The First, the Last

Written, directed by and starring Bouli Lanners, Les Premiers, les Derniers (The First, the Last) is a Belgian-French comedy drama released in 2016. Lanners is joined by an ensemble that includes Albert Dupontel, Suzanne Clément, David Murgia and Philippe Rebbot, alongside veteran performers Michael Lonsdale, Lionel Abelanski and Max von Sydow. The film was presented in the Panorama section of the 66th Berlin International Film Festival, where it collected the Prize of the Ecumenical Jury and the Europa Cinemas Label. It went on to receive eight nominations at the 7th Magritte Awards, Belgium's national film honours, and converted five of them, among them Best Film and Best Director for Lanners. Shot in French, it stands as one of the most decorated Belgian productions of its year and a hallmark of Lanners' combined work as screenwriter, filmmaker and actor.