King of Wanderers

Janne
Schmidt

(Netherlands)
 Selected filmography: Balls (Ballen, 2013), Giraffe (2016), Our Brother Fabian (Notre Frère Fabian, 2018), Back in Time (Op tijd terug, 2022), And We Fly Through the Days (En we vliegen door de dagen, 2025)

Eleven-year-old Meissy is overjoyed when her father Tom reappears in her life after years away. While her mother keeps her distance, Meissy secretly seeks him out and is drawn into his colorful street world of imagination, fleeting magic, and chance encounters. At first, she sees his fantasies as playful and harmless. Gradually, however, she realizes Tom perceives things others do not, and his world drifts further from reality. Their shared adventures take on a more unsettling tone, and Meissy must come to terms with what their bond truly means. This gently magical story explores homelessness and mental fragility with sensitivity and warmth, highlighting empathy, closeness, and acceptance – showing that even in difficult lives, understanding and hope can be found.