Christian Courtois

After a violent dispute with her mother, sixteen-years old Chloé ends up in the streets with nowhere to go. Then she finds Jean-Michel, a charming young man who will lead her to prostitution.

Through interviews with amateur and experienced actors, this documentary delves into the acting profession and the fascination it holds for people across backgrounds and generations. What mysterious alchemy fuels the passion for bringing someone else’s imagination to life?

Albert, a sound engineer who is chronically hesitant successively meets three charming young women who will, each in their own way, provoke and help him to get a better hold of himself.

The theme of death is heavily interwoven in Smolder’s surreal salute to Belgian painter Antoine Wiertz, a Hieronymus Bosch-type artist whose work centered on humans in various stages in torment, as depicted in expansive canvases with gore galore. Smolders has basically taken a standard documentary and chopped it up, using quotes from the long-dead artist, and periodic statements by a historian (Smolders) filling in a few bits of Wiertz’ life.