Still: DEPOT - Reflecting Boijmans / Sonia Herman Dolz

Kicking the Dutch line-up off with the award-winning second feature from Bosnian-Dutch writer/director Ena Sendijarević Sweet Dreams**. The film is selected for the New Direction Competition in Chicago. It has already won six Golden Calves at the Netherlands Film Festival last month, world premiered in Locarno’s Concorso Internazionale, where it received the Leopard for Best Performance for Renée Soutendijk, celebrated its North-American premiere in the Centrepiece section at Toronto and is selected as the Netherlands’ entry for the Oscars. The film combines unforgiving satire with lavish aesthetics in an audacious tale of the tragic and delicious demise of European Colonialism. It is produced by Lemming Film (sales: Heretic).

Two Dutch films are joining the Spotlight section, filled with award-winners and critical favorites. Firstly, Occupied City** by Oscar-winning director Steve McQueen. It world premiered as a Special Screening at Cannes, screened at Telluride Film Festival (among others) and has a release by A24 in prospect. The documentary is based on the book Atlas of an Occupied City by Bianca Stigter and is produced by Family Affair Films, sales are handled by A24.

Secondly, They Shot the Piano Player** (NL Co-producer Submarine, sales: Film Constellation). Fernando Trueba & Javier Mariscal's film world premiered at Telluride Film Festival in the US, screened at Toronto IFF and was selected for the Sounds section in Zurich. In the artsy, melodic animation film, a New York music journalist sets out to discover the truth behind the tragic disappearance of young Brazilian piano virtuoso Tenorio Jr. 

Fien Troch's Holly** (minority co-produced by Topkapi Films), is included in the International Competition. The film is set around the aftermath of a school fire, where a traumatised town looks for consolation in 15-year-old Holly. It world premiered in the Venice Competition earlier this year.

Director Sonia Herman Dolz returns to Chicago with her newest film DEPOT - Reflecting Boijmans (produced by herself), which premiered at Rotterdam (IFFR). She acquired fame for the award-winning documentaries Romance de Valentia (1994) and Lágrimas negras (1998) and is also part of the Jury at the Chicago International Film Festival. 

Nienke Deutz' animated short film The Miracle* is presented in the Animation - Desires section. Previous festival selections include: world premiere at Annecy International Animation FF, Ottawa International Animation Festival, Chicago IFF, Guanajuato IFF. SEE NL had an interview with director Nienke Deutz about her film, in the run up to Annecy. Kepler Film is the NL co-producer of the film, sales handled by Miyu Distribution.

Lastly, screening in the Architecture – Versions of Home category, is Three Windows on South West*, directed and produced by Mariia Ponomarova. Her film world premiered in the Shorts: Resist programme at Sheffield DocFest (interview with Ponomarova leading up to DocFest) and this month the film will also compete in the International Competition for Documentary at DokLeipzig. In 2002, the filmmaker moved into an apartment on the 15th floor of a Kyiv high-rise. She was twelve at the time. Today, from the safe distance of another country, she talks to people who remember the flat and the time spent together. Festival distribution by Eye Experimental, sales handled by Shorts Fit. 

Chicago International Film Festival takes place from October 11 to 22. For more information, click here. ___________________________________________________________________________________________________________________

*Film is supported by the Netherlands Film Fund
**Film is supported by the Netherlands Film Fund and Production Incentive