Frédéric Fonteyne

Filmmaker Frédéric Fonteyne got his start at an early age. At barely 20, the Belgian multi-hyphenate had directed a pair of shorts, and in the following decade, would fill a variety of creative roles including acting, writing, and producing. In 1992, Fonteyne collaborated with a slew of influential directors on "Les Sept Péchés Capitaux," an anthology film about the seven deadly sins. Fonteyne's next short, "Bob (Le Déplorable)," scored an honorable mention at the Dresden Film Festival, and propelled the young artist toward his first feature film. Based on a script by prolific Iranian-born screenwriter Philippe Blasband, the offbeat angelic comedy "Max et Bobo" bowed in 1998, and won the International Independent Award for Best Feature at the Mannheim-Heidelberg International Film Festival. Spurred by their success, Fonteyne and Blasband plunged right into their next effort, the unconventional love story "Une Liaison Pornographique." Fonteyne garnered a Best Belgian Director nod from the Joseph Plateau Awards for the film, and also took home an Audience Award at the Troms¯ International Film Festival. In 2004, he co-wrote and directed the highly acclaimed marital drama "La Femme de Gilles," which won awards for direction, acting, and music at a smattering of international festivals. The film received a modest US release in 2005.