The Belgian filmmaking team explain how they made the funeral road trip comedy ‘The Weeping Walk’

Accomplished Belgian author, poet and songwriter Dimitri Verhulst has previously helped adapt his novels for the screen, seeing directors Manu Riche and Felix van Groeningen take on Problemski Hotel and The Misfortunates respectively. But when he decided to write an original screenplay – then called ‘Wettelen’ -  he realised he wanted to direct it too.

“At some point you want to retain control over the cinematic interpretation of stories that have started in your own head,” says Verhulst of his move behind the camera. .

’Wettelen’ became The Weeping Walk and the absurdist comedy is unspooling as a work in progress at this week’s Connext showcase. The €2.4m film is produced by Koen Mortier and Eurydice Gysel’s Brussels-based Czar Film and TV, with regular partner, the Dutch production company Graniet Film, run by brothers Marc and Marten Van Warmerdam and filmmaker Alex Van Warmerdam.  Marc and Marten Van Warmerdam co-produced Mortier’s Angel; Czar has co-produced all Alex van Warmerdam’s films.

The Weeping Walk details the story of a group of friends and relatives who have gathered for the funeral of the deceased Christine. Her notary appears clutching her last will and testament stating Christine wishes to be buried in a (fictitious) town called Wettelen, much to the dismay of her family. Nobody knows about the existence of Wettelin and a road trip ensues as the funeral party sets about honouring her last wish, walking behind the hearse, over the course of several days. There are overnight stays with monks in an Abbey, a night with a circus and one spent in a hotel rammed with a drunken wedding party, which provide a comical backdrop for the family and friends to get to know one another. Secrets are exposed and family ties – good and bad – are shaken

Peter Van Den Begin, Cami Moonen, Dominique Van Malder and Tine Roggeman  head the cast and  enjoyed a location shoot   across Flanders and Wallonia, the French-speaking region of southern Belgium, in May and June 2022 for six weeks. The film is now in post-production.

Gysel, Mortier and Verhulst were attending the Toronto film festival in 2018, supporting Mortier’s Angel,  when what was then called ‘Wettelen” came up in conversation. “Dimitri said he had written a script for a director who wasn’t feeling it. Koen [Mortier] said he should make it himself,” explains Gysel. 

Gysel secured script and development funding from Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF) and teamed with Graniet. Gysel also corralled financing through the BNP Paribas Fortis Film Finance tax shelter and the Creative Europe Programme - Media. The only slight hiccup in the film’s arrival before the cameras came with a bottleneck in funding applications at VAF due to the Covid-19 lockdowns.

As Verhulst had never directed before, there was also a degree of caution from partners and funders. 

“We did a one-day test shoot with a full crew and a cast, most of whom ended up in the film, to see how Dimitri acted on sets with the crew and the actors,” says Gysel. “It worked because he knew exactly what he wanted to make and how it had to look and how the dialogue and intonation would play out 

For added support, Mortier was on hand during Verhulst’s debut to offer support, encouragement and sage advice. (Mortier’s Skunk is also screening during Connext 2023). “It wasn’t really needed,” says Gysel. 

Benelux distributor Dutch FilmWorks has already acquired local rights and will roll it out via Belgian exhibitor Kineopolis in 2024.   Czar is looking to secure an international sales agent during Connext while whetting festival tastemaker appetites. “It is absurd and has a very dry humour,” says Gysel of what she believes are the project’s strong selling points. “It’s  visually very stylish too.”

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