20/08/2025 - We met up with the Belgian director to discuss the risks involved in making a comedy series about a cancer patient

(© FBO/Michel Vertongen)

The Belgian-German comedy-drama show How to Kill Your Sister [+see also:
interview: Jonas Geirnaert
series profile], the first two episodes of which world-premiered at the eighth edition of Canneseries back in April, will be available on the Belgian streaming platform Streamz as of 21 August. Later this year, it will also be shown on Belgium’s Play4 and Germany’s ZDFneo.

The six-part series centres on two estranged sisters, the terminally ill Anna and Kat (played by Emma Rotsaert and Marjan De Schutter), who go on a road trip to Spain after almost eight years of radio silence since the death of their parents. Their journey promises to be a mix of dark humour and emotional nostalgia, as the sisters relive childhood memories of typical chaotic family holidays and get to know each other all over again, accompanied by a jar containing the ashes of their parents. We met up with filmmaker Jonas Geirnaert to discuss the risks of making a comedy show about cancer, all while keeping things light-hearted.

Cineuropa: What was it like when Pedro Elias and Evelien Broekaert first approached you with the script for a comedy about cancer? Were there any taboos?
Jonas Geirnaert: I first read the pitch in 2019, when I wasn’t meant to be the film’s director. For me, the starting point - the scene when Anna rings at Kat’s door telling her she has cancer and wants Kat to accompany her on her final journey - immediately made me fall in love with the idea. Pedro and Evelien walked the line in such a clever way, as they were both aware of the seriousness of cancer from personal experience. When they asked me to direct the film, I said: There’s a lot of humour in the series, but we have to get the drama right. Without the drama, we won’t get the comedy right. Viewers had to feel the two sisters, otherwise we’d fail miserably. The series starts with a flashback of their mother stealing a buddha statue, thrusting the viewer into the chaos, which switches to drama and then back to chaos again. Striking the balance between comedy and drama took a lot of time in the editing room.

How did you work with the two actresses, who have a 12-year age gap, to create that sisterly bond that shines through over time?
For me, the casting process was crucial because the actors carry the series, and every decision has a huge impact on the final outcome. We auditioned around 11 or 12 people, but when we found Marjan De Schutter we knew she was the one. I find her so remarkable because she conveys so much through her behaviour and facial expressions alone. The same goes for Emma. It's a win for a show to have actors who can sit there and say nothing but still have viewers project feelings and thoughts onto them.

Despite their differences, the chemistry between them was great. We didn't want to overexpose things. I like it when the audience has to make an effort. In episode one, there’s a scene where the characters are parked between the logs with a lot of silences. Most directors would have pushed to cut out the awkward silences, but we wanted to show that some situations can be so overwhelming that it’s natural to be at a loss for words.

The actresses also play their younger selves in the flashbacks...
That was a crucial point. We wanted to have Emma and Marjan in the flashbacks, not younger actors, to help them form an even stronger bond and create these memories together. The difference between the past and the present is only eight years, so the same actresses could play both. Many of the actresses we saw for the role of Anna were younger and gave wonderful performances as younger Anna, but they lacked some of the maturity required for the older Anna. Emma was only 21 or 22 at the time of casting, but she felt all the emotions and had a deep understanding of what Anna goes through. This is what made Emma the right person for the role.

The first three episodes are full of surprises, and I believe you might be setting us up for quite a few more, to the point of completely turning the story and some of its characters on their heads. How do you think viewers will handle this emotional roller coaster?
We held test screenings in Belgium and the reactions were really positive. When I watch a show, I like to be surprised by how the story evolves. For me, the most important thing is to keep the audience curious: about why Anna carries her parents’ ashes around, for example. I also really like characters who aren't 100% good or bad. Kat upped and left without a word shortly after her parents died. But does that make her a selfish person? To me, it doesn’t. It only makes the characters more human. It’s often easier to relate to someone who makes a bad decision despite having a good heart.

Canneseries showed two Flemish shows in competition this year [Dead End also stars Marjan De Schutter in a major role]. Things seem to be going really well, but what would you say are the biggest challenges for Flemish (and Belgian) series makers today?
The biggest challenge is that we’re living in a time of great uncertainty. Belgium had a golden era of television and film 15 years ago, when we were mostly making TV for the Belgian market, but now the market has opened up. This has created opportunities, but there are challenges too, because budgets have come under pressure in recent years. However, what sets Belgian writers and directors apart is our ability to produce high-quality work with limited resources. Generally speaking, we don't try to copy foreign formats; we trust our own way of storytelling and have our own voice.