De Scheepsjongens van Bontekoe 

Starting from the investigations for the unsolved supernatural event, I thought the narrative was going for describing the mental torture of being witch-hunted as an innocent person. It unexpectedly turned out to be multiple stories instead of one. Apart from a haunting mystery, the interactions and relationships between the characters are the main aspect leading the audience’s curiosity and emotions. We have stories about school policies, cheating, a homeless person’s hustle, and the power dynamic in the police station, and so on, which are not always related to the central event but are still at the edge of breakdown for their own sake. Smartly, through these different points of view in the semi-chronological order, the truth was unveiled in front of our eyes without being confusing.

In the chapter of Marcus, his partner was obviously charmed by Gladys’s appearance and behaviors—an elder woman dressed in bold, colorful, and stylish clothes with enthusiastic and eccentric manners: a typical kind of woman that a lot of gay men would adore. Without showing him and Marcus kissing or calling each other darling, the film shows their domestic and adorable interactions and couple costumes. With his blurring facial expressions in the background, we can see he was even more intrigued after she asked for a bowl to drink water. This is one of the most authentic and subtle representations of queers on screen I’ve seen recently. I, too, would be so invested if I met a woman like this, who I hope is not a witch. This short encounter right before the beginning of the climax (and killings) is the most amusing part of this film for me, among all the humor elements planted inside.