It’s been well over a month since Europe on Screen ended—and I’m just now putting this post together. Well, I really want to take my time to reflect back on this festival, since I hold it so dearly in my heart. There was a time in the past several months when I thought I wouldn’t have the heart to attend this year. As you may know if you’ve been here for long enough, this tradition used to be infused into my previous relationship—despite being a dear part of my life from way before—and that made it hard to revisit for a while. Thankfully, by the time the festival rolled around, I already worked through enough of the heartbreak that I could actually go.
In fact, I went solo to all the screenings—embracing that single-girl life to the fullest. As per usual, I mapped out the films and the venues and picked out titles that stood out to me. Having the freedom to just come and go whenever and wherever I wanted, I somehow managed to catch 6 films—the most screenings I’ve ever attended for this festival—and all of them were so good! It’s very rare for me to like all the movies I watch at EoS, yet somehow that was achieved this year. This turned into such a fun solo date for me throughout.
It’s been well over a month since Europe on Screen ended—and I’m just now putting this post together. Well, I really want to take my time to reflect back on this festival, since I hold it so dearly in my heart. There was a time in the past several months when I thought I wouldn’t have the heart to attend this year. As you may know if you’ve been here for long enough, this tradition used to be infused into my previous relationship—despite being a dear part of my life from way before—and that made it hard to revisit for a while. Thankfully, by the time the festival rolled around, I already worked through enough of the heartbreak that I could actually go.
In fact, I went solo to all the screenings—embracing that single-girl life to the fullest. As per usual, I mapped out the films and the venues and picked out titles that stood out to me. Having the freedom to just come and go whenever and wherever I wanted, I somehow managed to catch 6 films—the most screenings I’ve ever attended for this festival—and all of them were so good! It’s very rare for me to like all the movies I watch at EoS, yet somehow that was achieved this year. This turned into such a fun solo date for me throughout.
Film 1: A Domestic Scandal
The first movie that I managed to catch was screened in the evening at IFI Thamrin—my first time at this venue. It’s a Norwegian film called Ingen kommentar (dir. Petter Næss), which follows Alma, the female Norwegian prime minister whose husband has been involved in an insider trading scandal. Having such a powerful connection, this scandal could’ve had disastrous repercussions on the economy of the country. To mitigate this disaster, the prime minister assembles a ragtag PR team, including one of her old college friends with questionable morals. Needless to say, drama and humour ensue as this PR battle heats up.
I thoroughly enjoyed this film. Its comedic value absolutely hits the spot, with some hints of dark and violent comedy. While I did fall asleep towards the last third of the film (and missed a huge chunk of the ending lol), I did find it riotous and laugh so much. Highly recommended for people who are frustrated with the current global political climate.
Film 1: A Domestic Scandal
The first movie that I managed to catch was screened in the evening at IFI Thamrin—my first time at this venue. It’s a Norwegian film called Ingen kommentar (dir. Petter Næss), which follows Alma, the female Norwegian prime minister whose husband has been involved in an insider trading scandal. Having such a powerful connection, this scandal could’ve had disastrous repercussions on the economy of the country. To mitigate this disaster, the prime minister assembles a ragtag PR team, including one of her old college friends with questionable morals. Needless to say, drama and humour ensue as this PR battle heats up.
I thoroughly enjoyed this film. Its comedic value absolutely hits the spot, with some hints of dark and violent comedy. While I did fall asleep towards the last third of the film (and missed a huge chunk of the ending lol), I did find it riotous and laugh so much. Highly recommended for people who are frustrated with the current global political climate.
Film 2: Middle-Aged Divas
As far as visual direction goes, the second screening that I caught is my favourite out of all that I watched this year. It’s a Belgian film called Les Baronnes (dir. Nabil Ben Yadir & Mokhtaria Badaoui) that follows four fabulous middle-aged ladies as they stage a progressive Hamlet community play. This is what I call “Sex and the City if it was written by a middle-aged Muslim woman and directed along with her son.”
The story starts when Fatima, one of the four ladies, has mixed up her phone with her husband’s and finds out that, after being married for ten years, he’s had a second wife this whole time. Her world is instantly put in a flux as she tries to make sense of her life. With the help of her three friends, she decides to put together a Hamlet play, where she will play Hamlet and catches the attention of the community. Meanwhile, her friend Mériem struggles to confess her love for another member of the senior community, not believing in her own good qualities and fearing rejection.
