North Sea Texas

Pim grows up with his mother in a Belgian coastal town that empties out of season, and he is in love with Gino next door. What is between them begins in childhood, goes unnamed through adolescence, and when Gino decides to build another life Pim is left alone. Bavo Defurne stages it in a sixties atmosphere of postcard colour, caravans, beach and the songs of the period. The conflict is kept inside rather than out: nobody shouts, nobody is thrown out, and the hurt proceeds quietly. The mother's insistence on having her own life gives the film a second thread. The ending neither rescues nor punishes; it simply continues. Who it is for: viewers who like European coming of age drama with a strong visual sense. Who it is not for: anyone wanting dense incident, since this is almost entirely waiting.