Beautifully poetic and profoundly touching, Belgian writer-director of En Mille Pétales / In Thousand Petals, Louise Bongartz brings an emotionally powerful story to life. Powered by the art of stop-motion animation sees this world carved out of wood. It’s opening sequence showcases a beautiful white butterfly trapped inside a dusty kitchen. The beautiful creature flutters its wings until the female character comes into view. Her face is heavily detailed and carved out of wood.
Everything around her is a hint to her past relationship. From the dusty framed photographs to the two empty cups represents a house which was once busy but is now filled with the void of silence. Its title is a clever allegory. With petals scattered around the house and her repetition of the line, ‘He loves me. He loves me not’ shows a hidden trauma behind her sad exposition. She looks at her skin in the mirror and it’s not as perfect as it once appeared. Scarring in her skin made from wood reveals the memories left behind.
En Mille Pétales / In Thousand Petals: Stop-Motion Excellence
For an arduous process like stop-motion animation, each move and scene takes hours to make. Bongartz brings an extremely realistic character to the screen – made solely from wood. This holds an undeniable appreciation for every stop-motion filmmaker that brings their vision to life. The petals represent a shedding of her partner and her past. Someone who is not physically in the room but someone whose spiritual presence is still very much alive in her vision.
But what’s most interesting here is how Bongartz shapes the unknown in the story. It’s left ambiguous whether the petals are physically there or if this character is imagining their ex-partner’s presence as a way to still hold onto the feeling and warmth of their soul. And the feeling of still being loved.
But at the midpoint everything turns. We see where the petals originate. There are so many questions this story leaves behind. Are the bugs that cover the wall all made from the petals? Are they really there or part of her imagination? Throughout her journey, she must build up the courage to leave her past love life behind and move on.
Visual Storytelling
So much of In Thousand Petals is told in its visual storytelling. The visuals hold powerful meaning. The only sounds are such important but minimalist noises as the butterfly’s fluttering wings or the protagonist’s heartbreaking sigh. Taking control of the script, artistic direction, and the directing, Bongartz truly creates so much meaning in this stunning poetic portrait of a woman dealing with personal trauma.
Longingly nostalgic for her idyllic past, in just under 10 minutes the character transforms from being lost and lonely to finding hope in herself and building the courage to lead a new life. Leaving the past behind is a tough and troubling step to take. By leaving the petals and insects in the past, she’s creating a boundary between herself and what she lets win over controlling her life.
In Thousand Petals is a very personal, touching, and deeply moving story which feels grounded in reality. This small snapshot into this character’s life gives us so much by letting us know so little. And that’s the magnificent power behind this film. It may be carved in wood, but its story is carved in beauty.
Rating: 4 ½ stars
En Mille Pétales / In Thousand Petals is part of Filmotomy’s coverage on the Femme Filmmakers Festival 2026.
You can read more reviews from the festival, including I Felt Like Magic (2026) here.
