The documentary explores Louis Couperus through his novels, short stories and letters. His childhood in the Dutch East Indies and his later perspective on colonial society shaped his writing, as did his experience of alienation and never fully belonging anywhere. In works such as The Silent Force (De stille kracht) and The Mountain of Light (De berg van licht), he explored power, masculinity and forbidden feelings without revealing too much of himself. Why does his personal life remain so controversial? The film sheds new light on Couperus and his times.