Portrait of artist Willem van Malsen (1940-2005) in the words of friends like Jeroen Henneman, Bernhard Holtrop, Remco Campert, Kees van Kooten, Jan Mulder, Mensje van Keulen and the director of this film, Deborah Wolf. They are interviewed at home or in their studio, they show the Van Malsens they possess and describe his artistic career and personality. For example, political cartoonist Holtrop observes: 'Every time he was successful with something, he went on to do another thing that people didn't understand.' This is one of the explanations why they think this versatile artist, who in his lifetime mastered a large variety of styles, remained relatively underestimated. His time in Paris is addressed, as well as his pioneering cartoons for Vrij Nederland and the déchirure tearing technique he developed. They also discuss their friendship, his sense of humour and the booze, which made him ill-tempered and eventually proved fatal. The conversations are alternated with photographs and home movies, made by Van Malsen.
