18/07/2008

While his son Yannick van de Velde currently stars in The Letter for the King (see interview), director Jean van de Velde is busy with the post-production of his latest film Wit licht (“White Light”). The film is scheduled for a release in December.

Wit licht tells the story of a Dutch father who owns a restaurant in Africa. When his son’s best friend is recruited as a child soldier, he decides to get his son’s playmate back at all costs – even if it means venturing into a war zone.

In Wild Romance from 2006, Van de Velde’s biopic of Dutch punk singer Herman Brood, an actor (Daniël Boissevain) played the singer. In Wit licht, the Congo-born director reverses this process, as popular Dutch singer Marco Borsato makes his debut as an actor in the role of the father.

Dutch actresses Thekla Reuten (Twin Sisters) and Ricky Koole and Ugandan actors Abby Mukiibi Nkaaga and Sam Okelo (both from The Last King of Scotland [+see also:
trailer
film profile]) also star in the thriller. Borsato, who is of Italian origin, will also write the music of the film together with his regular collaborator, the British-Dutch composer John Ewbank.

Wit licht was shot on different locations in Africa, including Uganda and South Africa. Filming wrapped at the end of May. The film is a The Entertainment Group Films production with backing from the Dutch Film Fund and will be released on Dutch screens by Independent Films.