Axel Daeseleire crosses the United States. From Texas to Florida to Tennessee and New York. Axel travels wide-eyed through a country of extremes. He immerses himself in the religious community of the Mormons, experiences conservative America among the Rednecks, ends up among supporters and opponents of abortion and travels to San Francisco, the beating heart of the LGBTQ+ community.
There are travel destinations where you have to queue to take a photo or run to lay down a towel. There are even distinctions where the local population would rather lose tourists than be rich. But there are also essential ones where people still welcome you with open arms. No queues for photos or difficulties in securing a spot, but authentic places where hospitality is still a given. Places nearby or further away that most Flemish people ignore. And Joris Hessels and Viktor Verhulst are changing that. In the new program Without Stars, they leave their star status at home and travel to regions that currently have to go through life without stars. With an open mind, they immerse themselves in the local culture together and meet residents who are proud of their region. Is unknown unloved? Viktor and Joris discover it together with the viewer.
“I am James Cooke and in the past year I became friends with six bon vivants,” the presenter says in the trailer. “And they continue to enjoy themselves until their last day, even if it is approaching quickly. I made their portrait so that they are never really forgotten. ”