He wanted to make a more linear film than "Toto le héros", one which explored the world through the eyes of a man with Down syndrome. Van Dormael's next film, "Le huitieme jour" ("The Eighth Day"), accomplishes this with the chance meeting and friendship between Georges, played by Pascal Duquenne, and Harry, an unhappy divorced businessman portrayed by Daniel Auteuil. Van Dormael's interest in people with mental and physical disabilities stems from an interest in their "talent for life, for loving life, that we often lack." He sought to explore the concept of two worlds (that of Georges and that of Harry) existing simultaneously and yet separately. "Le huitième jour" premiered at the 1996 Cannes Film Festival, where it was nominated for the Palme d'Or. It did win the Best Actor award at the festival, which was given to both Pascal Duquenne and Daniel Auteuil. This was the first time in the festival's history that two actors had shared the award. The film received four Joseph Plateau Awards and was nominated for a César Award and the Golden Globe Award for Best Foreign Language Film. "Le huitième jour" grossed $33 million worldwide on a budget of $5 million, making it Van Dormael's highest-grossing film to that point.