Lukács and Broersen examine the Western colonial perception of the jungle as an untouched wilderness or 'terra nullius.' The film reimagines botanical gardens in Brussels, Paris, London, and Amsterdam—places where the wilderness was once appropriated and transported to Europe. The iconic song I Wan'na Be Like You from Disney’s Jungle Book (1967) is reinterpreted by collaborators, most notably the Afro-Surinamese music group Black Harmony, offering a proud reimagining of their community’s history and future in the diaspora.

To perceive, from the Greek meaning 'touch at a distance'. Absent Presence is a surreal journey of a disconnected body seeking itself in the empty spaces of a house. A play of perceptions unfolds, blurring the line between the ambiguity of reflections and distorted shadows, prompting viewers to question their own experience.

In a world where translation is increasingly automated, what understanding can emerge from intuition, improvisation, and nonverbal bodily intelligence? Amid the hum of their environment, two candidates train to interpret the rhythms, patterns, and nuances of a nearby field sparrow. What starts as an exercise in empathy and attunement leads to unexpected realizations about the ‘shape’ of language.