Simeon, a young Dominican man, begins an internship as a caregiver at a retirement home in Ghent, Belgium. His approach to elderly care sets him apart from his colleagues, who don’t quite see things his way. However, a few eccentric old ladies take a growing interest in him. Guided by the occasional whispers of his late grandmother, Simeon starts to question the rigid approach to elderly care that is expected of him. His journey, along with these remarkable women, leads them to the one place where they can always be free: their imagination.
Camille Ghekiere writes and directs documentaries with fictional freedom and fictional work with a sense of humor. With a background in history, she discovered good stories are to be found in real life. Her storytelling style is characterized by symbolism and evocation, the imminent possibility of playfulness, and a close attention to music and sound.
Her graduation shortfilm Nieuwkomers (2021) was the Winner of the VAF Documentary Wildcard and was awarded Best Short at Film Festival Oostende and Best editing at Brussels Short Film Festival. The three current films she’s working on take her from Flemish retirement homes all the way to the Indian Ocean. Camille also recently started teaching creative documentary to aspiring filmmakers.
As tragic as comical at times, Dance Me To The End (original title: Les Dames Blanches) uncovers the painfully rigid Western view on elderly care with brutal honesty and an unapologetic sense of (sometimes black) humor. The awkward situation of being a black immigrant and the awkward situation of being an old woman are outstandingly performed by characters that couldn’t be stronger even if they were written in fiction.
Drawing on the free-running imagination of the protagonists, a mix of documentary and mesmerizing magical scenes are presented. This way, Dance Me To The End intentionally became a film that captures attention like a work of fiction, but doesn’t scare from putting the viewer right in the middle of one of the toughest questions in Western society today.
Directed by Camille Ghekiere
Dop - Jonathan Wannyn
Sound & camera assistant - Annika Wallis
Editor - Antje Mertens
Sound design - Raf Enckels
Grader - Chiara Pontuali
Original music - Arthur Brouns & Susobrino
Postproduction facilities - Les Mecs & Sondr
World premiere @Film Fest Gent, Oct. 14, 2024
Lenght: 61'
Supported by Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF), King Baudouin Foundation, VRT Canvas, Emmaüs, City of Ghent, Sabam & the Tax Shelter System of the Belgian Federal Government via Flanders Tax Shelter
Language: Dutch, Spanish
Subtitles: Dutch, English