Maarten is 34, caring, funny, and experiencing sexual feelings for the first time. He wants to know what they mean. He wants to learn how to kiss. What should be a joyful discovery keeps running into walls of rejection, misunderstanding, and a world that doesn't seem to take him seriously.

Als de Huid Vraagt is a film about a need that is rarely given space: intimacy, as experienced by someone with an intellectual disability. Director Merel van Norel made it as her graduation film at HKU in 2025.

Merel's work carries the quiet conviction that has shaped all her work: that film can close the distance between people, and turn the unfamiliar other into someone you recognise as your equal. This project is that intention made visible: a film that takes Maarten's desire seriously, and invites us to do the same.

This project remains one of the most special I have been part of. Merel works by a principle I deeply believe in: if you tell a story about a community, don't just invite them in, collaborate with them. Let their knowledge and experience shape every layer of the production. That intention was visible in everything on this project, and from the very first conversation I felt part of it rather than brought in at the last moment.

Lead actor Milan brought something rare to set: vulnerability, authenticity and a gentle strength, all at the same time, on screen and off it. It was mesmerizing watching him perform. Arriving on set felt like walking into a family. I only wish I'd had more days there. In every sense, this project is my mold best practice.