
Cinetrā

Cinetrā

In 1833, when the fledgling Belgian kingdom still fears a Dutch invasion, recruits were selected annually from an age cohort by a draw of lots in each locality. In this grim, then contemporary drama by the 'father of Flemish literature', Hendrik Conscience, Jan Braems, a poor and naive farmers-boy, accepts the not uncommon offer by a rich family to sell his lucky ticket (out) to their son for a hefty sum compared to the miserable labor wages at the time. Army life is even harsher then a farmhand's, especially for a Dutch-speaking an-alphabet who simply can't understand his francophone superiors, and Jan's nature is not complacent enough for military discipline even by todays standards, so he soon gets into all kinds of trouble, including gambling his capital away and a venereal disease. When his girlfriend back home goes looking for him, her life is doomed as well.
Cast: Jan Decleir, Ansje Beentjes, Gaston Vandermeulen, Gella Allaert, Bernard Verheyden, Marieke van Leeuwen, Idwig Stephane, Eddy Asselbergs, Leo Madder, Denise Zimmerman, Rudi Van Vlaenderen, Johan Vanderbracht, Werner Kopers, Charles Gilbert, Roger Bolders, Ray Verhaeghe
Writers: Nic Bal (Screenplay), Hendrik Conscience (Novel), Roland Verhavert (Screenplay)
Cinematographer: Ralf Boumans
Production Designer: Ludo Bex, André Laffut
Editors: Monique Lebrun, Peter Simons
Sound Designer: Luc Perini, Jules Goris
Direction team: Peter Simons (Assistant Director), Rita Goossens (Assistant Director)
Producers: Jan van Raemdonck, J.E. Lauwers, J.E. Lauwers
Production: Elan Film N.V., Ministerie van Nationale Opvoeding en Nederlandse Cultuur (België), Kunst en Kino