Twelve-year-old Daan admires his football coach Ries (45), who gradually becomes a significant influence in his life and slowly manipulates him into a web of abuse. Daan’s behaviour begins to spiral out of control – he skips school, gets into fights, and distances himself from family and friends. Inside Daan’s turbulent emotional world, validation and special attention gradually intertwine with shame and secrecy, which in many ways echoes the psychological sharpness of adolescence.

A quietly told but very powerful film on a topical issue. The young lead actor Bart de Wilde delivers a very impressive and convincing performance in this extremely demanding role: you feel his confusion and loneliness from beginning to end.

Karin Junger is a writer and director. She grew up in the French-speaking part of Belgium and lives presently in The Netherlands. She attended secondary school in Brussels, studied French language and literature and mass communication at the University of Amsterdam, specializing in film science. Afterwards, she followed the training for directing drama at the Maurits Binger Film Institute in Amsterdam and several workshops.

Filmography (selection): 2006 GANGSTA BLUES (feature film), 2008 A BETTER LIFE, 2010 A WONDERFUL SACRIFICE, 2014 SEXY MONEY, 2017 ME ALONE IN THE CLASSROOM (all documentaries), 2021 10 SONGS FOR CHARITY, 2024 THE FAVOURITE, 2025 THE PUPIL