In the The Yellow Dot, when ambitious marketing manager Macy (34) spies a single yellow dot moving against the expected trend among hundreds of other dots on a screen during an eye-tracking study of consumer behaviour, she sees it as a representation of her own life. Where is she heading, and what is driving her? But in addressing these questions, her life begins to fall apart, forcing her to start looking for a new way to relate to the world.

For the past 12 years, Otten has been a producer and partner at leading Dutch production company Pupkin, together with fellow partners Sander van Meurs and Pieter Kuijpers. Her focus is on authentic family content and author-driven films, the latter evidenced by a stable of bright Dutch talents that include the likes of Michel ten Horn (The Deflowering of Eva van End), Mees Peijnenburg (Paradise Drifters**), Daan Bakker (Quality Time**, which also features a dot with a strong personality) and Ena Sendijarević (Take Me Somewhere Nice**). Otten is currently developing new features by Ten Horn and Peijnenburg.

Her key role as producer, she says, lies in “guiding writers and directors in the challenging process of creating. I think I am transparent, honest and trustworthy. I think these are very important values for me in working together with creative teams.”

But she also feels a responsibility in terms of the films that are put in front of future audiences. “I think it is important that I bring witty and hopeful stories, about the resilience and the creativity of who you are as a human being, and how we relate to each other,” Otten stresses.

“My goal is to make a contribution to a more optimistic society, to choose films or projects that show the joys and the sorrows of life, and which you can really learn from by looking in the mirror.” 

Otten underlines her co-production credentials with strong and transparent relationships with the broadcasters and also the Film Fund, who helped enable the production of Pupkin series The Spectacular during lockdown with the emergency Covid measures it introduced. The series also received high-end series Production Incentive support, introduced by the Fund in 2017. “We really see the big difference when you have a better budget in terms of its enhanced international appeal,” says Otten of the Incentive measures.

Aside from pitching The Yellow Dot to potential co-producers, funders and sales agents during the European Film Promotion Producers on the Move event, Otten also looks forward to open up her network to twenty new potential colleagues from around Europe. And while she is at it, she is keen to check out what type of films they are making and what kind of stories interest them.

The programme's online presentation is not a problem as it makes for a more efficient use of time, and offers access to a wider group of potential investors across all sectors. “I have been in the business for quite a while and know a lot of sales agents, but it is always really great to meet new ones as well,” Otten underlines.

“I am very much looking forward to presenting this new project of David, because we have been working on it for the past three years,” the Pupkin producer further emphasises. “Of course, when you need to create and prepare a pitch, then you also come to the core of the reason why you want to produce film like this, and also an understanding of what is its real content and its true value.” 

European Film Promotion's Producers on the Move programme is organised yearly during the Cannes Film Festival. The 2021 edition of Producers on the Move takes place between May 17 and 21.

For more information on Iris:
+31 20 489 5088
Pupkin Film
iris@pupkin.com

For more information on Producers on the Move, visit European Film Promotion.

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* Film supported by the Netherlands Film Fund.
** Supported by the Netherlands Film Fund, Netherlands Film Production Incentive.