When stuttering Stef (17) decides to tell his grandmother about his studies at her birthday party, his family stops him from speaking, as always. However, this time Stef refuses to remain silent.
Type: short film
Length: 10 min.
Production company: IJswater Films
Year: 2018, funded by the regulation for short films (2016)
Shot in: Margraten
Stef (17), a severe stutterer, is on his way to the annual birthday party of his grandmother in the South of the Netherlands (Limburg). Together with his mother Christa and his older brother Bram, he sits in the car. Surrounded by these close family members he can almost speak fluently. He announces he’ll tell the good news about his studies to the rest of the family by himself. His mother agrees.
When they arrive at the house of his grandparents, Stef takes a deep breath and enters the door filled with self-confidence. However, his ‘helpful’ family members deprive him from speaking immediately, so Stef doesn’t even get the opportunity to congratulate his granny.
While the party continues, Stef tries to join the conversation but fails. Stef’s mother assumes he wants a cola instead of a coffee, because the only thing that comes out of his mouth is c-c-c. When uncle Gérard asks Stef something about his studies, it is his opportunity to tell the good news. But his nerves and the sudden silence hamper him to get his words straight. Again, his mother finishes his sentence and on top of that, she tells Stef studies to become an electrician instead of an electrical engineer.
Stef is totally done with this party. So when his brother imitates him on the phone, it gets too much for him and during dinner, Stef takes his family down a peg. It is a little step towards self-acceptance and freeing himself from his mother.
Director: Sophie van der Pol
Producer: IJswater Films
Writer: Sophie van der Pol
Cast: Joes Brauers, Katrien van Beurden, Jip van den Dool
