Come as You Are

Come as You Are is a 2011 Belgian road comedy-drama film directed by Geoffrey Enthoven from a screenplay by Pierre De Clercq, based on the real-life experiences of disability rights activist Asta Philpot. It stars Tom Audenaert, Gilles De Schryver, Robrecht Vanden Thoren and Isabelle de Hertogh Plot The Flemish men Lars, Philip and Jozef are somewhere between 20 and 30 years of age and each has a physical disability. Jozef is almost blind and needs to use a magnifier. Philip is quadriplegic. He can only move his head and can use one hand which gives him the strength to control his automated wheelchair. Lars has an incurable brain tumor a side effect of which is that he needs a wheelchair as a result of his increasing paralysis. The three are good friends and visit each other frequently. Philip, who is able to control a computer keyboard with a mouthpiece, had a conversation with a man who lost his legs during his last holiday at the Dutch sea-side. That man frequently visits a luxury brothel in Spain which is specialized to host disabled men. Philip convinces Lars and Jozef to organize a trip to Spain "as they do not want to die as virgins". Of course, they have to convince their parents but are afraid to tell them the real reason for the trip. That's why they deceive them and tell them that they are only going to visit some wine gardens in France and Spain. As Lars already made a well-organized plan about the trip and found a tour guide who is specialized in "holidays for disabled people" the parents eventually agree. Some days before departure, Lars goes to his doctor for approval to make the trip, but it seems his brain tumor has grown. His doctor advises to cancel his trip. Philip and Jozef initially cancel as well since they do not want to abandon Lars. Lars however insists that the trip should continue, so they decide to leave sneakily. However, the tour operator can't make the trip any more as it was cancelled by the parents, and does not want to jeopardize his professional and private life by ignoring the wishes of the parents. The tour operator takes pity and decides to send Claude, who also owns an accessible bus.