Steve + Sky (2005)

Synopsis: Flemish filmmaker Felix Van Groeningen's debut feature STEVE + SKY, a gritty romantic drama about a struggling petty criminal and his shockingly beautiful stripper lover, takes place amidst a backdrop of crime and shady goings-on in the red light district of Ghent. Recently released from a... Flemish filmmaker Felix Van Groeningen's debut feature STEVE + SKY, a gritty romantic drama about a struggling petty criminal and his shockingly beautiful stripper lover, takes place amidst a backdrop of crime and shady goings-on in the red light district of Ghent. Recently released from a prison stint for a drug violation, scrawny Steve (Titus De Voogdt) looks up his cell-mate Jean-Claude (Johan Heldenbergh) and immediately joins him in a motorcycle-stealing racket and the reopening of his exotic dance club. Along the way, he meets the gorgeous Sky (Van Groeningen's girlfriend and fashion model Delfine Bafort), a wounded soul looking for her place in the world. As their unlikely romance develops and Sky grows dependent on Steve's affections, he rejects her love and his alienation places a nearly fatal strain on Sky's fragile psyche. Influenced by films like PULP FICTION and ALL THE REAL GIRLS, Van Groeningen has created a whirlwind of a story, with a constantly thumping soundtrack by Belgian DJs Soulwax (aka 2 Many DJs) setting off the action. In Flemish Dutch language, STEVE + SKY is the first feature film to use the Ghent dialect of the language rather than the usual Antwerp dialect. Additionally, there is a brief cameo as a bouncer from former Belgian boxer Jean-Pierre Coopman, famous for a 1976 fight with Muhammad Ali. An admirable mix of action and intense character drama, STEVE + SKY is a fast-paced and touching drama about real people trying to fulfill their hopes and dreams as they dodge both the law and social conformity. [More]