Celebrated Dutch shorts director Joost van Ginkel started shooting on his feature debut 170 Hz earlier this month. His shorts Sand from 2008 and Kiss from 2009 were showcased at the Venice and Tribeca Film Festivals respectively.

170 Hz tells the story of two deaf teenagers who fall for each other. It is the first real amorous experience for both, but the disapproval of one of the teen’s parents leads to their escape and subsequent refuge in the wreck of a submarine, clearly an ominous place to look for freedom.
Up-and-coming Dutch starlet Gaite Jansen (Lover or Loser, the upcoming high-school drama Schemer) plays the female lead opposite Michael Muller, whose character hides a few dark secrets.

Veteran actors Porgy Franssen (The Tulse Luper Suitcase, Part 2: Vaux to the Sea [making of]) , Ariane Schluter (Alex van Warmerdam’s Waiter [trailer, making of]) and Eva van Heijningen round out the cast.

Amsterdam-based Column Film produces 170 Hz as part of the Oversteek III series of films that reunites producers with a broadcasting organization (in this case VPRO) and the Dutch Film Fund. The Mediafonds and CoBO-fonds co-fund the production.

Shooting will continue for several more weeks on various locations in the Netherlands and in Rochester, England.

The Dutch arm of Belgian distributor Cinéart will release the film in the Netherlands, most likely in early 2011.