Ben X(Movie, 2007)

Ben X is a 2007 Belgian-Dutch psychological thriller film based on the novel Nothing Was All He Said (Dutch: Niets Was Alles Wat Hij Zei) by the film's director Nic Balthazar. It stars Greg Timmermans as a teenager with Asperger syndrome who finds solace in the MMORPG ArchLord as a result of severe bullying. The film's title is a reference to the leet version of the Dutch phrase "(ik) ben niks", meaning "(I) am nothing". The novel itself was inspired by the true story of a boy with autism who committed suicide because of bullying. The film won three awards at the 31st Montreal World Film Festival: the Grand Prix des Amériques, the Prix du Public for the most popular film, and the Ecumenical Jury Prize for its exploration of ethical and social values. The film was the Belgian entry for the Academy Awards 2007 in the category Best Foreign Language Film but failed to receive the actual nomination. ()