Melanie (2019)

Directed by: Jacinta Agten | 15 minutes | short film, drama | Actors: Femke Debeule, Bruno Vanden Broecke

Melanie, in her twenties, does not know who her biological father is. She is a donor child and is obsessed with the idea of ​​getting to know her father. Why this is happening now, at this moment in her life, is not clear in the short film ‘Melanie’. Perhaps the fact that she just graduated has been a trigger. Anyway: Melanie (debut role of Femke Debeule) has an idea who her biological father is by doing research. All that remains to be done is a DNA test.

Secretly she has already observed the possible candidate in its natural environment. Patrick (Bruno Vanden Broecke) has a partner and children and when you watch Melanie watching this homey scene from her safe place, you feel a kind of conflict. On the one hand it doesn’t feel good that Patrick is being watched ignorantly, on the other hand do you understand her desire for information, does she recognize something of him in herself?

‘Melanie’ takes an unexpected turn when the DNA test results are in. This short film is beautifully shot and naturally acted. This is a personal project for both the director and the lead actress: both women are donor children.