CLASSE DE MAÎTRE FELIX VAN GROENINGEN

Bars, booze and music feature strongly in his films. There’s energy and dreams of America, but also a strong “Belgianness” that’s as sentimental as it is trashy. Above all, there’s lots of love. Bursting onto the international film scene in 2004 with Steve+Sky, 39-year-old Flemish filmmaker Félix Van Groeningen has established his voice, tone, sincerity and style so successfully that his most recent work, Belgica, copped the best director award at this year’s Sundance.