NL docs at Docville
Docville is running from March 20 to 28
A selection of Dutch documentaries is part of the 20th edition of the International Documentary Film Festival in Leuven, Belgium.
Still: The Kyiv Files - Walter Stokman
Walter Stokman's The Kyiv Files** (prod. Zeppers) that world premiered at IDFA is now part of Docville's International Competition. The spy story has been shown at Tallinn International documentary FF - Docpoint in January and CPH:DOX this month. SEE NL spoke to Stokman before heading to IDFA 2023.
Soundtrack to a Coup d'Etat* will be the opening film of the National Competition this year. The doc by Johan Grimonprez was awarded with the Special Jury Award for Cinematic Innovation at Sundance, where it world premiered. BALDR Film is the minority co-producer of the film. We spoke to Frank Hoeve, producer at BALDR Film, in January before Sundance.
Kinshuk Surjan's Marching in the Dark* (min. co-prod. SNG Film) is also part of the National Competition, after celebrating its world premiere at CPH:DOX this month. A compelling story about a vicious circle and the first steps towards a resilient women’s movement.
In the Mislukking Gelukt program is Glass, My Unfulfilled Life. The funny and melancholic “coming of old age” doc by Rogier Kappers had an international premiere at Thessaloniki's Documentary Festival earlier this month and was part of IDFA Luminous last year, where it made it to the IDFA Audience Award top 10. Before attending the documentary fest in Amsterdam, SEE NL interviewed Kappers on his midlife crisis self-portrait in which he decides to pursue a boyhood dream: to become a famous musician on the glass organ.
If Only Night Wouldn't Fall* (prod. Basalt Film) by Marc Schmidt is in the ScienceVille program. The feature doc that gives a unique perspective on three Western countries’ use of data, world premiered at Sheffield Docfest. The director spoke to us before this event.
AMMODO short Docs Compilation
This year Docville shows four documentaries from last year's Ammodo Docs series and the preview of Moonshot Mission by Sara Kolster, which takes you to the wonderful world of quantum bits:
- Moonshot Mission (about physicist and computer scientist Stephanie Wehner), directed by Sara Kolster
- The Underground Astronaut(about evolutionary biologist Toby Kiers), directed by Marleine van der Werf / co-prod. Basalt Film
- The Guts of the Neuroscientist(about professor of cognitive neuroscience and developmental psychology Eveline Crone), directed by Hester Overmar / co-prod. Blackframe
- Moving Mountains (about professor of geoscienses, physical geography, landscape science and hydrology Walter Immerzeel), directed by Renko Douze
- The Mystery of MS (about neurobiologist Jeroen Geurts), directed by Suzanne Raes
Minority co-production Total Trust* by Jialing Zhang is part of the Topics program. The Witfilm minority co-prod. world premiered at CPH:DOX last year. From technology to artificial intelligence and human rights, the doc highlights the abuses associated with a government’s use of technology to control its population.
Floating with Spirits* (min. co-prod. Studio Biarritz) by Belgian filmmaker Juanita Onzaga is selected for the VR program. The short VR about the stories surrounding the Day of the Dead in Mexico, was presented in Venice Immersive last year. SEE NL talked to Dutch co-producer Corine Meijers in the run up to Venice, about the first VR co-production between Belgium, The Netherlands and Luxembourg.
Find out more about Docville here.
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*Film is supported by the Netherlands Film Fund
**Film is supported by the Production Incentive