A review for Zeevonk.
German version here.
Lena (Saar Rogiers) dives into the depths of the sea that seemed so familiar to her only a short time ago. She is looking for the monster that took her father from her. Her father who never made mistakes, no matter what others might say after his death.
Domien Huyghe’s debut feature Zeevonk is about loss and how a young girl tries to deal with it. Lena loses her father to the sea – the place that always connected them both and used to make them inseparable. Other fathers also die in the same accident. While Kaz, Lena’s best friend, crafts a memory book to express her grief, the most important thing for Lena is to defend her father’s innocence, which so many around her question.
In the audience discussion, we learn that Saar Rogiers was already convincing in the first casting round. After Zeevonk, no one in the audience is surprised anymore. In various close-ups, we can closely examine Rogiers‘ facial expressions on the big screen. And feel everything. The anger of an energetic teenager. The disappointment in the people who were supposed to support her. And the grief of losing the person who mattered most to her in the world. Rarely have I been so swept away by a performance, empathized with a film so much, felt so close to the protagonist.
The film takes place in a setting that fits the mood. The roiling sea, the stormy wind punctuate Lena’s regular tantrums, at the same time the calm waters are the setting for many magical moments, especially at night. This contrast reflects the emotional journey of the film. There is a lot of play with colors. With cold blue tones dominating the film, underpinned by few warm colors in the happier moments. Because it’s not as black and white as it often feels at first glance. A grieving person does not have to be sad all the time. They can feel so many things at once. Sadness, anger, disappointment, fear, but also hope and love, even happiness. In her search for her monster, Lena even forms new friendships.
Zeevonk manages to capture grief and dealing with it in all its facets. Above all, one final message accompanies me out of the movie theater: the monster will always be there. The most important thing is to look it in the eye. How one arrives at this point is different for each person. Grief is an unfinished process. It’s about learning how to move on with it.
It’s not easy to deal with loss so intensely, with everything that comes with it. Anyone who wants to watch Zeevonk should be aware that it is not light entertainment. But for those who feel emotionally capable, I can only encourage you to watch Zeevonk.
