SYNOPSIS

During a family gathering for her grandmother’s birthday, Babette (35) is overwhelmed by questions about her life and future. She escapes to the terrace for a cigarette, but her lighter is empty. She leaves to enter a store that claims to have everything. Its endless aisles and absurd products mirror Babette's rising doubts. She gets lost, until the store collapses and knocks her out. Back at the party, her grandmother joins her and lights the candle on her birthday cake. In the flame Babette finds a moment of connection, reflection, and peace.

INTENTION

With this film, I aim to capture the chaos and beauty of doubt. Babette, a woman in her thirties, finds herself caught between external pressures and her own inner confusion, set within an absurd shop that offers everything except what she is looking for.

At the heart of the story lies my fascination with choice and the notion that not choosing may itself be a choice. Drawing inspiration from Borges and Márquez, the narrative weaves elements of magical realism and absurdism to render universal themes both tangible and deeply personal.

Together with screenwriter Bert Lesaffer and art director Thijs De Smet, I am crafting a visually rich, risograph-inspired world that mirrors Babette’s inner journey. As director, I strive for a film that balances humour, relatability, and disorientation, inviting the viewer to lose themselves in Babette’s search – just as she loses herself.