Three is a magic number. Fairy tales usually have three of something, whether it's brothers, bears, pigs, or in this case, wise men. On Christmas eve, three poor friends decide to go caroling as the wise men in order to earn money for holiday cheer. After getting lost in the woods, they encounter a serene travelling couple with a newborn. All three men are moved by the heartwarming scene, and they give their meager earnings to the new baby.

 

 

Dawn brings reality down on our destitute friends. Each takes a different meaning from this selfless act. The shepherd, Suskewiet, is convinced they met the holy family, and explores the depth of his faith. The bean counter, Pitje Vogel, becomes increasingly agitated by his act, and succumbs to an offer of wealth in exchange for his soul. The grifter, Schrobberbeeck, walks the middle path. He knows each day is a struggle, but it's better to be happy than envious.

 

 

"Little Baby Jesus of Flandr" is certainly a philosophical puzzle. The quandary is made deeper by two aspects. Firstly, the film has many surreal elements, including the primarily black-and-white setting, the disparity between urban and rural elements, and odd characters, such as the odd marching band. The biggest surreal element, though is the almost entire cast comprising of developmentally disabled actors, most of whom have Down Syndrome. I found myself wondering if some of their strange behaviors were because of the disability, which was confirmed by the director's notes. Director Gust Van den Berghe felt that the innocence of the developmentally disabled gave this old story a modern feel.