Charlotte Verminck: A Breakthrough Portrait (2025)
- Media
- Dec 19, 2025
- 3 min read
Updated: Jan 3
For Film Director Charlotte Verminck, 2025 Was the Year of a Major Breakthrough: “My World Premiere in Hollywood Was a Dream Come True”
For Knokke-Heist–born and raised filmmaker Charlotte Verminck (26), 2025 was an exceptionally successful year. Her short film Mind of Thoughts had its world premiere at the Beverly Hills Film Festival in Los Angeles and later went on to receive the award for Best International Film, followed by a series of additional prizes and distinctions.
Charlotte Verminck grew up in Knokke-Heist, where she quickly developed a strong passion for film. She earned a bachelor’s degree in International Communication and Media at Thomas More University College, and later completed a specialized cinematography program at Cameracollege. At just seventeen years old, Charlotte became a creative director for the well-known artist Ozark Henry. She later completed an internship at the Hollywood production company Little Minx. In the meantime, she has also founded her own production company.
Psychological Drama
2025 thus became the year of her major breakthrough with her short film Mind of Thoughts, which received, among other honors, the Best International Film award in Los Angeles and the Best European Short Film award in Barcelona. The film is a psychological drama about a young artist who becomes trapped in her own thoughts and struggles with self-doubt and fear as her perception of reality begins to distort.
Notably, the emotions of the main character are conveyed primarily through choreography and movement, rather than dialogue.
“I made Mind of Thoughts out of a personal necessity, without knowing whether the story would reach beyond the people directly involved,” says Charlotte. “That the film would resonate internationally to such an extent was something I never dared to predict.”
“The Strong Reception Confirms That There Is a Need for These Kinds of Stories”
“That the film has been received so strongly feels like a confirmation that themes such as thoughts, doubt, inner pressure, and shame know no boundaries — and that there is a need for these kinds of stories. Personally, this feels very special, as I also feel deeply at home in an international context and see my future continuing to grow there. The fact that the film transcended borders aligns beautifully with that.”
Inner Voice
According to Charlotte, the secret behind the film’s success lies in its universal starting point: the inner voice we all recognize, yet rarely speak openly about.
“Instead of explaining that inner struggle, I wanted to make it tangible through the body and through poetic moments. That creates space for recognition. I love how, through this medium, inner worlds can be made visible, allowing people to feel less alone in what they experience.”
Charlotte has also consciously invested a great deal of time in dialogue around the film. She actively engaged in conversations with audiences, both online and during screenings, believing that this exchange allows the work to continue living beyond the screen.
Strong Roots
The young director, screenwriter, and producer has been living for several years in Middelburg near Maldegem, but she remains deeply connected to Knokke-Heist, the municipality where she was born and raised.
“I could count enormously on the support of MAAK, the arts academy of Knokke-Heist, among other things through a residency and the involvement of teachers. CC Scharpoord also helped me by connecting me with potential filming locations,” Charlotte explains.
Pure Wonder
Looking back, Charlotte describes 2025 as “a year of great movement.”
“Being able to experience my world premiere in Hollywood with this film was a dream come true. What deeply moved me was that the film was screened just days later in the International Ballroom, a space often used as the setting for major film ceremonies, including the Golden Globes. That a story rooted in an inner world could find its way there felt like a moment of pure wonder.”
(PDV)
