Harrowing fairy tale about the mutual affection, purely based on feeling, between the blind Ruben and the ugly Marie, who reads out loud to him and for the first time in her life is considered beautiful.
Ruben (Joren Seldeslachts) and Marie (Halina Reijn) are both imperfect. Ruben is blind, Marie ugly, according to the prevailing standards. They find each other when Ruben's mother (Katelijne Verbeke) appoints Marie to read to her son. Their mutual affection, which is purely based on feeling, stirs jealousy in Ruben's mother, so she is glad to hear that surgery can give her son his eyesight back. Marie disappears, afraid to be rejected because of her looks. The film, directed by Tamar van den Dop, is largely set in a snow-clad country estate, which the albino Marie almost dissolves in. The house is always cloaked in twilight; the colours are pallid, except in Ruben's imagination. The music, written by Tom Holkenborg, sustains the melancholy character of this harrowing fairytale.
Credits
Director
Producer
Co-producer
Executive producer
Script
Camera
Production Design
Set geluid
Sound Design
Montage
Gouden Kalf nominees
Beste Muziek (2007)
Tom Holkenborg
Other awards
MovieSquad Award (2007)
NFF Archive
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Stills
