15/07/2008

The fifth edition of the Golden Apricot Yerevan International Film Festival in Armenia, currently underway, will have a special Dutch Day on July 16, the birthday of renowned Dutch filmmaker Jos Stelling.

After French Day on July 14, Dutch Day will also showcase several recent productions at the festival, including Stelling’s latest film, Duska [+see also:
trailer
interview: Sylvia Hoeks
film profile]. This Eyeworks Egmond film, a co-production with Russia, tells the bittersweet story of an aged film critic who falls in love with the ticket sales girls at the local cinema. His life is turned upside down when a colleague from Russia, the title character, turns up at his doorstep.

Two other Dutch fiction films will also be shown in Armenia: the divorce drama Mijke de Jong’s Stages, special mention at the Locarno Film Festival, and Rotterdam Tiger Competition entry Shanghai Trance from newcomer David Verbeek.

Huseyin Karabey’s My Marlon and Brando, a Turkish/Dutch co-production, stands between documentary and fiction as a Turkish actress plays scenes inspired by her own love life. Pure documentaries are also part of the Yerevan programme, with Dutch production Woman See Lot of Things by Meira Asher included in the documentary competition programme.

Marijn Frank’s Daddy Has Gone and Left Me Puzzled and Who Are We from Susan Kornalijnslijper, both documentaries as well, are also being shown at Yeravan.

The focus on the Netherlands at the Golden Apricot festival comes on the heels of a similar programme at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival in the Czech Republic, which ended this weekend.