Dutch Animation Is Diverse @ StopTrik 2023
Thursday, 28. 9. 2023 at 9.00 / Vetrinj mansion, big hall
Curated by Maarten van Gageldonk
Presented by Kaboom Animation Festival, Amsterdam (NLD)
Dutch animation has a rich history which dates to the early years after the First World War when pioneers like George Debels and George Pal established successful commercial studios. While it always functioned in an international field and attracted animators from different countries to the Netherlands (Debels was Belgian, Pal was Hungarian), topics like diversity and inclusivity have only become hallmarks in Dutch animation in more recent decades. The compilation program Dutch Animation is Diverse showcases some films that were produced after the turn of the century in which diverse and often marginalized groups are represented. Diversity and inclusivity can take many forms and while this program showcases different approaches to these subjects in animated film, it can, of course, not pretend to be exhaustive. We have also attempted to showcase both more established and younger makers in this program.
Some of the films in this program have been festival favorites around the world, including Jan-Dirk Bouw’s animated documentary I Love Hooligans, Robert-Jonathan Koeyers’ film It’s Nice In Here, which was longlisted for an Academy Award, and A Double Life by successful Dutch studio Job, Joris & Marieke. Other films in this program have seen less international attention but deserve to be seen by a wider audience. Lucette Braun’s film Beak tells a haunting tale of being born different, while Joanne van der Weg’s graduation film Blindly visualizes the world from the perspective of a visually impaired person. Christa Moesker’s endearing film The Elephant and the Snail, based on a story by Dutch writer Toon Tellegen, shows us that even the biggest differences can be overcome.
As a festival, we believe that diversity in the animation industry is essential and that animators have specific responsibility in this, since their craft is primarily concerned with representation. We also cannot ignore the fact that the Dutch animation industry, while on the road to being more diverse, has not attained this goal yet. We hope that inclusive programming will be one step in the right direction.
Trigger warnings: violence, discrimination
1.
I Love Hooligans
Jan-Dirk Bouw (seriousFilm, Walking the Dog)
2013, The Netherlands, 12’28’’
A football hooligan feels unconditional love for his club. However, being gay, he has to hide his identity in order to survive in this world that is so precious to him. A tale of love for the game and the loneliness of the soul.
2.
A Double Life
Job, Joris & Marieke
2018, The Netherlands, 02’41’’
What happens when your wife discovers that it's much better to be a guy? A short that starts out funny but quickly turns to the reality of gender conformity. A deliciously dark comedy.
3.
Hot Tea
Marcel Tigchelaar (Anikey Studios)
2017, The Netherlands, 2’10’’
Some beverages are refreshing in more ways than one. A cup of tea never tasted as good as in this sensual short.
4.
It's Nice in Here
Robert-Jonathan Koeyers (Valk Productions)
2022, The Netherlands, 15’41’’
A fragmented portrait of a moment, a person, and a place, seen through the subjective memories of a young girl (Imani) and a rookie police officer (David), who both have wildly different recollections of the same fateful moment.
5.
Beak / Bek
Lucette Braune (il Luster productions)
2004, The Netherlands, 12’40’’
Despite being born with wings instead of arms and with a beak where a mouth should be, a small girl embraces fantasy to escape the reality of her circus-bound world. A hand-drawn animated film about growing up as an outcast.
6.
Mooi Missi
Diego Nurse
2016, The Netherlands, 8’35’’
A poetic portrait about how Petra, a 30-year-old transgender who was forced to suppress her true self growing up, gives in to her subconsciousness and starts her transformation to the beautiful woman she is today.
7.
Blindly
Joanne van der Weg
2014, The Netherlands, 2’20’’
What does a blind person see that I don't see? This animation is about a little trip a blind person makes to get somewhere.
8.
The Elephant and the Snail / De Olifant en de Slak
Christa Moesker (Phanta Vision)
2002, The Netherlands, 5’59’’
The elephant and the snail meet each other in the middle of the woods just as it begins to pour with rain.
9.
Bear With Me
Daphna Awadish (St. Joost Master Institute of Visual Cultures)
2018, The Netherlands, 4’47’’
A short, metaphorically told documentary on immigrants who left their home and crossed borders for love.
10.
Cruise Patrol
Bobby de Groot (House of Secrets)
2013, The Netherlands, 7’25’’
Seven years in the making, Cruise Patrol is about a routine cruise patrol that spirals out of control on a long and dusty road.