De gelukkige schizo

'One thing was certain: The one I didn't want to be was the one I was.' This is how writer Gerrit Komrij describes himself as a child. 'I was soon forced to draw the conclusion that the only thing I could do was lead fictitious lives'. But the fame this brought him does not really give him satisfaction, either. Komrij pities himself and others, even though he lives with his friend in a beautiful house in Portugal, where people cook his meals and pour his wine. In close-up, director Louter films Komrij's face and hands writing poems, while Komrij softly mouths the words. Komrij recites, mostly in voice-over, and tells about his life in two countries (Holland and Portugal, where he feels `a little less out of place'), about his `trinity' as a foreigner: poet, homosexual and expatriate. He only perks up when parcels arrive with books and magazines, especially when they contain new conquests for his bibliophile collection.