The Weeping Walk (2024) by Dimitri Verhulst - A Funeral March Turns Absurdly Revealing Family Road Trip

Short Summary – A Funeral’s Unexpected Detour

Catchy Title: When a Final Request Becomes a Family OdysseyAfter Christine’s death, her husband Bas and gathered relatives are shocked by one last wish—to be buried in an obscure place called Wettelen. Unsure whether to honor it, they follow the hearse on foot through the countryside, unraveling hidden grievances and unexpected truths along the way.

Link IMDB: https://www.imdb.com/title/tt11767704/

Link Review: https://cineuropa.org/en/newsdetail/468986/

About movie: https://filmfreeway.com/TheWeepingWalk395

Link to watch: https://www.justwatch.com/be/film/waarom-wettelen (Belgium), https://www.justwatch.com/nl (Netherlands)

Detailed Summary – Mourning, Marching, and Memories

• The unusual funeral wish: Christine’s final request to be buried in “Wettelen” baffles her family—no one knows where that is; only the hearse driver claims to remember.

• The procession turned pilgrimage: The bereaved, including daughters, a stepson, and friends, embark on what becomes a days-long march behind the hearse, blending grief with absurdity and dark humor.

• Revelations on the road: As the journey unfolds, interpersonal tensions, old secrets, and quirky personalities are uncovered—transforming the funeral into a grotesque, surreal family reckoning.

• Scenes of absurd clarity: Moments like the wheelchair bumping along country roads or a dancing figure in the bardo evoke a visual poetry infused with melancholy and satire. 

Director’s Vision – A Literary Voice Translated Into Silent Film Language

Dimitri Verhulst, renowned Belgian author, debuts as a filmmaker, translating his distinct dark humor and literary nuance into his first feature. Adopting a deliberate pace and embracing the silent space—his film makes room for stillness, absurdity, and visual storytelling that a novel could never achieve. 

Themes – Absurdity, Grief, and the Masks We Wear

• Dark comedy in mourning: The film explores how grief can be punctured by absurd requests, transforming solemnity into bizarre rituals.

• Family dynamics laid bare: Forced together, characters reveal hidden resentments, suppressed desires, and unspoken bonds.

• Silence and surrealism: Long pauses, strange imagery, and visual metaphors elevate the narrative into something both haunting and grotesquely comic. 

• Authorial reflection on tradition: With his background in literature and social commentary, Verhulst subtly mocks conventional funeral conventions, prompting contemplation of our own rituals. 

Key Success Factors – A Pitch-Black Comedy Rooted in Visual Precision

• Peter Van den Begin’s leading presence: His portrayal of Bas anchors the ensemble with believability and restraint. 

• Visual storytelling: Cinematography by Menno Mans paints each frame like a darkly comic painting, balancing color and composition with emotional tone. 

• Rich cast ensemble: Supporting actors deliver nuanced performances, blending deadpan humor with emotional undercurrents.

• Narrative finesse: The film’s unwavering embrace of the absurd—cloaked in familiar mourning rituals—sets it apart from conventional dramedies.

Awards & Nominations – From Festival Closing to First Feature Spotlight

premiered as the Closing Film at Film Fest Gent (October 2024), and had its international debut in the First Feature Competition at Tallinn’s Black Nights Film Festival. 

Critics Reception – Mourning through Laughter

• Cineuropa (Aurore Engelen): Praised the visual absurdity—like coffins plunged into over-deep pits or lost wheelchairs—and lauded the elegant translation of Verhulst’s vision to film. 

• The Disapproving Swede (Blog): Compared the tone to the deadpan style of Kaurismäki, while commending the cast’s subtle performances and cinematography. 

Overall: Critics embraced the film’s blend of dry humor, absurdist visuals, and emotional sincerity—respecting its literary roots while appreciating its visual audacity.

Reviews – Festival Buzz and Audience Reaction

• Film Fest Gent / Letterboxd feedback: Some viewers described it as a “dry, static comedy,” while others enjoyed the absurd road-trip tone reminiscent of dark European comedies. 

• FilmFreeway synopsis: Emphasized its “sly, bone-dry, absurdist comedy” driving a funeral procession into surreal territory. 

Overall Summary: Audience and festival reaction highlighted the film’s unique tone—abstract yet grounded, bizarre yet quietly engaging.

Why to Recommend Movie – Grief You Can Laugh With

• Inventive premise: A funeral turned pilgrimage reveals more about the living than the dead.

• Blends comedy and pathos: Moves between bizarre humor and genuine emotional beats.

• A literary voice in cinema: Verhulst’s directorial debut retains his narrative humor while delivering cinematic specificity.

• Visually compelling: A fresh voice in road-movie funeral films with memorable stills and absurd framing.

Movie Trend – Literary Debuts Channeling Absurd Road-Comedy

Follows a trend of first-time auteurs adapting literary sensibilities into cinematic language, especially via absurdist narratives rooted in journey settings.

Social Trend – Breaking Ritual Norms with Dark Humor

Reflects growing comfort with unsettling comedic depictions of death and tradition—showing how even solemn rites can be humanized through satire.

Final Verdict – A Funeral’s Quietly Subversive Journey

The Weeping Walk is a bold, darkly comic debut that subverts expectations of loss through its ungainly funeral trek. With biting wit, sharp visuals, and a clear literary impulse, Verhulst reveals death as a portal for truth-telling—and family secrets.