Ricky Koole | ‘Rare Leeftijd’

She has no idea why, but she feels restless. She’s bothered by a jagged jawline, by people who speak too softly, by kiwis from New Zealand, by breathing in and out for too long during yoga, and she sometimes finds herself thinking out loud. She talks about her teenage son, who no longer waits for her, whilst her parents, on the other hand, are demanding more and more attention. Meanwhile, she isn’t sure whether she can still flirt with younger men because she isn’t sure whether she’s old or not. She thinks she is.

Ricky observes her surroundings and herself keenly. Has the world gone mad, or is she simply going through a strange phase herself? Friends say: ‘You’re at a strange age; that’s what it’s down to. It’s only temporary.’

She herself had hoped that, at this stage in her life, she would finally feel that she had achieved something. That she would be walking around jubilantly, free from the opinions of others. What always helps, though, is singing. So she sings the most beautiful songs like a young blackbird.

Director: Titus Tiel Groenestege