In 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 Dutch 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.

Last May, Otten had her moment to pitch The Yellow Dot to co-producers, funders and sales agents during the European Film Promotion Producers On The Move Event. While she opened up her network with new colleagues from around Europe, Otten also had the chance to see the different kinds of stories that these people were working on. “I have been in the business for quite a while and know a lot of people, but it is always really great to meet new ones as well,” Otten underlines.

Together with European Film Promotion's other Producers On The Move, she is present at the Cannes Festival that takes place between July 6th and 17th. This is another moment for these producers to pitch their new projects, meet potential new collagues and enlarge their networks.

For more information on Otten, you can visit the Pupkin Film website or contact her through:
iris@pupkin.com
+31 20 489 5088

For more information on Producers On The Move, visit European Film Promotion.
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See NL spoke to Iris Otten last May. That interview has been updated for Cannes Film Festival.

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