Strong Dutch non-fiction lineup in Karlovy Vary

by Boyd van Hoeij

02/07/2010 - The Dutch have long had an excellent reputation on the non-fiction front, with historic names such as Johan van der Keuken and Joris Ivens and contemporary masters such as Heddy Honigmann. Some of the latest documentaries from the Netherlands will screen at the Karlovy Vary Film Festival, which kicks off Friday.

Director John Appel’s The Player will be presented in the Documentary Competition. The film, produced by Cobos Films, is based on the director’s memories of his own father and is a film about “gambling, winning and losing”. It premiered at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA).

Short documentary Mum by Dutch actress and playwright Adelheid Roosen, deals with her mother’s Alzheimer’s and also plays in Competition. It was produced by Female Economy, which is co-owned by Roosen. Roosen is most famous in the Netherlands for her theatre work that tackles taboos in Islam and the Middle East such as sexuality and honor killings.

Playing in the Another View section is the impressionist documentary Farewell from director Ditteke Mensink and produced by Pieter van Huystee Film. It also premiered at IDFA and tells the story of the “only female passenger on the first journey around the world of the Graf Zeppelin in 1929.”

Sander Francken’s Bardsongs, which was released locally a month ago (see news) will screen in the Another View section of the festival.

Though no Dutch narrative features will screen at the Czech festival, five Dutch co-productions will be showcased: Belgian titles Lost Persons Area [trailer], co-produced by De Productie; My Queen Karo [trailer] and The Misfortunates [trailer, film focus], both co-produced by IDTV; Cannes entry My Joy [trailer], co-produced by Lemming Film; and Iraqi film Son of Babylon, co-produced by Human Film.