Best Dutch Fiction Series

Anansi the Spider

De avonturen van Anansi de spin

The folk tales of Anansi the spider are centuries old. They tell of a spider who always outwits his opponents. The message being: you must be smart if you are not big and strong. These West African fairy tales were spread to countries including Surinam, the Dutch Antilles as well as to the Caribbean in general by the slave trade. There, they were passed on by word of mouth as well as constantly refined. Everyone knows them, while in the Netherlands and Europe few people have heard of Anansi.

Author Iven Cudogham thought Dutch children should also get to know Anansi. Last year, he brought the spider to the Netherlands through his children’s books and an exhibition at the Tropenmuseum in Amsterdam. Now, there is this brand new, inclusive animation series for toddlers. Anansi the Spider’s global premiere will be at Cinekid.

Camp Kookiness

Kamp Koekieloekie

Together, seven totally different children make up ‘the Acorns’. They will have to make it through two weeks together at a nature camp. Deep down they are all insecure about something, but they all do their utmost to appear as normal as possible. Every episode revolves around a child with a different problem. Supervised by the camp leaders, the children get closer to themselves and others. Ultimately, they discover that everyone sometimes feels vulnerable – even in this era of perfection – and learn to accept themselves.

This eight-part family series deals with sensitive issues such as death, your first period, not daring to express your emotions and being born in the wrong body in a funny yet moving manner. This musical series is full of catchy songs by Djurre de Haan, Eefje de Visser, Roos Rebergen and Fresku.

PATRICK RAATS

THE NETHERLANDS | 2021 | 8’ | 4+

FACTS

Dutch title De avonturen van Anansi de spin Producer Michiel Snijders, Arnoud Rijken, Iven Cudogham Screenwriter Iven Cudogham, Arnoud Rijken, Michiel Snijders Editor Arnoud Rijken Composer Kim Arzbach Leading actors Rogier Comproe, Shirma Rouwse, Roué Verveer, Arjen Ederveen, Janouk Kelderman Production company il Luster, The Netherlands, info@illuster.nl, www.illuster.nl Sales company ODMedia, The Netherlands, info@odmedia.com, www.odmedia.com Broadcaster KRO-NCRV

JOOST VAN HEZIK, JAMILLE VAN WIJNGAARDEN

THE NETHERLANDS | 2020 | 25’ | 6+

FACTS

Dutch title Kamp Koekieloekie Producer Sabine Brian, Ronald Versteeg, Kaja Wolffers Screenwriter Anne Barnhoorn Editor Tim Wijbenga, Sandor Soeteman Composer Djurre de Haan Leading actors Darryl Amankwah, Heleen Post, Polleke van der Sman, Bennie el Khattab, Jasmijn Grevink, Raphael de Jong, Matti Stooker Production company NL Film & TV, The Netherlands, info@nlfilm.tv, www.nlfilm.tv Broadcaster NTR

Floor’s Rules 4

De regels van Floor 4

Stubborn Floor tries to answer the most pressing questions in an 11-year-old’s life. Whereas it is generally adults that draw up the rules, Floor is of the opinion that kids are perfectly capable of doing so themselves. What if you are sent to an anti-bullying course with your bully? Or if your best friend starts dating a dweeb? How do you rid yourself of the annoying babysitter? How do you come up with a treat that will blow everyone away? In this, the fourth season, Floor once again always comes up with original solutions.

In 2020, the first season of Floor received an International Emmy Kids Award in the Best Series category. In 2018, the series won a Cinekid Lion Jury Award for Best Fiction Series and, in 2019, the Cinekid National Audience Prize Senior Secondary School Pupils. Floor Rules is also broadcast in Denmark, Germany, Austria, Norway and France, among other countries.

Kabam!

Are you afraid sometimes? So bad that your heart races and your knees are knocking? This is the implicit question the series Kabam! asks its viewers. The children in Mr Mo’s primary school class are very diverse but have one thing in common: they are all afraid sometimes. Of dogs for instance or being made fun of in class. Luckily, they all have active imaginations that help them deal with their fears.

The live-action toddler series Kabam! consists of ten short stories which introduce us to different children in the class. They are stubborn, funny, energetic characters who use humour and their imaginations to come up with solutions to their problems. The series centres on recognisable childhood fears and shows that everyone has fears sometimes, but that there is often a solution out there. A little imagination goes a long way.

ALBERT JAN VAN REES, JAMILLE VAN WIJNGAARDEN, MAURICE TROUWBORST

THE NETHERLANDS | 2020 | 10’ | 8+

FACTS

Dutch title De regels van Floor 4 Producer Sabine Brian, Ronald Versteeg, Kaja Wolffers Screenwriter Lotte Tabbers, Luuk van Bemmelen, Tim Kamps, Renske de Greef, Martijn Hillenius, Anne Barnhoorn Editor Yamal Stitou Composer Alexander Reumers Leading actors Bobbie Mulder, Elisa Beuger, Ferdi Stofmeel, Ole Kroes Production company NL Film & TV, The Netherlands, info@nlfilm.tv, www.nlfilm.tv Sales company Dutch Features Global Entertainment, The Netherlands, sales@dutchfeatures.com, www.dutchfeatures.com Broadcaster VPRO

ELISABETH HESEMANS

THE NETHERLANDS | 2021 | 8’ | 4+

FACTS

Producer Marc Bary Screenwriter Floor Paul, Lilian Sijbesma Editor Boelie Vis Composer Eric Vloeimans Leading actors Idriss Nabil, Enhui Zhang, Boris Vis, Sanjay Leijen Production company IJswater Films, The Netherlands, films@ijswater.nl, www.ijswater.nl Broadcaster KRO-NCRV

Misfit: The Series

Misfit: de serie

The Misfits have a good year ahead of them, one in which the friends are going to work hard on their own musical. While they are busy writing the music and devising choreographies, they are told that the musical has unexpectedly been banned. The new head teacher Agnes (Georgina Verbaan) wants the focus to be on discipline, high grades and lots of studying, but Julia won’t be stopped. Together the Misfits keep working on the musical in secret to sabotage the new school system.

