Ben X (2007)

As an alternative to getting bullied at school, an autistic teenager retreats into the world of online role-playing games.

Director:

Nic Balthazar

Writers:

Nic Balthazar (novel), Rik D'Hiet (advisor on screenplay)

Stars:

Marijke Pinoy, Greg Timmermans, Cesar De Sutter

7 wins & 4 nominations.

Cast

Cast overview, first billed only:
Marijke Pinoy	...	Moeder
Greg Timmermans	...	Ben
Cesar De Sutter	...	Jonas
Gilles De Schryver	...	Coppola (as Gilles De Schrijver)
Bavo Smets	...	Ben - 6 jaar
Katrien Pierlet	...	Kleuterjuf
Rebecca Lenaerts	...	Opvoedster
Maarten Claeyssens	...	Desmet
Titus De Voogdt	...	Bogaert
Pol Goossen	...	Vader
Michel Bauwens	...	Oorarts
Koen De Sutter	...	Oogarts
Peter De Graef	...	Psychiater
An Van Gijsegem	...	Maaike
Jakob Beks	...	Leraar metaal

Storyline

Ben is different. His life is a universe to itself, where he plays his favorite on line computer game Archlord avidly, trying hard to train himself for the real world he lives in. The harsh world of a technical school is for him a daily kind of hell. As the horror of being a daily subject to bullying grows, Ben devises a plan. Then Scarlite comes into his life, the girl he has met in his on-line game. That wasn't part of the plan...

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Plot Keywords:

faked death | bullying | imaginary friend | faked suicide | assisted suicide | 

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Taglines:

Everything's dare

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Genres:

Drama | Thriller

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Certificate:

Not Rated

Did You Know?

Trivia

The MMORPG (massively multiplayer online role-playing game) in the movie is the real life game, Archlord.

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Quotes

[first lines]
Ben: [voiceover] It's hard to explain. It's hard to explain myself. But I never tell lies. Everything I say is true, even when I don't say a thing.

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Connections

Remade as IRL (In Real Life) (2013)

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Soundtracks

Include Me Out
Written by Tom Barman
Performed by dEUS
Published by EMI Music Publishing Belgium
With kind permission of Universal Music Belgium

User Reviews

Ben X @ Montreal World Film Festival

This film goes very deeply into the problems that Children with the form of Autism know as Aspergers syndrome. The film uses glimpses of what seems to be a future interview with many of the characters to build a suspenseful atmosphere thru the whole film. The use of flashbacks thru out the film to explain Bens early childhood are extremely effective in conveying the listlessness that is felt by parents and children as they try and find out why their child is different. I will leave it to others to provide a plot summery but I will tell you something of the experience of the screening at the Montreal World Film Festival. Both the director Nic Balthazar and the actor who played Ben, Greg Timmermans addressed the crowd that night before the beginning of the film. Nic Balthazar spoke to the crowd in fluent French and English himself with no translator, leading to a booming applause as he talked of his joy at being at the festival and of working with Greg on his first film. Greg Timmermans then went ahead and spoke to us in passable French and English and talked of how nervous he was on that night. This is Greg Timmermans first film and he preformed beyond beautifully, bring subtlety to his role rarely seen by seasoned actors let alone a brand new face. This is not to diminish the other actors and actresses all of whom preformed extraordinary well. I hope that this film recedes world wide distribution for it is one of the most pointed comments I've ever seen or heard of on the treatment that children with these types of differences receive from classmates, teachers, and parents. Though I say this the teachers while sometimes seeming exasperated and at a loss for what to do, were never cruel, intentionally or otherwise. This film ranked as the best film that I was able to see in my short time at the festival. Lastly I would like to say that as the credits began to roll the audience roared forth with applause that did not cease completely for a full 3-5 minutes.

I left this film with my tears proudly displayed on my cheeks.

Good luck in competition to the cast and crew of BenX. May you see wide spread distribution and happy lives. You have touched my heart.

Details

Official Sites:

Océan Films [France] Official site

Country:

Belgium Netherlands

Language:

Flemish Dutch

Release Date:

26 September 2007 (Belgium)

Also Known As:

Ben X

Filming Locations:

Brugge, West-Vlaanderen, Belgium

Box Office

Budget:

EUR1,500,000 (estimated)

Opening Weekend USA:

$904, 26 October 2008

Gross USA:

$1,601

Cumulative Worldwide Gross:

$2,744,414

Company Credits

Production Co:

MMG Film & TV Production

Technical Specs

Runtime:

93 min

Sound Mix:

Dolby SR

Color:

Color

Aspect Ratio:

1.85 : 1