict regime of rest and rehabilitation by the authoritarian sanatorium director, Dr. Kroll, who even dares to prescribe him a wheelchair. This simply will not do. The King sets his entourage scrambling for a means to flee. While waiting for a solution the King befriends the witty and damaged Lady Liz and discovers the bizarre wonders of the island.

      A delegation arrives from Vienna headed by the imposing Dr. Ilse von Stroheim, one of the architects of a nationalist 'Nova Europa'. She represents a collection of powerful people who promise to return the continent to its rightful heirs: the Europeans. She announces the thunderous news that the last King of the Belgians will become the first Emperor of Nova Europa'.

      The King is astonished and alarmed. And he has had enough of others determining his destiny. As he is hastily groomed for the grandiose ceremony that will be broadcast live from the island, he takes matters into his own hands. Naturally, the launch of Nova Europa does not go as planned. Events spiral towards a finale that involves an anthem gone haywire, a llama wearing antlers, seven singing Sikhs, and an escape in a yellow submarine.
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