This new series consists of eight episodes and is the continuation of the popular high school films Misfit, Misfit 2 and Misfit 3. Just like the films, the energetic series will be shown on Netflix and is in competition for the Cinekid Lion Jury Prize for the Best Dutch Fiction Series.

Ninja Nanny 2

In the first season of Ninja Nanny teen Hunter had just moved to the posh Gooidorp and moved in with her mother’s new family. She felt like an outsider and was even bullied, but when she discovered her au pair Farah was a ninja, an unexpected friendship blossomed. Farah taught her the mystic art of self-defence, magic, and meditation.

In this second season, Hunter faces off against Farah because Hunter and Christa exploit the ninjas’ fame. The girls even ride around the village dressed in purple Super Ninjas suits. They are madly in love, but Hunter ultimately realises that she has lost sight of what it truly means to be a ninja. She stops being part of the Super Ninjas and breaks up with Christa. She goes in search of her biological father as well.

ERWIN VAN DEN ESHOF

THE NETHERLANDS | 2021 | 22’ | 6+

FACTS

Dutch title Misfit: de serie Producer Jeroen Koopman, Maurits Spijkerman, Thomas Wolff Screenwriter Erwin van den Eshof, Karen van den Ende, Brian de Vore, Paul de Vrijer, Michel Bonset Editor Jeffrey de Vore Composer Future Presidents Leading actors Djamila, Niek Roozen, Bente Fokkens, Jolijn Henneman, Nienke van Dijk Production company NewBeTV, The Netherlands, info@newbetv.com, www.newbe.nl Broadcaster Netflix NL

SIA HERMANIDES, ALIEKE VAN SAARLOOS, JANICE PIERRE

THE NETHERLANDS | 2021 | 25’ | 9+

FACTS

Producer Errol Nayci Screenwriter Sia Hermanides, Alieke van Saarloos, Karen Van Holst Pellekaan Editor Annelies van Woerden Composer Laurens Goedhart, Fons Merkies Leading actors Gina Spadaro, Denise Aznam, Dana Goldberg, Eva van de Wijdeven, Bas Keijzer Production company Storytellers Film & TV, The Netherlands, info@storytellersfilmtv.nl, www.storytellersfilmtv.nl Sales company Beta Film GmbH, Germany, beta@betafilm.com, www.betafilm.com Broadcaster AVROTROS

Pim & Pom at the Museum

De avonturen van Pim & Pom in het museum

In this colourful series, the cats Pim and Pom introduce children to fine art. Famous Dutch works of art provide the backdrop for their adventures and a different artwork is used every episode. For example, they go skating in Winter Landscape with Skaters by Hendrick Avercamp, where they meet a toddler who can’t skate. The cats also look around Pieter de Hooch’s A Mother’s Duty. There they meet a girl and a dog who aren’t allowed to get dirty. That seems doomed to fail, particularly if Pim and Pom play along. The cats also play hide and seek and lose one another in Vincent van Gogh’s Wheatfield with Crows.

This series provides a great initial introduction to fine art for toddlers. Pim and Pom were first drawn mid-twentieth century by famous Dutch illustrator Fiep Westendorp for stories written by Mies Bouhuys.

Rudy’s Crazy Christmas Show

Rudy’s grote kerstshow

Pop star Rudy’s sold-out Christmas show is about to happen. Sara who, just like Rudy, is 11, is stuck at home this Yuletide. She has an auto-immune disease which means the flu could be life threatening. Experimental treatment in France could help, but it is very expensive and not covered by insurance. When Rudy accidentally shows up in Sara’s father’s car, her parents decide to take him hostage and ask his parents for a ransom so they can pay for their daughter’s treatment.

This funny, yet exhilarating Christmas series that touches on contemporary themes including child stars and social media, consists of 20 short episodes and premiered at Cinekid last year. The series was written by Luuk van Bemmelen (De regels van Floor, Soof) and Martijn Hillenius (Apple Core, Floor Rules, Gips). Director Anna van der Heide won a Golden Calf for Best Short Film for Missiepoo16.

GIOIA SMID

THE NETHERLANDS | 2021 | 5’ | 3+

FACTS

Dutch title De avonturen van Pim & Pom in het museum Producer Petra Goedings, Jolande Junte Screenwriter Tingue Dongelmans, Fiona van Heemstra Composer Alex Debicki Leading actors Georgina Verbaan Production company Phanta Animation, The Netherlands, animation@phantavision.com, www.phantavision.com Sales company Attraction Distribution, Canada, info@attractiondistribution.ca, www.attractiondistribution.ca Broadcaster AVROTROS

ANNA VAN HEIDE, NICOLE VAN KILSDONK

THE NETHERLANDS | 2020 | 10’ | 8+

FACTS

Dutch title Rudy’s grote kerstshow Producer Iris Otten, Sander van Meurs, Pieter Kuijpers Screenwriter Martijn Hillenius, Luuk van Bemmelen Editor Michiel Reichwein Composer Fons Merkies Leading actors Kylian de Pagter, Noelle Simson, Ruben van der Meer, Ferdi Stofmeel, Jasmine Sendar Production company Pupkin, The Netherlands, info@pupkin.com, www.pupkin.com Sales company Dutch Features Global Entertainment, The Netherlands, sales@ dutchfeatures.com, www.dutchfeatures.com Broadcaster VPRO