Noorderkroon is the competition annually organized by the Noordelijk Film Festival for filmmakers from the northern Netherlands. From the previous edition, directors Sammy Shefa Idris (Vaders zijn ook zonen, winner of Best Student Film and Biggest Young Talent), Susanne Hagen (Rups), and Tom Tieman (Huilende Bruiden, winner of Best Short Documentary) along with their producers will attend the festival in Germany. In addition to the screenings, there will be a Q&A session with the filmmakers.

Also included in the programming, though not part of the showcase, is Baarch by Rutger Veenstra (winner of Best Short Fiction). This film is nominated for the Ostfriesische Kurzfilmpreis.

Talented Filmmakers Crossing Borders

Henriëtte Poelman, artistic director of the Noordelijk Film Festival, said about the collaboration:

“We are very excited about this international exchange, which presents three talented filmmakers from Northern Netherlands beyond the border. Their diverse films are all strong, investigative, with unique voices and topical in their own ways, which will certainly resonate with audiences in East Frisia.”

“A Foundation for a Sustainable Cultural Bridge”

Hester Terpstra, Director of Film in Friesland, the organizing foundation, adds:

“With this collaboration, we are laying the foundation for a sustainable cultural bridge between Northern Netherlands and Northwest Germany. We want not only to introduce audiences to each other’s stories but also to stimulate exchange between creators and work on new cross-border co-productions. This is a promising first step towards long-term collaboration and greater visibility for our regional film culture on a European scale.”

In November, a German delegation will visit Leeuwarden during the Noordelijk Film Festival from November 5 to 9. During the NoFF, the roles will be reversed: a showcase of East Frisian short films will be presented, followed by a Q&A with the filmmakers.

The project ‘Nieuwe Maatjes – Neue Freunden’ is made possible by Eems Dollard Regio (EDR) and the Interreg Deutschland-Nederland program and its partners, co-financed by the European Union.

Noorderkroon 2025 Submissions Now Open

Submissions for the Noorderkroon competition 2025 opened on Wednesday, May 28. Filmmakers from Northern Netherlands can submit their films until August 17 for the annual competition.

More information about the different categories and submission requirements can be found at www.noordelijkfilmfestival.nl.