Eurydice Gysel - Czar Film
Eurydice Gysel started producing at CZAR Brussels in 2000. The directors driven production company had just been established by Koen Mortier and Joe Vanhoutteghem and quickly became one of the most creative ad production companies on the international market. In 2006 and 2008 Eurydice produced Koen Mortier’s two feature films (Ex Drummer and 22nd of May) both of which enjoyed an elaborate festival career. In 2010 Eurydice Gysel became executive producer of the company and since then co-jointly – with director /producer Koen Mortier - leads the fiction department (CZAR FILM & TV) of CZAR Brussels.
CZAR FILM & TV produces and coproduces feature films, quality short films and series. The department focuses on author driven and visual films with the emphasis on innovation within an international and European frame and network. The goal is to create a platform for defiant directors and to export Belgian talent. Previously they released the features ‘Ex Drummer’ and ‘22nd of May’ both directed by Koen Mortier. The films were selected for various international festivals and were sold worldwide. ‘Waste Land’ by Pieter Van Hees starring Jérémie Renier as the lead, is still travelling and was also released in France. The documentary ‘Standby Painter’ by Amir Yatziv and Guy Slabbinck recently had its world premiere at Vision de Réel in Switzerland.
Further they produced the short films ‘A Gentle Creature’, ‘Rivers Return’, ‘Perfect Drug’ and ‘Playing Away from Home’ that where screened worldwide at festivals and competitions. The latest short ‘Feel Sad for the Bunny’ by Kenneth Mercken received a special mention of the jury at the International Short Film Festival of Leuven in 2015 as well as an Ensor for Best Flemish Short Film of that year.
Besides their own projects, they coproduced the feature films ‘Borgman’ and ‘Schneider vs Bax’ both by Alex van Warmerdam, ‘L’étrange Couleur des larmes de ton corps’ by Hélène Cattet and Bruno Forzani, ‘Supernova’ by Tamar van den Dop, de documentary ‘Doel’ by Frederik Sølberg and the short film ‘Vihta’ by François Bierry.
The historical BBC drama ‘The White Queen’ was the first coproduction of the television department CZAR TV in 2013. Shortly after more coproductions with the BBC followed, such as both seasons of the thriller series ‘The Missing’. Both series received nominations for the Golden Globes, Emmy Awards and BAFTA’s. CZAR TV is currently shooting the spin-off of ‘The Missing’, ‘Baptiste’ as well as the 6-part costume drama ‘Les Misérables’ starring Dominic West, David Oyelowo and Lily Collins.
Projects releasing in the near future are: ‘Un Ange’ by Koen Mortier and ‘Coureur’ by Kenneth Mercken. Films in development are ‘Haunted’ by Koen Mortier and ‘True Biker’ by Lieven Van Baelen.