&ME
| &ME | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Norbert ter Hall |
| Produced by | Petra Goedings |
| Written by | Norbert ter Hall, Oscar van den Boogaard |
| Based on | Fremdkörper by Oscar van den Boogaard |
| Starring |
Mark Waschke Veronica Echegui Teun Luijkx Rossy de Palma |
| Music by | Jasper Boeke |
| Cinematography | Richard Oosterhout |
| Edited by | Isabel Meier |
| Distributed by | Cineart |
| Country |
Belgium Germany Spain Netherlands France |
| Language |
English French German Spanish Dutch |
&ME is a European film, written and directed by Norbert ter Hall and produced by 'Phanta Vision Film International'. The film was shot across four countries in eight weeks, is told in five languages and employed an international cast and crew, claiming eight different nationalities. &ME was released on March 14, 2013.
Plot
Every month the European Parliament moves from Brussels to its seat in Strasbourg. A week later everything is moved back. The unconventional love story '&ME takes place against this attempt to maintain European idealism and unity.
&ME tells the story of Eduard (Mark Waschke), a gay and disillusioned bureaucrat, who leaves Berlin for Brussels to take up a post within the European Parliament. There he meets the beautiful and idealistic young lawyer Edurne (Veronica Echegui), from Spain, who has finally escaped the clutches of her over-protective mother (Rossy de Palma). Edurne falls madly for Eduard, a handsome, sophisticated man that she can show off to the world. Eduard is happy to go along with the situation, surprised at the level of affection he feels for this young woman. He might even call it love, because love - c'est bizarre.
The attractive Richard (Teun Luijkx) comes on the scene, and is soon the focus of both Eduard and Edurne's attention. Will Richard turn out to be the glue that holds them together - or the wedge that drives them apart? And can they all, in the process, discover that elusive thing called happiness?
Cast
- Mark Waschke as Eduard Schiller
- Verónica Echegui as Edurne Verona
- Teun Luijkx as Richard Merkelbach
- Rossy de Palma as Mama Verona
- Pamela Knaack as Getrud
- Howard Charles as Albert
- Rafael Cebrian as Julio
Background
Setting
The romantic love story &ME takes place against a strange and ritualistic setting. Every month the European Parliament moves from Brussels to its seat in Strasbourg in a convoy of enormous trucks. Many observers view this monthly occurrence as a desperate attempt to maintain the facade of European idealism.
Novel
The &ME screenplay is based on the novel "Fremdkörper" by bestseller author Oscar van den Boogaard. His books are sold and translated in The Netherlands, Belgium, France, Germany, the UK, the US and Canada.[1]