'The Chapel' a Belgian Movie at the 25th Shanghai International Film Festival

The Chapel, a Belgian film directed by Dominique Deruddere, made its premiere at the 25th SIFF (Shanghai International Film Festival) Golden Goblet Awards on Monday. The director Dominique Deruddere, actor Taeke Nicolaï, and producer Bart Van Langendornck held a press conference with the media afterwards.

The movie is of the category thriller and revolves around Nicolaï who is played by Jennifer Rogiers, a 23-year-old virtuoso pianist who carries a haunting secret from her traumatic childhood. As she prepares to participate in the final of the prestigious Queen Elisabeth Competition, the memories resurface, adding tension to the plot. Director Deruddere explained, "This movie draws inspiration from a real piano competition, an international event that can alter the course of a pianist's life. In such high-stakes situations, there are psychological battles among the players, and I aimed to portray this side to the audience." Highlighting that there is more than meets the eye.

The dedication of the lead actress playing Nicolaï is expected to resonate well with Chinese viewers. She shared, "To fully embody this character, I dedicated three months to rigorous practice, including mastering piano techniques and studying the body language of pianists." She acknowledged feeling the stress of the role during filming but expressed gratitude for the director's guidance, which allowed her to embrace the character's emotional transformation.

Producer Van Langendornck expressed that there is always a desire to win awards but emphasized that their focus is laid upon winning the audience's support above all. He praised the film's strong script and the exceptional performances delivered by the talented cast.