North Sea Texas (film)
North Sea Texas (Dutch: Noordzee, Texas) is a 2011 Flemish coming-of-age film and the first feature film from cult director Bavo Defurne. A teenage boy's search for love finds him infatuated with an older boy who lives nearby. [1]
Plot summary
(Note: this plot summary is an edited version of what was written at Wikipedia.) [2]
| North Sea Texas (film) | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Year Released: | 2011 |
| MPAA Rating (USA): | NR |
| Director: | Bavo Defurne |
| Starring: | Ben Van den Heuvel Nathan Naenen Jelle Florizoone Mathias Vergels |
The film starts off with a young Pim at a fair in which he holds his mother's, Yvette, hand. At the fair, young Pim meets Zoltan, a fairworker who would later rent a room in their house but leave early enough in Pim's life that he has little memory of him. The film then jumps some years into the future.
Pim lives with his mother Yvette Bulteel (better known as Yvette Mimosa, local accordion starlet). The film continues on with a slightly older but still young Pim going inside his mother's room while she plays music in another room of the house. Pim begins to wear his mother's pageant clothing. While doing so, he says the letters of the alphabet until he looks out a window with a tiara on his head. His mother comes into the room but remains calm. Young Pim is then introduced to Gino, who is 3 years older than Pim, and Sabrina by their mother, Marcela, who becomes Pim's second mom.
Pim is now 14 on the eve of his 15th birthday. Pim and Gino are close friends however, when both of them are in a garage with one another, they share an intimate moment when they masturbate in front of each other. Gino cleans himself using a dirty cloth which Pim then opens his hand for and Gino calls him a "dirty scoundrel" since Pim wants it but Gino gives it to him. Pim has a small box in which he keeps his treasured memories including the sock and the tiara from before.
Pim has a tense relationship with Etienne, his mother's "boyfriend" and Gino's boss at the autoshop. However, Etienne gives Pim a knife for his birthday. Later that day at Gino's, Sabrina's, and Marcela's house, Pim is there when Sabrina makes a suggestion that Pim stays the night. Gino then suggests that him and Pim camp out in a tent on the beach instead. They do so and both share an intimate kiss after some hesitation and are suggested to have had sex. Pim's and Gino's relationship develops in which Pim is a regular in Marcela's home. When Gino turns 18, he purchases a motorcycle which the two ride together. After sharing an intimate moment by a pond, Gino and Pim further become closer to the point Pim says they do everything together. However, one day after having sex at the pond, Gino begins to go to the city on a regular basis. The two begin to go farther apart. Pim then learns from Marcella that Gino has a girlfriend named Francoise and now lives in the city with her. Pim becomes increasingly isolated and returns to drawing which is his escape to his dream world.
Pim is now almost 17 years old when he receives a phone call late at night. The call is from Gino. Gino and Pim meet on a beach to discuss their unresolved issues. Gino pushes Pim to be with his sister and claims that the intimate moments they shared 2–3 years ago was merely a game and part of them being kids. Pim's silent treatment leads to him revealing that he plans to leave with Zoltan once the fair moves out of town. Gino disapproves of this while Pim then claims he looks good when he's jealous. Gino claims he is not and asks, "You don't think I was in love with you, surely?" This infuriates Pim who then shoves him to the sand and runs away. However when he comes back home, he finds that his mother and Zoltan have left and have left him with nothing as Yvette complained that her son was holding her back.
Marcella offers her home to the now alone Pim who truly believes that everyone in his life leaves him. Some time later, Marcella talks about needing to get her kidneys checked. The film moves to Gino running into the hospital to find his mother on the bed with Pim and Sabrina sitting next to her. In her final moments, Marcella asks for her purse and gives her children a picture of their father whom they have never known. Her final act was to ask for the hand of Gino in her right hand and Pim in her left. She then lifts her hands and puts the two boys' hands together. The two hold hands for a brief moment before letting go and finding that Marcella has passed away sadly. The death of Marcella further drives Pim to truly believe his alone in this world. He burns the box with all his treasured possessions including the tiara. Pim then strips down naked and runs into the ocean saying the letters of the alphabet and lets the waves overcome him.
Pim and Sabrina now live in Marcella's home together and begin to mend their strained friendship ever since Sabrina found out Pim was gay. In a different day, Sabrina goes to work at her mother's old job while Pim stays home during a rainy day. Gino then comes storming in through the front door. Pim tells Gino that Sabrina isn't home but Gino replies that he's here for Pim. Gino moves forward to Pim but Pim moves back and throws him a towel to dry off. Pim grabs two beers from the fridge. Pim tells Gino that he is only living in his home temporarily. Gino then drank a bit from one when Pim asks him, "What do you want from me?" Gino then grabs Pim and moves him against the wall. Pim then says, "I waited for you." Gino then hands him the cloth that he masturbated into 3 years ago which Pim used to break his motorcycle those years ago and tells Pim that he gave it to him. Gino tells him to tie a knot in it and to not ever forget him. Gino then proceeds to kiss Pim on the neck and the two embrace one another passionately. Pim tells Gino to "stay" and the film ends with the two of them embracing each other finally on this rainy day.[3]
