11 May 2026 marks the twentieth anniversary of the murders of Oulematou Niangadou and Luna Drowart in Antwerp. A racist attack that left scars on families, in communities and far beyond. Theatre creator Aminata Demba, who lost her parents at a young age, was related to Oulematou Niangadou. The horrific events still touch her deeply. As an eighteen-year-old at the time, she found hope in the shared grief she saw across communities in the aftermath … until it disappeared again in an instant. 

Born from a deep longing to make that sense of connection felt again, Demba collaborates with author Annelies Verbeke and SKaGeN actor Clara van den Broek – who is also familiar with early loss – for this creation. Their conversations with the victims’ next of kin became an intense quest, in which their own stories inevitably surfaced.

This creation doesn’t shy away from the rawness of grief, but it also chooses a form that lets in light and openness. That way, Kana Kassy/Niet Huilen creates space for renewed connection across various experiences of grief.