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1997(1st) ~ 2024(28th)
Off the Fantastic
Patrice TOYE
Belgium/Netherlands/Norway/Luxembourg2008 96 min 35mm C Asian Premiere
At the beginning of the film, the main character Thomas throws a question: “If you can live another life, what would you change?” A guy answers: “Lots of things, everything!” To the underlying desire of ridding oneself and becoming someone else, people suffocating from the pressure of life can easily relate. Thomas finally acts out on his desire by entering a house on fire and staging his own death. Escaping the scene, he sneaks into an isolated island for the adventure he so desires. So, is his life fulfilling now? Not really. And that’s what makes this film a thoughtful, profound story. He discovers that the island is just a desolate place, with prospects of entertainment or business. It’s not the paradise he’s been dreaming about. Besides, he misses his wife terribly. Five years later, Thomas contacts his wife, only to realize things are not the same any more. As some of his day dreams would show, dreams widely differ from a reality; they are literally a fantasy. Innocently believing in fantasies, and ignoring the overwhelming power of reality, leaves Thomas nowhere. The image of him turning around and continuing with his “journey” makes us wonder about the place we all are. An intense, sensitive existential film. (HONG Sung Nam)
Graduated film at the "St Lucas Institute" in Brussels. Her debut feature Rosie (1998) received great commercial and critical acclaim internationally. In 2005 she directed the television film Gezocht: Man that was screened at the Rotterdam International Film Festival.