See Me Do (2018)

Directed by: Klara van Es | 85 minutes | documentary

‘See me doing’ is a beautiful documentary shot in black and white by the Belgian director Klara van Es. For three years she volunteered one day a week at a home for mentally and physically disabled people, Monnikenheide. In the last year she decides to follow six people with the camera: Jessica, Mathias, Nadine, Quan, Sam and Sofie. And guess what? The people with the so-called disabilities do not appear to be so ‘limited’ at all. It just depends on how you look at them, whether you want to put in the time and effort. Because, Jessica says: “I feel that they are looking at me. You can look, but stare? No, I’d rather not. But then I just look back.” In the documentary we also learn how the residents view themselves, they are very aware of what they can and cannot do. Like Quan who is mentally well, but physically limited, so everything needs help. He is disappointed and a bit sad because he ‘can’t go to China with his family around Christmas again’. But, on the other hand, he also understands. “Then I’ll just focus on other fun things.” Like blaring along at a festival where Belgian bands perform. Because that’s the other side; he is not afraid, just a daring one.

Jessica is mentally very quick, but she notices that her body is increasingly failing her. For example, horseback riding, which she likes to do, is increasingly becoming a task. But she also comes with a wisdom: “I’ve seen so-called normal mothers with their children. Well, they should have made a different choice, because they weren’t suitable for motherhood. At least I know it’s going to be a difficult thing, so I’m not going to start it.” Can’t get a pin in between. So they also hold up a mirror to us.

Or Nadine, who has dementia and was born with Down syndrome. She talks in staccato: “Over. Finish.” Or no. No swimming.” When Renate (her sister?), whom she often asks about, comes to visit, she really brightens up.

The basic emotions of happy, afraid, angry, sad are also regularly discussed with the residents of the care center. The leader of this group discussion, Ben, manages to calmly manage the emotions. For example, when he asks resident Dominique how she is doing, he gets the following answer: “In my head and heart everything is fine.” Yes, leave the spontaneous expression of emotions, unfiltered, to the residents of Monnikenheide.

Sophie is the worst case. Completely locked in her own world. She expresses herself with mimicry. But here too, respect for how the caretakers (‘educators’) even deal with her in a normal, no-nonsense way. And cheerful French DJ Sam, who is calmed by the music of André Rieu (and who plays it four times in a row): “Everything then drops down.” He is also a pacesetter at work. “So, the keys to my BMW.” A little later we see him getting on his bike… We also meet the shy Mathias, an autistic boy, who knows how to spoon up all the birthdays of everyone in his vicinity.

We also talk about love. Jessica doesn’t have a boyfriend, but she does hope “enough people like her.” Yes, ‘See me doing’ contains many of these swallow moments, where we are briefly pressed to the facts. It is not without reason that the documentary won the jury prize for Best Belgian Documentary during Docville in Leuven in March 2018.

We see residents at various activities: at the manicure, during gym class, at a disco evening, during riding lessons, in the art class, during chores on the land and in the communal area. Deeply mentally limited to mildly mentally limited. They all show us their emotions in their own way. Jessica briefly summarizes it for us: “We have the same right to participate in society.” She is right. Watch this enchantingly beautiful, tranquil documentary. Good for a reality check. Hopefully, after this, you will view the mentally retarded differently. So look, but don’t stare!