“Don’t Shoot, That’s my dad!” Those words have stuck with me for days after seeing this film. It feels like the initial exploration of a difficult period in Belgian history—you know, that place known both for its chocolate and something much darker. The story goes back to the mid-1980s when a group committed robberies against supermarkets, marked by extreme violence and surprisingly little stolen goods. This “Gang of Nijvel” caused many casualties using military weapons with remarkable accuracy. The narrative centers on one family and their suffering as they are all killed, except for a young boy who lives through the experience of watching his entire family murdered. Because this is based on actual events, it carries significant weight; the person who survived is still alive today and working to uncover what happened. The film does an impressive job recreating these events, and it’s hard not to feel deeply saddened by the injustices in the investigation. You genuinely connect with the pain of the central characters. Stijn Coninckx seems to be our top director, and he demonstrates his skill once again in portraying this awful tragedy. Jan Decleir, considered one of our finest actors, plays a strong role as the grandfather who cares for his grandson after the killings. However, Jonas Van Geel doesn’t do well as the grandson; he's primarily a comedian and isn't right for a dramatic part. It was an unfortunate casting choice and the only negative aspect of what is arguably the best Flemish film in years. There has always been speculation about what really happened with this case, and the movie also highlights several apparent mistakes made during the investigation and a seeming unwillingness to resolve it. Following the tragedy, the police received better equipment, and a political situation began to develop. It appears there’s some truth to this idea that powerful forces were involved in an attempt to destabilize our nation. The film doesn't offer any resolution because the case remains unsolved.

Source on TMDB