Michiel ten Horn’s “Fabula” – which opens this year’s edition of International Film Festival Rotterdam – follows a “dumb, selfish gangster who gets himself into a lot of trouble,” explains the director. But there’s a “philosophical layer” to it as well.

“It’s a redemption story, almost like ‘A Christmas Carol.’ He’s like a Charles Dickens character who’s visited by four ghosts and put through a real beating in order to learn something.”

In his crime comedy, Jos (“Speak No Evil’s” Fedja van Huêt) is used to bad luck – after all, his family has been dealing with it for years. But as a drug deal goes terribly wrong and, on top of it all, he finds out he’s about to become a grandfather, Jos’ determined to finally break the circle.

“I think the audience likes it when a character is struggling but also trying his best to achieve something. People like a hard worker,” Ten Horn, who also wrote the script, says with a laugh.