Daens

Aalst, 1893. In the factories, men, women and children work 13 hours a day in atrocious conditions. There is a rising number of fatal accidents. Nette, a young worker, leads a wildcat strike.

She enlists Father Adolf Daens’ help. Daens has an article published on working conditions. It has an explosive effect. With repurcussions all the way to Parliament… A Committee of Inquiry is set up despite the oppsition of Charles Woeste, President of the Conservative Catholic Party.

Woeste organizes a campaign to discredit the priest: local complicity, Church hierarchy, and a diplomatic offensive led by king Leopold II himself resulting in Pope Leo XIII’s repudiation of Father Daens.

After a final onslaught by Charles Woeste, Father Daens is obliged to choose between the priesthood and his political activities. Nette, who had always been at his side, persuades him not to give up but to continue the struggle…

• Jan Decleir
• Gerard Desarthe
• Antje De Boeck
• Michaël Pas
• Johan Leysen
• Idwig Stephane
• Linda Van Dijck
• Wim Meeuwissen
• Jappe Claes
• Julien Schoenaerts
• Karel Baetens

• Brit Alen
• Brenda Bertin
• Alex Wilequet
• Rik Hancké
• Giovanni Di Benedetto
• Fred Van Kuijk
• Gérald Marti
• Frank Vercruyssen
• Koen Van Impe
• Paul Wuyts
• Marilou Mermans
• Mark Peeters
• Jan Steen
• Filip Van Luchene
• Ludo Busschots
• Bert Cosemans
• Herbert Flack
• Yves Degen
• Marc Legein
• Gaston Bertin
• Max Schnur
• Anna Grazyna Suchocka
• Peter Van Asbroeck
• Gert Portael
• Stijn Meuris
• Iwona Hoffman
• Luc D’heu
• Günther Lesage
• Matthias Schoenaerts
• Leon Niemczyck
• Tadeusz Teodorczyk
• Bruno Bukowski
• Andrzej Gloskowski
• Julia Banaszkiewicz
• Ludwik Benoit
• Benowefa Korska
• Miroslaw Jekot
• Dariusz Kowalski
• Jacek Luczak
• Tadeusz Falana
• Jecek Sut
• Barbara Polomska
• Wieslawa Grochowska

• director of photography Walther Vanden Ende

• editing Ludo Troch

• sound Henri Morelle
• director of photography Jean-Paul Loublier

• production design Allan Starski

• 1st AD Yan Tax

• make-up & hair Winnie Gallis & Dick Naastepad
• original soundtrack Dirk Brossé 

• line producer Guy De Lombaert
• director of photography Films Dérive,
 Titane & Shooting Star Filmcompany
• based upon Pieter Daens (Louis Paul Boon
)

• director of photography Szymon Zaleski
• director of photography Ryzsard Chutkowski
• 1st AD Andrzej Kotkowski
• 1st AD Ewa Tarnowska
• director of photography Alfreda Haczek
• location hunter Jacek Kucharski
• gaffer Kazimierz Pawlak
• electricians Florian Tulibacki, Jerzy Grzywacz

• director of photography Bruno Frasca
• 1st AD Frederico Fusco
• gaffer Antonio Piselli
• electricians Luigi Piselli, Italo Di Stefano, Maurizio Millozzi
• director of photography Massimo Galiano
• grip Maurizio Benvenuto

• shooting location Belgium, Poland, Italy
• original version Dutch, French
• shooting period Aug – Dec 1991
• support 35mm Kodak, colour
• shooting location 35mm, betacam sp, digital betacam, dvd
• shooting location 134 minutes
• shooting location Dutch, French
• shooting location Dolby SR
• format 1:66
• shooting location Films Dérives, 
Titane & Shooting Star Filmcompany
• financial partners Favourite Films, Investco & Kredietbank Luxemburg, Films Dérives, Titane, Shooting Star Filmcompany, Brtn Fictie – Kro Drama, Eurimages
• dvd-distribution Belgium Universal
• release Belgium 25 February 1992

• 3rd film art festival ljubljana 20 Oct - 5 Nov 1992
• semaine cinéma européen bujumbura 12-22 March 1993
• filmfest emden 13-19 May 1993
• boise river festival idaho 24-27 June 1993
• 11th filmfest münchen 26 June - 3 July 1993
• 10th jerusalem film festival 1-10 July 1993
• haugessund film festival 22-28 Aug 1993
• montréal film festival 26 Aug - 6 Sept 1993
• brisbane film festival 26 Aug - 6 Sept 1993
• toronto film festival 10-18 Sept 1993
• taejon expo '93 international film festival 10-24 Sept 1993
• copenhague film festival 13-16 Sept 1993
• umea film festival 16-22 Sept 1993
• pontevedra film festival 27 Sept - 2 Oct 1993
• shangai film festival 7-14 Oct 1993
• warsaw film festival 8-17 Oct 1993
• festival du film européen kigali 4-21 Nov 1993
• puerto rico film festival 10-21 Nov 1993
• european film festival ottawa 25 Nov - 4 Dec 1993
• vienna international film festival 28 Nov 1993
• international film festival budapest 3-10 Dec 1993
• palm springs international film festival 6-16 Jan 1994
• 25th international film festival of india 10-20 Jan 1994
• the festival of perth 18 Feb - 13 March 1994
• 18th cape town international film festival 7-26 March 1994
• international istanbul film festival 2-17 April 1994
• 2nd international film festival saint-petersburg 23-29 June 1994
• 29. Festroia - International Film Festival of Sétubal (Hommage to Jan Decleir) 7-16 jun 2013
• Festival Paris Cinéma (Panorama Longs Métrages Belges) 28 jun-09 jul 2013

• Prix Media Italia 1992 Special Mention of the OCIC Jury La Biennale di Venezia XLIX Mostra Internazionale d'Arte Cinematografica
• Gulden Spoor Price 1992 19th Flanders International Film Festival Ghent
• Aigle d'Or VIème Festival International du Film d'Histoire de Rueil - Malmaison 1992
• Special Award for the Best Cinematography 28th Chicago International Film Festival 1992
• Silver Spike Most Popular Film Prize 37th Valladolid International Film Festival 1992
• Prix par le vote du Public 5ème Rencontres Cinématographiques de Cannes 1992
• KRO Film Price 1992
• Prix de la ville de Bruxelles Prix Femina belge du cinéma 1992-1993
• Cultural Ambassador of Flanders 1993
• Fonske 1993
• Best actress in leading role International Film Festival Tavira 1993
• Special Prize of the Jury La Mostra Internacional de Cine do Xacobeo, Pontevedra 1993
• Best actor in leading role 1st International Film Festival of Shanghai 1993
• Plateau Prize for best actor in leading role 20th Flanders International Film Festival Ghent 1993
• Plateau Prize for best actress in leading role 20th Flanders International Film Festival Ghent 1993
• Plateau Prize for best director 20th Flanders International Film Festival Ghent 1993
• Plateau Prize for best film 20th Flanders International Film Festival Ghent 1993
• Plateau Prize of the audience 20th Flanders International Film Festival Ghent 1993

• European actor of the year 1993 European Film Academy (FELIX)
• Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film 1993 Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences (Oscars)