A Thousand Lakes

This film is a personal journey into family history, loss, and generational memory. Through archival footage, personal recordings, and a visual language that intertwines old family videos in Super 8, footage of a hooksuspension ritual, and close-up imagery of psoriasis, the film explores the lingering impact of a grandmother’s early death and the unspoken stories passed down through generations. By searching for traces of the past, the filmmaker reflects on identity, inherited experiences, and the way history is carried in both images and the body.

Caro Haijen is an information specialist and cultural worker with a background in libraries, archives, and artistic research. She studied art history at the University of Leuven and built her career in libraries and archives specializing in the history of religion, culture, and society. She coordinated reading programs and public activities with a strong focus on education, while also supporting researchers and facilitating digitization, bridging archival expertise with academic inquiry. Alongside this, she has been active as a copywriter and editor for arts festivals and organizations, with a particular focus on decolonization and inclusive communication. Her interests extend into environmental justice, which she explored at Humboldt University’s summer school. Currently, she balances research in cinema and theater with hands-on work at an ecological farm, specializing in permaculture and wild plants.