Panenka

CLINCH is a tragicomedy series about three men being confronted with one another by faith. They meet for the first time in every of the six episodes and they get tangled up in an awkward encounter where they totally depend on each other. And while they flounder around somebody happens to die. Always.

Every CLINCH episode tells a story of a slightly silly stand-off between three men in one particular place or situation: a car crash, a real estate home tour in a cottage, a driving class taking way too long, too big a single hospital room, a lift that gets stuck and a roof to escape reality.

Every situation gets out of hand quite quickly until there is nothing but one question left: ‘Now what?’ While they try to find an answer the three men are quite harshly hindered by language, not being an efficient communication tool at all. As time goes by any possible solution gets out of sight and the three get on the end of their rope. When they finally see a light at the end of the tunnel a skeleton comes out of the closet. Inevitably.

CLINCH is visually dressed down to a point where only archetypes stay afloat. The series is filmed in black and white, and every single visual detail strengthens the power of dialogue. It is the dialogue, or even the impossibility of a clear dialogue between the three, that spirals them down to a deadly climax, every time again.

CLINCH is the ultimate proof that faith has an extraordinary aptitude to create inconvenient situations. It is a proof that these situations lead to humor, a kind of humor that is awkward. Always.

The scenario for CLINCH was written by Roy Aernouts. Aernouts is a play-writer, cabaretier, actor, writer and musician who made his debut as a scenarist with CLINCH. Director Herwig Ilegems is known for his series Duts and is a well-esteemed actor in theatre and television series. The three main characters are played by Roy Aernouts himself, Wim Helsen – known as a comedian and cabaretier - and Nico Sturm.

CLINCH was broadcast in February and March 2016 on Canvas, one of the two main channels of VRT, the Flemish Public Broadcaster.

Info:

• Scenario – Roy Aernouts
• Co-scenarists – Herwig Ilegems & Wim Helsen
• Director – Herwig Ilegems
• Original broadcaster – VRT / Canvas (Flemish Public Broadcaster)
• Duration – 6 x 25min
• Nominations: Nominated for Prix Europe 2016