Soap (2017)

Directed by: Hanna van Niekerk | 9 minutes | short film, fantasy, romance | Actors: Jack Monkau, Marilou Mermans, Wies Fest, Tarikh Janssen, Ingrid van Gelder, Thessa Meijer, Kurt Platvoet, Salma Bourjilas, Tiny Prins, Ronald Kuipers

That’s funny. When you are young, you can be very touched by the sight of two elderly people who still visibly love each other. The reverse is less common, it seems. While when you’re old, and your limbs don’t want to be so good anymore, when you see two passionately kissing young people you probably also long for the time when you frolicked carefree through the pink cloud of love. The elderly couple Gerben and Louise are visiting the Dutch capital from Belgium in the short film ‘Soap’ (2017). From Central Station we follow them on their way to the hotel. On the way to their hotel room (gasp, gasp, puff, puff, there’s no elevator!) they meet a young couple in the cramped hallway. Once in the hotel room, it’s time to stretch your legs, but rest isn’t much of a relief because of the telltale sounds of a hotel room above them. Amused, they look at each other, their eyes a look of tentative memory.

The hotel stay seems to go on like this until Louise takes a shower. She soaps herself with pink colored shower foam, which has a magical effect. She shares this miracle with Gerben in disbelief. But miracles don’t really exist, do they?

‘Soap’ is a sweet and funny short film by the talented Hanna van Niekerk, who made her feature film debut earlier in 2017 with ‘If the Sun Explodes’. And just like in that romantic drama, she gives this one in the context of KORT! The film made in 2017 shows an accurate eye for compositions and atmosphere. ‘Soap’ moves and entertains and, despite the fairytale-like story, once again puts you on the ground with a life motto that everyone should take to heart.