Dutch Films at Slamdance 2023
Slamdance has unveiled the lineup for its 29th edition
Three Dutch films are selected for the 29th edition of Slamdance. The festival will take place in-person from January 20-26 in Park City and Salt Lake City, Utah and virtually from January 23-29.
Dutch feature Mascot** by Remy van Heugten is set to world premiere in the Breakouts section of Slamdance. The film is written by Gustaaf Peek and produced by BIND in co-production with Savage Film (Belgium). Mascot tells the story of 17-year-old Jerry, who is born with a malformed mouth and held close by his single mother Abbey. When Abbey starts to turn away from him and his younger sister, Jerry is determined to keep the family together. He must and will become man of the house. Van Heugten’s award-winning debut feature Son of Mine* (2015, original title: Gluckauf) world premiered in Rotterdam’s Tiger Competition and received many prizes, including Best Screenplay at the Brussels Film Festival, Honourable Mention Best First Feature at Galway Film Fleadh and four Golden Calves (national film awards) for Best Film, Director, Screenplay and Cinematography.
The Girl Who Was Cursed* screens in the Narrative Features section, celebrating its North American premiere. Directed by Zara Dwinger and produced by Studio Ruba, the film follows the story of stoner girl Gizem who spends most of her day smoking weed on the couch while spying on her neighbors through binoculars. When the quirky boy across the street disappears, she has to get out of her comfortable cloud of smoke to find out where he is. She gets caught up in a strange quest.
Sexual Healing by Elsbeth Fraanje and Tangerine Tree is selected for the Unstoppable Features section. Evelien, spastic from birth and with merely disappointing sexual experiences in her pocket, is taking the first steps on her quest for intimacy. She discovers new parts of herself and she opens up to needs and desires she has been suppressing all her life. Sexual Healing is about the necessity of intimate, human contact for every human being and how complex it can be to realise this if having sex is not evident. The documentary will have its US premiere.
For more information on Slamdance Film Festival, click here.
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*Film is supported by the Netherlands Film Fund
**Film is supported by the Netherlands Film Fund and Film Production Incentive