The Roosens direct a poignant tale exploring the end of a relationship, in the video for The Howl & The Hum's Hostages. 

Set in present day Antwerp, Belgium, the concept depicts an ex-couple sharing the awkward ritual of meeting to return the other’s possessions, experiencing the bittersweet emotions and memories that the objects inspire.  

The cinematic visual utilises a voiceover and subtitles to create a filmic quality, toeing the line between short film and music video. Shot during the current lockdown, The Roosens have tackled a host of creative challenges, turning their limitations into building blocks of the narrative.

THE ROOSENS: 

“We knew while writing the treatment that cast and crew would have to keep a distance due to the coronavirus, that’s why the break-up takes place in current times, so the actors could keep distance. We didn't view this as a restriction but as an advantage. The ex-couple wants to end their relationship and are looking for a way where both parties can do so amicably. The record is the thing that bounds them without a physical touch.

"We wanted to translate the corona restriction within the visual language of the film. That’s why we always have a lot of ‘wall’ in the frame. Also, we never show the couple together in the same frame. The wall, the coronavirus, is literally between them.

"What we are missing in current times is some physicality, that’s why our shots of the hands are so important for the story. At the climax, we see a long shot of the hands. These hands aim to translate the feelings between our characters.

"On set, we couldn’t actually capture the shot on the 'touching' hands with the two actors and maintain social distancing, because they weren’t in the same 'bubble'. To get around this, the scene is shot with our male actor and his real-life girlfriend, who is part of his 'bubble'.”