Belgian-born filmmaker Alain Berliner grew up to be a proponent of "magical realism", a mixture of fantasy and the everyday pioneered by fellow countryman Andre Delvaux in the late 1960s and early 70s. ("Every time there's a plot point, it can be solved in a magical way. It's much more interesting than solving a situation in a Hollywood way.") After his first directing experience as a student convinced him he did not handle actors well, Berliner initially contented himself with writing, first for commercials and later for Belgian features and French TV. After co-scripting the very successful