{"id":207776,"date":"2025-01-29T18:11:22","date_gmt":"2025-01-29T17:11:22","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/iffr.com\/en\/?p=207776"},"modified":"2025-01-29T18:11:27","modified_gmt":"2025-01-29T17:11:27","slug":"blog-michiel-ten-horn-on-the-opening-film-fabula","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/iffr.com\/en\/blog-michiel-ten-horn-on-the-opening-film-fabula","title":{"rendered":"Michiel ten Horn on the opening film Fabula: \u201cwe sometimes felt like the whole film was cursed\u201d"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

With Fabula<\/strong>, Michiel ten Horn takes us to the south of the Netherlands, his birthplace, to introduce us to Jos, a washed-up criminal from a family haunted by misfortune for generations. When a major drug deal goes awry, Jos embarks on a personal quest to uncover the origins of his bad luck. \u201cJos carries deep trauma. The film follows his journey as he gradually learns to open himself up to the wonder and beauty of stories.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n

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The film begins with one such story, a real-life event in Limburg: the discovery of a golden Roman helmet by a peat cutter in the Limburg Peel in 1910, after which the characters embark on a journey through the present-day province.\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cThe film is a love letter to Limburg\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

Ten Horn deliberately chose this setting. \u201cThe film is a love letter to Limburg. I\u2019ve been deeply influenced by the stories that, to me, are more present there than in much of the rest of the Netherlands. People might know about the Bokkenrijders, but there are also countless myths and legends surrounding the Peel\u2019s marshlands: ghostly apparitions, witte wieven<\/em>. And, of course, the story of this golden helmet. Was it a robber knight who drowned in the bog with his horse? Or was it an offering from a Roman officer? I know all these tales from my childhood and wanted to bring them together in a film.\u201d\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Fabula<\/strong> defies categorisation. From the outset, Ten Horn envisioned and aimed for a large-scale project. The result is a film that blends comedy, action, a road trip, and perhaps even a buddy movie. At the same time, Ten Horn wanted to weave a philosophical thread into the narrative, reflecting on life\u2019s ups, downs and the connections between them all.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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\u201cAfter all those nerve-wracking moments, we always ended up back on track\u201d<\/p>\n<\/blockquote>\n\n\n\n

The production had moments of misfortune, a theme central to the story. \u201cWe sometimes felt like the whole film was cursed,\u201d Ten Horn says when talking about a crucial scene during which a car flips over. \u201cWe were hoping the car would end up on its side or roof, but it landed perfectly back on its wheels,\u201d Ten Horn recalls. \u201cThat was deeply ironic. It ultimately worked very well in the scene, but it also became a metaphor for the whole production: we faced numerous setbacks and took plenty of risks, but after all those nerve-wracking moments, we always ended up back on track. Hopefully, the same applies to the final result: the production was a bumpy road, but I believe we\u2019ve landed on all four wheels.\u201d\u00a0\u00a0<\/p>\n\n\n\n

With Fabula<\/strong>, Ten Horn promises a thrilling rollercoaster ride full of action and humour, with a touch of existential despair. \u201cI hope the audience experiences a journey that, on one hand, raises philosophical questions, and on the other, delivers a wild and captivating Limburg crime adventure.\u201d
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A list with articles<\/h2>\n\t\t\n\t\t
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