The golden myth: representations of precarious ageing in Belgian fiction films (2000–2022)

Older adults are often represented as financially secure, enjoying an idealised “golden retirement”. However, reports by the Belgian government and the European Commission demonstrate that this golden retirement is a myth. Against this backdrop, this study examines how precarity in later life is represented in Belgian fiction films (2000-2022), moving beyond the cinema of precarity to investigate its subtler representations in popular films. Drawing on a thematic analysis of twenty-one films reveals three recurring themes: economic insecurity, social isolation and community, and care and precarity. Overall, later-life precarity remains largely absent from Belgian fiction films. Older characters are typically represented within the successful ageing discourse, portrayed as active, healthy and financially stable. When precarity does appear, it is usually linked to health issues, either personal or in a caregiving role, which often leads to economic insecurity. A textual analysis on two interesting cases, Irina Palm and Many Heavens, offer deeper insights into precarious ageing. The article argues that by perpetuating the golden retirement ideal, combined with marginalising representations of later-life precarity, Belgian fiction films risk obscuring the lived experiences of many older adults and contribute to misleading societal understandings.