This evening I propped myself in an armchair and, at the suggestion of N° 1 sprog, we watched a Belgian film, La Régate (2008), directed by Bernard Bellefroid. It was a gem of a film (and one which, I suppose, would not have been made without support from the Media programme). It is an all-too-plausible portrait of a drunken, single, wastrel father’s physical and psychological abuse of a son who, throughout all of the violence and the broken dreams, remains loyal and loving until the scars cannot be hidden anymore. It is set by the Meuse and the son’s passion and skill, skulling, provides for original scenes and scenery. It is excellently acted. Joffrey Verbruggen, as the abused son, and Thierry Hancisse, as the abusive father, turn in excellent performances. I would warmly recommend the film only don’t watch it if you are feeling dark about the human condition…