22/08/2013 - The Dutch Cannes competitor Borgman from director Alex van Warmerdam, will have a pre-release premiere in 140 cinemas in the Netherlands

It was clear when Borgman [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Alex van Varmerdam
interview: Reinout Scholten van Aschat
film profile] (photo) was selected for the official competition of the most recent Cannes Film Festival, that whether it would win any awards or not, it was a pretty big event for Dutch cinema.

The last local film to play in competition dated from the seventies, so the Dutch release of such a prestigious title would be something remarkable. And indeed, the marketing team of Dutch distributor Cinéart have come up with something quite unique: Borgman will have the biggest pre-release premiere of any film in Dutch cinema history, playing in more than 140 cinemas on Wednesday, August 28, the day before its official release onto 40 screens. 

The pre-release premiere was made possible in collaboration with the Cinema Digitaal platform, which hopes that this special premiere will once again underline the versatility offered by digital projection (such a large premiere would have been impossible if Borgman had been screened on film).

Described as a drily comic home-invasion thriller, Borgman stars Hadewych Minis, Flemish actors Jan Bijvoet and Jeroen Perceval, the director’s wife and habitual collaborator Annet Malherbe and van Warmerdam-regular Eva van de Wijdeven and tells the story of the mysterious stranger (Bijvoet) who knocks on the door of the perfect suburban family, which turns out not to be that perfect after all, especially after Borgman is through with them.

Marc van Warmerdam, the director’s brother, produced for Graniet Film. The project was co-produced by Belgian outfit Epidemic and Danish production company Angel Films. Fortissimo has sold the title to 10 countries in Cannes, including the United States.