 The Netherlands Film Festival
 How strange but true! The Madras film buffs did not hear about the Netherlands films in the past several years, and the announcement of the ICAF could not have come at a better moment. It is almost like our nearest relatives, living distantly, suddenly visiting us. What a joy.
The film festival was inaugurated by Akhila Srinivasan, Hony Consul for Netherlands, in Chennai. The festival opening gained more moral strength with the participation of Dr Gabriele M. Landwehr, director of Max Mueller Bhavan, Chennai, C K Gariyali, secretary to Tamil Nadu Governor, and Dr C Chandramouli, commissioner of Tourism, Government of Tamil
Nadu.
The glamour, meaningful one at that, was provided by Aparna, the emerging 'atom bomb' in film acting. She has already garnered a few awards in acting, and she’s sure to win many more given her talent and commitment.
In all, five films were screened. All done in the past decade, four of them as recent as 2004. I feel I must mention this as the selection of films gives a cross-section of the Netherlands' film art and status. This is not a mere academic assessment, but, what’s more important, it gives a clue to understanding the country and its people.
The most astounding and outstanding characteristic of the films was their distinct identity. One can easily, by seeing a few frames, reels, say "This is a Netherlands film". How is it that we have not been able to evolve our own celluloid identity, except in a negative way?
Director Mike van Diem’s Karakter (1997) ushered in the festival, and will stay in the minds of honest film buffs for many years to come. What makes it nearer to our heart and mind is not the story but the way it is unfolded.
It dwells at different levels and in multiple dimensions. In its simplest terms it is an interpersonal relationship of an unwed mother, her son, and his father. And the tripartite relationship even as the child grows into a boy, a man, and accomplished man socially and academically.
 Why does the mother refuse the marriage proposals from the man who impregnated her, why does she vow herself to silence a near total one, even from her son. How does the boy grow once he is on his own. What is his world? Is he able to bring his parents together?
And, why should he attempt, and almost accomplishes the murder of his father? Why should the father, claim his indifference, feigned or real, help his son grow? Naturally and strong. One can wax eloquent on every scene, and the way it has been realised. Against the varying climatic changes, each one adding its own meaning and strength to the scenes.
There are a number of moments where you hold your breath, and marvel. Particularly the disturbing dream. The very opening of the film, the dismantling and evacuation of several families from the big building is symbolic. And, so is the end.
In terms of performance what a delight to watch, even secondary, supportive characters. No wonder the film won the Academy Award for best foreign language film for 1998.
This is a film a copy of which must be preserved in all institutions that impart film, theatre and TV education.
Director Pieter Verhoeff‘s Nynke (2001) is a beautiful study about the dimensions of love. The real dimensions. Drawn initially by sexual attractions travelling over literature, and creative writing, and ending with marital betrayal by sheer infidelity.
Should a woman be just a slave, a wife, a mother, a daughter and nothing more? What is her role, a positive role, she can play for herself, initially and to society in a larger context. Is love a mirage? Can’t there be only gains in life only when there are irreparable losses? Can a woman writer (not a feminist) emerge only under difficult, challenging circumstances? Success, reputation at what cost? Are all political philosophies merely peripheral? Many of the times.
The film is a beautiful study of man-woman relationship, husband-wife-children relationship over years. What stuff is literature made of? At the cost of reality, staring, bare, painful reality.
The technical qualities and acting is superb. This film won the Golden Calf Award for the best film in 2001.
 Director Andre van Duren’s 'Kees De Jongen' (2003) is a touching excursion into a child’s fantasy world. While the child can have the fantasy, poverty strikes hard and spoils our sport and its world. But it opens up a new world of hard work and reality. The child learns the wonderful role called responsibility.
Somewhere in a very mysterious way the director strikes such a note of consonance that the film viewer identifies himself with the child and feels its way. That, I think, is the success of the film. Brief and disturbingly poetic, the film is unforgettable. Existence is such a hard imposition on all of us. We cannot even own our world.
Director Pieter Kramer’s 'Elis in Glamourland' (2004) is a spoof on the idea of earning quick, fast bucks with no or little investment. Must one, a woman, sell herself to come up in life, save money and settle down comfortably.
Not all women are like this. Even among those who opt for this trap, there are one or two who realise the pettiness and dangerous pitfalls. The film captures the life of a young woman with a son, and an almost divorced husband. Ultimately, what matters and succeeds is absolute honesty and contentment. Is the film a cross-section of the people in Netherlands?
With globalisation, no country is free from the exodus. Refugees pouring into another new country, and becoming part and parcel of the country and the people sharing its problems and also becoming its problems. Netherlands is no exception to this.
A Moroccan in Holland is the film. With his own dreams of reaching Hollywood and conquering it. Director Albert ter Heerdt’s Shouf Shouf Habbi (2004) is a comi-tragic view of aspirations and failures. The film holds its own interest.
In the final reckoning, the film festival was a grand success and one hopes for more contemporary films from Netherlands.
Is it possible for the Government Film Institute to involve itself in these festivals?
Thank you, ICAF.
Dr S Gopalie |
