Jaco Van Dormael is a Belgian director, screenwriter, and producer, born in Ixelles in 1957. He gained international recognition with his debut film, *Toto le héros* (1991), which earned him the Caméra d'Or at the Cannes Film Festival and the César Award for Best Foreign Film. His success was confirmed by *The Eighth Day* (1996), whose two lead actors, Daniel Auteuil and Pascal Duquenne, shared the Best Actor award at Cannes. His filmography, characterized by long production gaps, also includes the ambitious and philosophical *Mr. Nobody* (2009), which has become a cult film, and the surreal comedy *The Brand New Testament* (*Le Tout Nouveau Testament*, 2015), a Golden Globe nominee for Best Foreign Language Film. His cinema explores themes such as memory, identity, and chance, using non-linear narratives and a visual language rich with dreamlike elements and magical realism.