Film 2: Middle-Aged Divas
As far as visual direction goes, the second screening that I caught is my favourite out of all that I watched this year. It’s a Belgian film called Les Baronnes (dir. Nabil Ben Yadir & Mokhtaria Badaoui) that follows four fabulous middle-aged ladies as they stage a progressive Hamlet community play. This is what I call “Sex and the City if it was written by a middle-aged Muslim woman and directed along with her son.”
The story starts when Fatima, one of the four ladies, has mixed up her phone with her husband’s and finds out that, after being married for ten years, he’s had a second wife this whole time. Her world is instantly put in a flux as she tries to make sense of her life. With the help of her three friends, she decides to put together a Hamlet play, where she will play Hamlet and catches the attention of the community. Meanwhile, her friend Mériem struggles to confess her love for another member of the senior community, not believing in her own good qualities and fearing rejection.
Film 3: The Aftermath of Love & Loss
The third screening is probably the most intimate film I watched this year—with only 2 actors and one location as the setting. It’s a Luxembourgish film called Poison (dir. Désirée Nosbusch), starring the amazing Tim Roth and a great Danish actress, Trine Dyrholm. The story starts as the two characters meet at a cemetery, at first unclear what the occasion is. Then, slowly, everything unfolds. It turns out they used to be husband and wife who have lost a child together, which has caused a crack in their marriage—and this is their first reunion in ten years. Needless to say, it is awkward, it is explosions of emotion, it is heart-wrenching.
Watching this film not too long after my own breakup has struck a chord with me. While I haven’t been married (or lost a child) yet, the feeling of having loved and lost still resonates with me. There is that strange sense of in-between, where familiarity meets the total unknown—when the person standing before you is someone whose crevices you know so well, yet feels like uncharted territory at the same time. It’s jarring, unsettling, and absolutely disarming. And I’m sure this is a feeling that a lot of you resonate with as well.
Film 4: An Identity Crisis
While the other films in this list are about relationships—romantic, familial, friendship—this fourth movie stands out as it explores relationship with the self. It’s an Austrian film called Pfau – Bin ich echt? (dir. Bernhard Wenger) that follows a man named Matthias who works as a friend-for-hire and loses his identity and personality as an occupational hazard. Without him realising, he has always adjusted his likes and dislikes to suit his company. It is only when his girlfriend leaves him does he realise that he doesn’t know who he is—and that his job has very real consequences for everyone involved.
Before this screening, the director told the story that inspired him to create this film—he met a friend-for-hire in Japan who experienced the same thing, which makes the story feel very real. That being said, it was superbly hilarious in that deadpan Austrian way. The comedy hangs suspended in the air, waiting for the other shoe to drop and, once it drops, it hits home.
Film 4: An Identity Crisis
While the other films in this list are about relationships—romantic, familial, friendship—this fourth movie stands out as it explores relationship with the self. It’s an Austrian film called Pfau – Bin ich echt? (dir. Bernhard Wenger) that follows a man named Matthias who works as a friend-for-hire and loses his identity and personality as an occupational hazard. Without him realising, he has always adjusted his likes and dislikes to suit his company. It is only when his girlfriend leaves him does he realise that he doesn’t know who he is—and that his job has very real consequences for everyone involved.
Before this screening, the director told the story that inspired him to create this film—he met a friend-for-hire in Japan who experienced the same thing, which makes the story feel very real. That being said, it was superbly hilarious in that deadpan Austrian way. The comedy hangs suspended in the air, waiting for the other shoe to drop and, once it drops, it hits home.
Film 5: Life As We Know It
I really saw all sorts of families during this year’s Europe on Screen—and this next screening explores the concept of chosen family in a Spanish film called Sin instrucciones (dir. Marina Seresesky). The story starts when our hero Leo, a womaniser with a devil-may-care attitude, got dumped a baby girl by a woman from his previous one-night-stand rendezvous. This led Leo to really get his life together and move from the beach to the city to raise Alba, the baby girl he didn’t even want at first. Slowly but surely, he builds a bond with Alba and becomes a good, responsible father for her. But one day, her mother comes back to reclaim her daughter.
This is one of those movies that will allow you to feel all sorts of feelings—from really joyful, angry, to sad, and eventually warm inside. It’s also one of those movies whose plot twists may be predictable but would throw you off anyway, because all you really want is a happy ever after for Leo and Alba.
