Courquain

Nothing to Declare is a comedy by Dany Boon, set on the French-Belgian border during the introduction of the European single market on January 1, 1993, when the borders between the two countries were lifted.

The film revolves around two customs officers: Ruben Vandevoorde, an avid Belgian customs officer with pronounced Francophobic sentiments, and Mathias Ducatel, a French customs officer who cannot stand Ruben but is in love with his sister. Due to the abolition of the border post, both men are forced to work together in a new, mixed mobile brigade. This clash of cultures and personalities leads to many comedic situations, where existing prejudices between the French and Belgians are exaggerated, with an underlying message of tolerance and cooperation.

The story takes place in the fictional villages of Courquain (France) and Koorkin (Belgium), but the filming took place at real locations along the French-Belgian border. The main set is this former customs office in Macquenoise-Hirson, which was renamed Courquain for the film. The customs office in Macquenoise even became a small museum after filming, as it had become such an iconic set piece.

The choice of these locations was intentional, as the director wanted to capture the authentic atmosphere of the border region—a region that, like the characters, is shaped by its location between two countries.

Pascal Brackman