Bullhead (film)
| Bullhead | |
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Theatrical Poster
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| Directed by | Michaël R. Roskam |
| Produced by | Savage Film |
| Written by | Michaël R. Roskam |
| Starring | |
| Music by | Raf Keunen |
| Cinematography | Nicolas Karakatsanis |
| Edited by | Alain Dessauvage |
| Distributed by | Kinepolis Film Distribution Drafthouse Films |
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Release date
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Running time
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128 minutes |
| Country | Belgium |
| Language | Dutch Limburgish French |
| Box office | $151,840 (US) |
Bullhead (Dutch: Rundskop) is a 2011 Belgian crime film written and directed by Michaël R. Roskam and starring Matthias Schoenaerts. It tells the story of the young Limburgish cattle farmer Jacky Vanmarsenille, approached by an unscrupulous veterinarian to make a shady deal with a notorious West-Flemish beef trader. But the murder of a federal policeman, and an unexpected confrontation with a mysterious secret from Jacky's past, set in motion a chain of events with far-reaching consequences. The film is based on the murder of Karel van Noppen.
The film was nominated for an Academy Award in the category of Best Foreign Language Film in 2012, but lost to A Separation. The film was shot mainly in Truierlands, a Limburgish dialect.
In Sint-Truiden, cattle farmer Jacky visits a distant relative and intimidates him into selling cows. In the local area, a mafia deals in illegal hormones and controls the cattle and meat trade. The farmers sell cows to the mafia, who inject the cows with hormones and the cows are made into food. We soon learn that Jacky is injecting himself with steroids intended for cattle.
A mafia heavy takes a car to two mechanics and asks them to make it disappear. They find a bullet hole and see a news report about a murdered police detective and realize the car was involved.
A high-ranking member of the mafia sets up a deal with Jacky and brings his new associate Diederik, who has something to do with Jacky's mysterious past. Diederik is actually a police informant employed by police detective Eva, who is investigating the mafia.
20 years ago, Jacky and Diederik were childhood best friends. Jacky's dad, also a cattle farmer, dealt with the mafia and brought the boys along to a deal. Jacky fell in love with Lucia, the daughter of one of the mobsters, whose psychopathic brother Bruno tried to prostitute her. Jacky's dad takes the boys home, but they ride their bikes back to see Lucia, only to be caught by Bruno. Bruno forces Jacky onto the ground and his friends gather around as Bruno smashes Jacky's testicles with two rocks, castrating him. Disgusted, Bruno's friends abandon him and Diederik leaves as well. When Diederik's father, another cattle farmer, finds out, he forbids Diederik from talking to the police, as it could ruin their connections with the mafia. Jacky is forced to begin injecting testosterone, or he will never go through puberty.
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