»It was the truth, vivid and monstrous, that all the while he had waited, the wait was itself his portion.«
– Henry James, The Beast in the Jungle

Based on Henry James’ novella of the same name, The Beast in the Jungle depicts the mysterious love story of John Marcher and May Bartram. Their relationship evolves around an ominous secret: John has always believed that an inevitable, overwhelming and devastating event awaits him. This belief is so powerful – like a beast lurking in ambush – that it paralyses him. For decades, John and his only confidante May wait to see what lies in store for him. Against the backdrop of a secluded country manor house, van Gool spins the story from the late 19th century to our global world today in a poetic and visually powerful blend of costume and dance film.

»The novella is about something you cannot describe with words, and I read it a bit like a duet that is waltzing around the subject all the time. In the book, you don’t really know what the Beast is, and for me, if you want to understand what is going on, you have to see it as choreography – not as the choreography of movements, but of words.«
– Clara van Gool