Bullhead Press Notes Booklet

8/3/2019 Bullhead Press Notes Booklet

1/14

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.


2/14

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


3/14

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


4/14

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.


5/14


6/14

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


7/14

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.


8/14

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


9/14

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


10/14

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.


11/14

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


12/14

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.


13/14

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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