Belge Cinéma Film

A cheetah runs away from a fair and steals Belgium's national symbol: Manneken Pis.

On instructions of the French company Pathé Frères, Alfred Machin develops a film industry in the Netherlands and Belgium from 1912 to the advent of World War One. He directs several quality films including La Fille de Delft, Maudite soit la Guerre and this wonderful gem Le Diamant Noir. A man is accused of theft and decides to quit the country. Machin's favourite pet, the panther Mimir shares the lead roll in this film with a magpie.

An army pilot is visiting the home of another army pilot in a neighboring country, and falling in love with his sister, when war breaks out.

Commissioned by Pathé Frères, Alfred Machin shoots several local stories in Belgium, in a typically Belgian setting. Machin produces not only historical dramas, but also some comedies mainly portraying the Brussels "zwanze", the typical humour of the city's inhabitants, which is characterised by a finely-balanced mix of self-deprecation and exaggeration. In doing so he made his films accessible and recognizable to his audience. Mr Beulemeester, notorious member of the local militia and very possessive when it comes to his daughter, is in this film fooled by charmer and suitor Van Soest.