At a school prom a boy dances with a girl. Everything goes fine until she asks his name... A moving film about the cruelty of childhood.
 
To Speak is an autobiographical film about the stuttering school years of Erik Lamens. As a child he was a heavy stutterer; now he is a fluent speaker. The film was presented at the World Congress of Stuttering in Ghent (2001), where it received a standing ovation. The film was also presented at the European Conference in Strasbourg (2003) and at numerous other occasions. To Speak is used by speech and stutter therapists al over the world to explain the effects stuttering can have on somebody’s life.

15', 35mm, kleur
1998, Fr/Eng subt.

Awards: Valenciennes, Oh Ce Court Brussel (publiek + jury), St. Petersburg, Bludenz (Oost), Sao Paulo (Braz), Quebec (Can; Juryprijs + Acteur + scenario), BBC London, Athene, Vendome (Fr), Angers, (Fr), Bucharest (Rom), Moskou
100+ Selections on Int. Filmfestivals: Berlijn, Athene, Madrid, Auckland (N-Z), New York...
In Belgian retrospectives in Locarno, Berlin, Hong-Kong, ...
Used in education for logopedist in 50+ Universities over the whole world (Buenos Aires, Peking, Melbourne, Tel Aviv, Bordeaux, ...)

Korneel Hamers (Patrick 18 y.)
An Coenen (Caroline)
Jasper Vervaeke (Patrick 12 y.)
Elias Neyrinck (Patrick 6 y.)
Vanya Wellens (vriendin Caroline)
Maarten Bosmans (Ed 18 y.)
 
 
 

Scenario/directing: Erik Lamens
Camera/light: Jan Vancaillie
Sound: Dirk Bombey
Editing: Ewin Ryckaert
Decor: Gert Stas
Mix: Thomas Gauder