“Men live with a certain expectation of being successful”: Anke Blondé and Angelo Tijssens on Dust at Berlin Film Festival 2026

“I believe men live with a certain expectation of being successful, having status and being the provider of the family. We need to reconsider that as well,” reflects director Anke Blondé, who, alongside screenwriter Angelo Tijssens, presented their film Dust at the Berlin Film Festival 2026. Their compelling drama intricately portrays the collapse of a friendship amidst ambition and downfall. Tijssens highlights the film’s nuanced exploration of a masculinity defined by success, noting how characters lose their identity when stripped of their professional roles. The creators delve into the challenges of recreating 1999’s technological anxieties and guiding actors through a psychological journey that ultimately reveals profound human vulnerability. Dust invites audiences to critically examine societal pressures and the true cost of ambition.