The Knife

Thomas lives with his mother in Limburg, already bearing the weight of a broken family after his father's death. His mother begins a relationship with Oscar, his dad's best friend, which complicates Thomas's sense of security. He feels his mother is replacing his father, creating a wedge between them.

During a monastery exhibition, Thomas steals an antique knife. He shows it to Toni to impress her, hoping to boost his image. The act lands him in trouble, and Oscar confiscates the weapon.

Thomas uses the knife to threaten Oscar, which quickly draws trouble for him. Oscar confiscates the weapon, escalating the conflict between Thomas and his mother’s household. The incident strains Thomas's trust in his mother and widens the rift at home.

Following the incident, Thomas's mother tells him he will be sent to boarding school at the end of the summer. The announcement deepens his sense of loss and foreboding about leaving his home.

Thomas spends the rest of the summer with Toni, visiting the fair and De Valken. They explore the local sights together, strengthening their friendship amid growing tension with his mother and Oscar.

On their first visit to De Valken, Thomas is publicly humiliated by other boys. The humiliation fuels his desire for revenge and cool, calculating calm grows in him. Toni stands by him, complicating their dynamic.

Thomas vows to exact revenge with his knife and secretly retrieves it. He sneaks back into possession of the weapon, heightening the danger of his plan. The rekindled tool raises the stakes for both him and Toni.

Oscar's relationship with the mother grows strained as their evenings at the local pub mount, fueling gossip and a bad reputation. The strain echoes in the home life, with Thomas sensing the distance between his mother and Oscar. The family atmosphere becomes increasingly fragile.

On the second visit to De Valken, Thomas and Toni witness a sexual assault. Toni is repulsed by what she sees, while Thomas remains fascinated. The event marks a disturbing turn and foreshadows more trouble to come.

When Toni confronts Thomas about the assault, he threatens her with his knife in a playful yet chilling display. The moment reveals Thomas's growing moral numbness and the fragility of their bond. Toni's fear foreshadows a deeper rift between them.

One evening, after an argument between his mother and Oscar, Thomas runs away from the house and spends the night in a barn. He dreams that his father shoots him, deepening his sense of danger and abandonment. The dream and the night away underscore his determination to escape.

The next day, a villager reluctantly brings Thomas back home. The return restores a fragile routine but leaves unresolved tensions simmering beneath the surface. Thomas is further pushed toward boarding school.

Back at home, the mother apologizes for abandoning him and explains that he is too young to understand why he’s being sent away. She hints that Oscar is part of the reason, though she remains protective. The exchange signals a shift toward boarding school as the plan moves forward.

A few days later, Thomas leaves for boarding school, preparing for a new phase of life. He tells himself he is ready to move on and that he has outgrown Toni and the knife. The departure marks the end of this turbulent summer.

On the road to boarding school, Thomas speaks in a voice-over about the next phase of life. He says he has outgrown Toni and the knife, signaling a resolution to leave his past behind. The line seals his decision to move forward.