Film 5: Life As We Know It
I really saw all sorts of families during this year’s Europe on Screen—and this next screening explores the concept of chosen family in a Spanish film called Sin instrucciones (dir. Marina Seresesky). The story starts when our hero Leo, a womaniser with a devil-may-care attitude, got dumped a baby girl by a woman from his previous one-night-stand rendezvous. This led Leo to really get his life together and move from the beach to the city to raise Alba, the baby girl he didn’t even want at first. Slowly but surely, he builds a bond with Alba and becomes a good, responsible father for her. But one day, her mother comes back to reclaim her daughter.
This is one of those movies that will allow you to feel all sorts of feelings—from really joyful, angry, to sad, and eventually warm inside. It’s also one of those movies whose plot twists may be predictable but would throw you off anyway, because all you really want is a happy ever after for Leo and Alba.
Film 6: A Traumatic Family Affair
Last but not least is probably the most powerful movie of the entire array of screenings—I’m not sure if it’s such a wise decision to put this movie at the very end, though. As if going out with a bang, this movie thoroughly traumatises me and I’m not sure how to recover. What a way to end the festival, eh? This is a Slovakian movie called Otec (dir. Tereza Nvotová), which follows the day of a father who experiences the ‘forgotten baby syndrome.’ I love the brilliant cinematography of this film as it takes us through a one-shot take through the normal daily routine of the father as a buildup to the horrifying reveal that he, in fact, didn’t drop off his daughter at daycare, but left her in the car for hours on one of the hottest days of the year—leaving her basically to burn to crisps and die.
Honestly, I would say this movie probably has the best cinematography by far, because it is so deeply infused in its storytelling. I love how, during the one-shot take of the father’s day at work, we see many, many, MANY hints of it being one of the hottest days of the year, leaving us absolutely petrified when the father realises that the daughter isn’t at daycare. I love how the camera never truly shows the corpse of the daughter after the reveal, but instead focuses on the parents’ horror and amplifies our imagination of the worst case scenario. It just makes it all the more traumatising!
Sticking with the Tradition
I think what truly helps me be able to keep the tradition of Europe on Screen alive is that I have developed a tradition of my own for this festival: Making illustrations out of the movies I watched. And, after last year’s (pretty much) fiasco, I thought I’d really knuckle down with a system this time, like I did for 2024. You can see the process for these illustrations on my YouTube channel or in the video down below. Be on the lookout for the finished pieces on my Instagram soon. All in all, I think this year’s EoS was such a resounding success! It felt really good to spend such quality time with myself for two weekends, just doing things that I want to do, without worrying what other people want. Also, the fact that this ended up being my last shindig as a single lady was such a good way to end my singlehood.
Did you watch Europe on Screen? Which one is your favourite film?
Film 6: A Traumatic Family Affair
Last but not least is probably the most powerful movie of the entire array of screenings—I’m not sure if it’s such a wise decision to put this movie at the very end, though. As if going out with a bang, this movie thoroughly traumatises me and I’m not sure how to recover. What a way to end the festival, eh? This is a Slovakian movie called Otec (dir. Tereza Nvotová), which follows the day of a father who experiences the ‘forgotten baby syndrome.’ I love the brilliant cinematography of this film as it takes us through a one-shot take through the normal daily routine of the father as a buildup to the horrifying reveal that he, in fact, didn’t drop off his daughter at daycare, but left her in the car for hours on one of the hottest days of the year—leaving her basically to burn to crisps and die.
Honestly, I would say this movie probably has the best cinematography by far, because it is so deeply infused in its storytelling. I love how, during the one-shot take of the father’s day at work, we see many, many, MANY hints of it being one of the hottest days of the year, leaving us absolutely petrified when the father realises that the daughter isn’t at daycare. I love how the camera never truly shows the corpse of the daughter after the reveal, but instead focuses on the parents’ horror and amplifies our imagination of the worst case scenario. It just makes it all the more traumatising!
Sticking with the Tradition
I think what truly helps me be able to keep the tradition of Europe on Screen alive is that I have developed a tradition of my own for this festival: Making illustrations out of the movies I watched. And, after last year’s (pretty much) fiasco, I thought I’d really knuckle down with a system this time, like I did for 2024. You can see the process for these illustrations on my YouTube channel or in the video down below. Be on the lookout for the finished pieces on my Instagram soon. All in all, I think this year’s EoS was such a resounding success! It felt really good to spend such quality time with myself for two weekends, just doing things that I want to do, without worrying what other people want. Also, the fact that this ended up being my last shindig as a single lady was such a good way to end my singlehood.
Did you watch Europe on Screen? Which one is your favourite film?