In de Kaart Spelen
lenght 26 min.
year 2025
director Milan van Roozendaal
script Milan van Roozendaal
Tristan, a twenty-year-old young man, is still deeply mourning the loss of his parents, who died in an accident months earlier. Living under the roof of his well-meaning but overprotective aunt, Tante Aaf, he feels suffocated and misunderstood. Though Tante Aaf acts out of fear and love, her strictness only amplifies Tristan’s sense of isolation and loss of freedom.
One night at a lake in the woods — a place where Tristan feels closest to his deceased parents — he encounters a mysterious figure known only as the Croupier. This supernatural casino dealer offers Tristan a tempting bargain: gamble not with money, but with luck itself. In exchange for happiness and love, Tristan must repeatedly return to collect a rare deck of cards. Desperate to feel alive again, Tristan accepts the deal.
Almost immediately, his life begins to change. He meets Nora, and their relationship blossoms rapidly into a seemingly perfect romance. As Tristan’s happiness grows, so does his dependence on the Croupier’s games. Each win pulls him deeper into the illusion that love and fulfillment can be controlled, extended, and secured through chance.
Meanwhile, Tante Aaf remains unaware of the supernatural forces at play. She represents reality, caution, and the painful lessons Tristan refuses to face — warning him, unintentionally, of the very danger he is walking toward.
When Tristan finally breaks the most important rule of the deal by revealing the truth, the Croupier reveals his true nature. Luck turns cruel, and Tristan is forced to face the devastating consequences of gambling with forces beyond his control. Love, once gifted, is violently taken away.
In the aftermath, Tristan is left with unbearable loss and the realization that his grief — and his refusal to accept it — led him into the same trap that destroyed his parents. In de kaart spelen ends as a haunting meditation on fate, responsibility, and the price of believing that nothing is left to lose.
Short film
year 2025
director Milan van Roozendaal
script Milan van Roozendaal
description
In de kaart spelen is a dark supernatural drama about grief, desire, and the dangerous illusion of control over fate.Tristan, a twenty-year-old young man, is still deeply mourning the loss of his parents, who died in an accident months earlier. Living under the roof of his well-meaning but overprotective aunt, Tante Aaf, he feels suffocated and misunderstood. Though Tante Aaf acts out of fear and love, her strictness only amplifies Tristan’s sense of isolation and loss of freedom.
One night at a lake in the woods — a place where Tristan feels closest to his deceased parents — he encounters a mysterious figure known only as the Croupier. This supernatural casino dealer offers Tristan a tempting bargain: gamble not with money, but with luck itself. In exchange for happiness and love, Tristan must repeatedly return to collect a rare deck of cards. Desperate to feel alive again, Tristan accepts the deal.
Almost immediately, his life begins to change. He meets Nora, and their relationship blossoms rapidly into a seemingly perfect romance. As Tristan’s happiness grows, so does his dependence on the Croupier’s games. Each win pulls him deeper into the illusion that love and fulfillment can be controlled, extended, and secured through chance.
Meanwhile, Tante Aaf remains unaware of the supernatural forces at play. She represents reality, caution, and the painful lessons Tristan refuses to face — warning him, unintentionally, of the very danger he is walking toward.
When Tristan finally breaks the most important rule of the deal by revealing the truth, the Croupier reveals his true nature. Luck turns cruel, and Tristan is forced to face the devastating consequences of gambling with forces beyond his control. Love, once gifted, is violently taken away.
In the aftermath, Tristan is left with unbearable loss and the realization that his grief — and his refusal to accept it — led him into the same trap that destroyed his parents. In de kaart spelen ends as a haunting meditation on fate, responsibility, and the price of believing that nothing is left to lose.
 | Saskia E Slaaf | actress (female) |
