Jarno Maertens
As a Belgian not having much knowledge of the going-on's in Brussels this movie is definitely a must-see. Made by a Moroccan director this movie captures the difficulties of the situations around the suburbs and the representation of its people. Showing mere images can't give you a full context of the things that occur in these places. And although director Adil El Arbi tries to give the immigrants some more personality, the stereotypes never really get neglected. Sometimes the image doesn't tell the whole story.
Jerghal
Adil El Arbi may be of Moroccan descent but his film are actually as bad as the Flemish ones. Image is about a female journalist from Gent who wants to climb the media ladder by making a documentary about the Moroccan immigrants in Brussels and showing them in a different light. Unfortunately the film seems the confirm all the clichés people have about these people which makes them hard to like. If the main character Lahbib is supposed to be a criminal with a heart of gold then they failed miserably in fleshing out the last part. But it's not only the immigrants who come of as scumbags, the Flemish characters (the media people) are hardly better. Gene Berrevoets plays an aging news anchor who wants to keep his position no matter what. He, and the rest of the people who work in the fictional television station are just unlikable assholes. The film somehow seems to insinuate the media is the sole guilty party for the bad representation of the immigrants while the film itself just keeps confirming the racial stereotypes. The story is rather badly written, predictable, lacks an emotional core and characters viewers can identify with. I haven't seen 'Black', the 2015 film of the same director, but from what I've heard the director seems to be making the same mistakes again.
Djiana
Coming out of the woodwork to write my first review on here, for a local movie. I am from Belgium but I rarely watch Belgian films. When I do, I rarely like them. But this is an exception. This film, in my opinion is exceptional, at least for Belgian cinema.It's a critical piece about the way people from Maghreb countries are represented in Belgian media. The first scene pulls you in and never lets go. It is enthralling, moving and sometimes painful to watch. This film makes a point, an important point. It doesn't make it subtly, but clearly and I wouldn't have it any other way.I hope people get to view it and leave the cinema with their thoughts provoked and eyes opened.
meli_honeybee
I highly recommend it,it has it all !!! Action thriller romance it keeps you sitting at the edge of your seat the whole time. Just absolutely incredible. The acting was incredible, so real, it is such a bold movie really showing how life is and how media manipulates everything. Very daring subject but absolutely amazing, opens your eyes to the reality of today.Amazing what these 2 guys have accomplished on such a tight budget, seriously one of the best movies I have ever seen. I would like to praise Adil El Arbi and Bilall Fallah for their astonishing, outstanding job on this movie, these guys are going to make it! Can't wait for the next movie !!!