“Karaokiss”, Interview with Director Mila Ryngaert

In her dazzling and original short film “Karaokiss“, Belgian director Mila Ryngaert brings to life a vibrant, surreal world where emotions are expressed not only through words but through music, fantasy, and the glow of a disco ball. Selected for the Future Frames – Generation NEXT of European Cinema at the Karlovy Vary International Film Festival, the film tells the story of Lucette, a quiet 20-year-old working in a karaoke bar, where her only constant companion is a fairy determined to help her navigate life, love, and self-expression.

A Love Story Told Through Music and Metaphor

“It’s a love story in a karaoke with a fairy,” says Ryngaert when asked to introduce her film. “Karaokiss” is a musical short, filmed in French, where the return of a long-lost lover turns Lucette’s world upside down. The karaoke setting is not just a backdrop; it becomes a central metaphor for self-expression and vulnerability. “That’s one of the only places where you can just go on stage and sing your own life… without anyone judging you,” Ryngaert reflects.

The karaoke bar serves as both a physical and emotional stage where Lucette confronts her fears and desires. Initially quiet and reserved, Lucette finds her voice through the music, sometimes quite literally voiced by her ever-present fairy companion. For Ryngaert, this contrast between internal inhibition and external performance is at the core of the story: “In real life, it’s much more like your own inhibitions and fears that can make a relationship not work.”

The Fairy: A Voice, A Conscience, A Character

A standout feature of the film is its magical realist tone, embodied by the presence of the fairy. Far from being just a fantastical flourish, the fairy is deeply symbolic. “I think we all have a fairy in our heads,” Ryngaert explains. Originally imagined as an inner voice, the fairy was transformed into a physical character to visually capture the psychological forces that shape Lucette’s choices.

Creating that contrast on screen required delicate and layered direction. “It was really complicated to direct, like do nothing,” she says of working with Agathe, who plays Lucette. “She had to be really quiet, really calm.” Meanwhile, the actress playing the fairy had to learn to be expressive without taking emotional center stage: “I don’t have any proper emotions—I’m just there to talk for someone,” she recalled the actress saying.

A Musical from the Ground Up

Karaokiss is more than a story—it’s a fully realized musical universe, built from the ground up with original songs created before the film even secured funding. Ryngaert’s passion for the musical genre is palpable, and she cites influences such as Jacques Demy (The Young Girls of Rochefort, Donkey Skin) and Olivier Ducastel and Jacques Martineau, whose experimental approach to musicals inspired her.

“The songs were actually on the script,” she reveals. “And like you can have like the script and then you can just like click on the link and have the songs already made.”
Each moment in the film is built around a unique musical tone, echoing her desire to give every scene a distinct emotional rhythm and style. “Every song is in a different musical style,” she explains, ensuring that each scene feels emotionally specific and sonically unique.

Creating a Dreamlike but Tactile World

Building the dreamy, saturated, yet intimate feel of the film took close collaboration with a tight-knit creative team. Ryngaert worked with two cinematographers, Manuel Canfran and Ilona Marbot, both longtime friends. “They have this ability that when I say something crazy, they make it happen,” she says with gratitude.

The editing process was equally collaborative and instinctual. Her editor, Morgan Crenn, quickly understood the vision: “When I said something kind of crazy, she was like, ‘Yeah, okay, let’s do it,’” Mila remembers. This trust allowed for a seamless blend of magic, emotion, and visual cohesion.

Future Frames: A Platform for Growth

For Mila Ryngaert, being selected for Future Frames is a significant milestone both personally and professionally.  As a young filmmaker, she’s especially eager to connect with the other nine directors in the program. “It can be quite a solitary experience to be a young director,” she admits. “I’m happy to have the chance to talk with others who are living the same fears, the same questions.”

When asked what she wants viewers to take from the film, Ryngaert says simply: “Maybe to be less hard on themselves.” “Karaokiss” may sparkle with disco lights and musical flair, but at its heart lies a profound message about fear, vulnerability, and the courage to reconnect with others and with ourselves.

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