Tag Archives: netherlands

Locarno 2025 Review: “Donkey Days”

Dutch director Rosanne Pel’s sophomore feature Donkey Days, a Dutch-German co-production filmed in Germany with a predominantly German cast, is an intense and ambitious film that examines the tensions within an all-female family of three, using both realism and surreal elements. It examines the power dynamics between two adult sisters and their mother, demonstrating how conditional affection and criticism can define relationships over a lifetime. Pel balances a detailed depiction of domestic conflict with a confident and unique style, resulting in an upredictable, intense, and occasionally funny work.

Cannes 2025 Review: “Reedland”

Reedland by Sven Bresser depicts contemporary rural Dutch life, where daily farming rituals collide with global pressures, family bonds, resulting in moral unease. Through striking imagery and evocative sound design, the film explores how tradition, isolation, and disruption shape the life of a solitary farmer in the reed fields.

Rotterdam 2025 Review: “I Shall See”

With I Shall See, Dutch director Mercedes Stalenhoef presents an immersive exploration of sudden loss and resilience in her first fiction feature. The film follows 17-year-old Lot, a passionate diver who dreams of becoming a maritime archaeologist, traveling, and living independently. Her life takes a devastating turn on New Year’s Eve when a firework failsContinue reading “Rotterdam 2025 Review: “I Shall See””

TIFF 2024 Review: “Mr. K”

Mr. K”, the English-language debut of Norwegian-Dutch director Tallulah H. Schwab, is a surreal and disorienting experience set in the confines of a seemingly inescapable hotel. Starring Crispin Glover as the titular Mr. K, a traveling magician who checks in for a single night, Schwab creates a Kafkaesque nightmare comedy where the ordinary is warped beyond recognition, and every attempt to find an exit leads deeper into the bizarre.

Cannes 2024 Review: “When the Light Breaks”

In Rúnar Rúnarsson’s latest film, “When the Light Breaks,” Una and Diddi, two young Icelandic art students and band members, are deeply in love. They find themselves lost in the mesmerizing dusk, their thoughts drifting away as they smoke joints together. They dream of traveling, ultimately choosing Japan as their destination. When the sun rises, Diddi will break up with his girlfriend, Klara, allowing him and Una to openly embrace their relationship. The future seems bright for the couple, but their hopes are shattered dashed by a tragic event.

Venice 2023 Review: “Melk”

In Stefanie Kolk’s debut feature “Melk,” which premiered at the 2023 Venice Film Festival, emotional resonance emerges not through melodramatic performances or sentimental dialogue but rather through the naturalistic portrayal of the characters and their nuanced relationships. This Dutch entry into the festival serves not only as a profound exploration of grief, womanhood, and life-altering events but also as a keenly observed study of personal grief and the intricacies of human connection. “Melk” quietly but powerfully delves into the life of Robin, played by Frieda Barnhard, a woman navigating the aftermath of an enormous loss.

Locarno 2023 Review: “Sweet Dreams”

In Bosnian-Dutch director Ena Sendijarević’s sophomore feature “Sweet Dreams,” an unflinching narrative unfolds, exposing just a fraction of the horrors of Dutch colonialism in Indonesia. The film, which premiered in the International Competition at the 76th Locarno Film Festival, eloquently juggles dark satire and profound tragedy. It boldly presents the evils and terror the Dutch colonizers caused, marking a radical departure from the traditional lenient portrayals in Dutch cinema.