When It Melts

Veerle Baetens' blistering directorial debut about wounds that won't heal, children's games that aren't games, and guilt that no one wants to face.

Het smelt
Belgium, Netherlands 2023
  • Czech
111 min.
15+
  • This film is available in the following territories: Czechia.
Videos
About

Eva returns to her home village with a large block of ice hidden in the back of her car. How does this relate to her memories of the long-ago sunny summer that changed her life for good? Established Belgian actress Veerle Baetens makes her directorial debut with an adaptation of Lize Spit’s bestselling novel The Melting – the story of a young woman for whom one summer vacation culminates in a painful transition from childhood to premature adulthood. The film, whose strength rests in a carefully constructed contrast between the carefree summer atmosphere and the cruelty that people are capable of inflicting on one another, premiered at Sundance Film Festival, where it received a Jury Award for Best Actress.

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Credits
Director: Veerle Baetens
Based on: Lize Spit
Screenplay: Veerle Baetens, Maarten Loix
Cinematography: Frederic Van Zandycke
Music: Bjorn Eriksson
Sound: Geert Vlegels, Renzy Saerens, Pedro Van der Eecken
Editing: Thomas Pooters
Production Design: Elsje de Bruin, Robbe Nuyttens
Producer: Bart Van Langendonck
Co-production: Jacques-Henri Bronckart, Ellen Havenith, Arlette Zylberberg
Costumes: Manu Verschueren
Cast: Rosa Marchant, Charlotte De Bruyne, Amber Metdepenningen, Matthijs Meertens, Anthony Vyt, Sebastian Dewaele
Awards

Sundance Film Festival

2023 – Rosa Marchant (World Cinema Dramatic Special Jury Award – Best Performance)

São Paulo International Film Festival

2023 – Veerle Baetens (New Directors Competition – Best Fiction)

Links
  • This film is available in the following territories: Czechia.