Author(s): Brecht Evens

Non-Fiction

AN EXQUISITELY DRAWN EXPLORATION OF THREE&nbspLOST SOULS' EMOTIONAL TERRAINAs night falls in the City of Belgium, three&nbspstrangers in their late twenties - a most dangerous age - arrive at a popular&nbsprestaurant. Jona is about to move away; he calls his wife, who's already&nbspsettled&nbspin Berlin, before trying to make plans with friends for one last night&nbspon the town. No one bites - they're all busy or maybe they just don't want to&nbspparty - but he's determined to make this night&nbspsomething to remember. Victoria is&nbsplively and energetic, but surrounded by friends and family who are buzzkills,&nbspalways worrying about what is best for her. Rodolphe glumly considers his own&nbspmisery&nbspand then suddenly snaps out of it, becoming the life of the party. The&nbspthree careen through the city's nightlife spots and underbelly, getting ever&nbspdeeper in the messiness of human existence as they&nbspchase pleasure - or at least a&nbspfew distractions from their daily lives. Each has a series of misadventures&nbspthat reveal them to be teetering on the edge of despair, of destruction, of&nbspbecoming the people&nbspthey'll be for the rest of their lives.&nbsp The City of Belgium &nbspoccupies a place&nbspbetween lucid dream and tooth-grinding nightmare.