Still: The Imaginary Friend - Steye Hallema

Three Dutch VR films are part of the Festival Official Selection – XR. 

Steye Hallema will be showing The Imaginary Friend*** (prod. Studio Biarritz), which celebrated its world premiere in Venice followed by selections for SXSW, BFI London & Annecy. In the interactive work a grieving child struggles to separate reality from fantasy. We spoke to Hallema about his film when it got selected for Venice Immersive last year. 

Songs for a Passerby*** (prod. Silbersee) by Celine Daemen also premiered in Venice Immersive, where it received the Grand Prize and before which Daemen spoke to SEE NL as well.

The third VR participator is also a previous Venice Immersive alumni: Shadowtime*** (prod. Institute of Time) by Sister Sylvester (Kathryn Hamilton) & Deniz Tortum. We interviewed Hamilton about the work in which a mysterious guide leads you through questions around the climate crisis, irreconcilable realities, and the virtual as a place to take shelter.

Besides the VR works, three Dutch short films are joining the Festival Official Selection.

Yfke van Berckelaer will celebrate the world premiere of her short Izzy (prod. Make Way Film). Earlier she directed the horror short Lili (2019), which also had its world premiere at BIFAN in 2019. The director is also selected for project pitching. 

I'm Not A Robot*(prod. OAK Motion Pictures) by Victoria Warmerdam celebrated its international premiere at Sitges International Film Festival where she was awarded with Best Short Film in the Official Fantastic Selection, followed by many festival selections and the Melies D’Argent Award at Brussels International Fantastic Film Festival. We interviewed the director about her film when she headed out to Sitges.

Miriam Guttmann's Seahorse Parents will be having its Asian premiere in Bucheon. Her series Seeds of Deceit (2021) was selected for the Sundance Film Festival and her graduation film won various international prizes and was selected for over 20 film festivals. In this short documentary four (soon to be) transgender parents share their personal stories of what carrying their future children as transgender males has been like. Sales are handled by SND Films.

Find out more about BIFAN here.

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*Film is supported by the Netherlands Film Fund
**Film is supported by the Production Incentive
*** Film is supported by the Netherlands Film Fund and Creative Industries Fund (Immerse\Interact)