In Koki, Ciao by Quenton Miller Koki, the famous talking cockatoo, gives insights into his life with Tito, the long-time president of Yugoslavia whose country residence was regularly frequented by political figures, dictators and movie stars. The short film celebrates its international premiere in Berlin, the world premier took place in Rotterdam at IFFR.

Also in the Berlinale Shorts competition, animated short Mother’s Child written, directed, animated and coproduced by Naomi Noir, her graduation film for the Utrecht University of the Arts. As a mother and caregiver for her mentally and physically disabled son, Mary’s life is flooded with bureaucratic calls from government institutions. While we slowly fade into surrealism, we get to the very core of how she is feeling. The animation world premiered at the Netherlands Film Festival and will celebrate its international premiere at Berlinale. SND Filmshandles sales for Mother’s Child. SEE NL talked with the director in the run up to the festival, you can read the full interview here. 

Animated short film Down in the Dumps* will celebrate its world premiere in Berlinale’s Generation Kplus competition. The film is a dark fairytale about perfectionism, fitting in and self-acceptance for the younger audiences and is directed by animation director and paper artist Vera van Wolferen. Van Wolferen’s earlier work includes festival hit Tourist Trap*. Down in the Dumps is produced by Family Affair Films; Kapitein Kort is on board handling festival distribution. Heading to the Berlinale, Vera van Wolferen spoke with SEE NL about her short film in this interview. 

Besides the short films from the Netherlands a large number of Dutch (minority) co-productions are part of the Berlinale:

The Blue Trail by Brazilian director Gabriel Mascaro and co-produced by Dutch outfit Viking Film and Kateryna Gornostai’s documentary Timestamp, which is co-produced by Rinkel Film, are contenders for the Golden and Silver Bears in Competition.
After Colossus by the Netherlands-based Indonesian filmmaker Timoteus Anggawan Kusno is competing in Berlinale Shorts.
The Forum section includes the German/Dutch documentary Sirens Call, co-produced by Elbe Stevens. And part of Forum Expanded is Alban Muja’s I Believe the Portrait Saved Me, co-produced by Edon Rizvanolli and experimental short film Extra Life (and Decay) by French director Stéphanie Lagarde and coproduced by Dutch producer Tim Rutten for Video Power.

Other Dutch presence at Berlin

In the Berlinale Co-production Market Dutch project Happy Days from director Floor van de Meulen and production company Keplerfilm is presented.
Selected for Berlinale Co-production Market – Books at Berlinale is Poubelle by author Pieter Waterdrinker (publisher: Singel Uitgeverijen).

Award-winning filmmaker Emma Branderhorst is part of the International Jury of Generation.

And there are several Dutch or Netherlands-based Berlinale Talents: Douwe Dijkstra (director, screenwriter), Philip Ullman (director, screenwriter), Julian Haisch (producer), Zuza Banasinska (director, editor) and Timoteus Angawan Kusno (director), who also has a film in the festival.

Producer Madhiha Duynhouwer is participating in the EFM Toolbox programme.

For the complete overview of Dutch films and co-productions at the Berlinale and EFM, including screening times, please click here.

75th Berlinale: 13 – 23 February

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*Film is supported by the Netherlands Film Fund