Moscow, Belgium

Embittered postwoman Matty is facing the start of a middle-age crisis, her husband has abandoned her for a younger woman, leaving her with three pubertal children. When she meets truck driver Johnny, ten years her junior, it takes a while before she responds to his evident interest in her. Gradually Matty and Johnny get together, much to the dismay of her adolescent daughter and husband, now back on the scene. This romantic but not slushy film follows its charismatic heroine on a journey towards happiness and late romance. The story unfolds in Moscow, a working-class neighbourhood of Ghent, a gently humoured tale of mismatched love between a 40-year-old postwoman and a 30-year-old truck driver, told in a civil, realistic style. The superb performances and outstanding dialogues underscore the genuine appeal and engaging credibility of the film. Moscow, Belgium was screened at Cannes during this year’s International Critics’ Week, from where it took away several awards.