Best Dutch Non-Fiction Series

Rusty 2

Rintje 2

This animation series brings Rusty the dog from Sieb Posthuma’s popular children’s books to life. The fearless, sweet fox terrier discovers the world with his ears up and his nose in the air. What is the first day of school like? And celebrating your birthday? Or having to see the doctor? Rusty experiences all sorts of things during this second season. For instance, a sawing someone in half act ends in an unexpected manner, he becomes homesick whilst staying over at grandma’s and camps in the garden with his friends Tobias and Henriette.

Rusty centres on friendship and the ties between the title character and his mother and grandmother. The second season of this stop-motion animation series also consists of 26 short episodes. The principal voices are provided by Dutch actors Georgina Verbaan, Nasrdin Dchar and Guy Clemens.

The Apple Core on Loss & Grief

Het Klokhuis over dood en afscheid

When someone dies it isn’t just really sad, but an awful lot of things then need to be arranged in a short period of time. Children have a lot of questions about this. In this four-part series by the long-running, informative children’s programme, presenter Eva goes in search of answers. She talks to both experts and children with experience.

During the first episode, Eva visits a mortuary and children talk about their experiences with dead bodies. Attention is also paid to what death means in, for instance, Surinamese and Islamic culture. The second and third episodes are about saying goodbye. For example, an expert explains how important saying goodbye is to the grieving process as well as how a body is presented for viewing, is buried, and cremated. The last episode is about grieving. How does that feel and how do you deal with it?

BEN TESSEUR, STEVEN DE BEUL

BELGIUM, THE NETHERLANDS | 2021 | 5’ | 3+

FACTS

Dutch title Rintje 2 Producer Leontine Petit, Tom van Blommestein, Dries Phlypo, Karlijn Van de Cruys, Bruno Wyndaele Screenwriter Fabie Hulsebos, Fiona van Heemstra Composer Chrisnanne Wiegel, Jelle Verstraten Leading actors Georgina Verbaan, Guy Clemens, Sarah Bannier, Nasrdin Dchar, Jacqueline Blom, Clairy Polak Production company Lemming Film, The Netherlands, info@lemmingfilm.com, www.lemmingfilm.com, Mockingbird Productions, Belgium, info@mockingbird.tv, www.mockingbird.tv Sales company Beta Film GmbH, Germany, beta@betafilm.com, www.betafilm.com Broadcaster AVROTROS

JAN PIETER SCHAAP

THE NETHERLANDS | 2021 | 16’ | 8+

FACTS

Dutch title Het Klokhuis over dood en afscheid Producer Stephanie de Beer Screenwriter Jan Pieter Schaap, Jurrian van Dongen, Isabelle van der Ende, Niek Barendsen, Martijn Hillenius, Ilse Warringa Editor Rob Ruis Composer Jurrian van Dongen Leading actors Eva Cleven Production company NTR, The Netherlands, info@ntr.nl, www.ntr.nl Broadcaster NTR

Beestenbrigade

Animals aren’t just fun to cuddle and play with, you must also look after them properly. It is this idea Beestenbrigade wants to transfer to young children. In this fun series, forest ranger Tim shows his children’s brigade how to feel and experience nature. He introduces toddlers to animal welfare and nature preservation, and whilst doing so he grabs every opportunity to get the kids as dirty as possible before they go home.

During the first episode, Tim moves some outdoor pigs with his children’s brigade, in the second they build nesting boxes for sand martins and in the third they look after a herd of wild konik horses. Beestenbrigade won the Televizier Ster for the best Dutch youth television programme in 2020. The first 30 episodes of the series were broadcast in the same year. The second season has been screened on NPO Zappelin since early October.

The Big Data Show

De dikke data show

Most children spend lots of time on apps, social media, watching videos, streams and playing games. Every day they spend hours staring at screens. Such online tools often seem free but aren’t really. You do not only pay with money, but also with data. So how does that work? What happens to that data? What ensures you go viral? What is real and what is fake? And how much advertising is there in games? Jard Struik immerses himself in these issues for the VPRO Youth programme The Big Data Show.

Jard Struik is a maker, actor, presenter and creative. He acted in Dutch series including SpangaS and Kappen Nou!, and wrote scripts for the NPO 3 series Vakkenvullers. He is a hit on social media himself: in 2020 he won the Best Instagrammer prize at The Best Social Media Awards.

LYDA VAN WESTEN, RICHARD VAN BOSSTRATEN, NIEK BOUMAN, PETRA ZWAAN

THE NETHERLANDS | 2021 | 15’ | 4+

FACTS

Dutch title Beestenbrigade Producer Trudeke van Hierden Editor Femke de Wolf, Jade Heisters Leading actors Tim Hogenbosch Production company KRO-NCRV, The Netherlands, info@kro-ncrv.nl, www.kro-ncrv.nl Broadcaster KRO-NCRV

EMIEL STRZESZEWSKI

THE NETHERLANDS | 2021 | 20’ | 8+

FACTS

Dutch title De dikke data show Producer Martijn Bakker Screenwriter Emiel Strzeszewski, Jard Struik Editor Emiel Strzeszewski Leading actors Jard Struik Production company VPRO, The Netherlands, info@vpro.nl, www.vpro.nl Broadcaster VPRO

Cooking with Rabbits

Koken met konijnen

In this VPRO Youth programme, theatre makers and performers Diederik Kreike and Ayrton Fraenck not only serve treats to pets, but also their owners. They give boss and beast the most amazing meals, that viewers can recreate at home. In between scenes there is time for music, make-overs and other pampering. For instance, the presenters present a musical ode to all the comfort guinea pigs around the world as well as handicapped animals. They also sing a song for children whose pets have died.

The second season of Cooking with Rabbits was shot at DOA, Amsterdam’s animal shelter. Once again, the episodes feature quite a few exceptional pets. Ayrton and Diederik cook for a blind dog and ponies moving house. Dishes they make include a ‘Care guinea pig carrot cake’ and a delicious ‘Pour tous les amies’ clafoutis. The recipes can be found on the VPRO website.

Fake It Till You Make It

In this Apple Core series, children are given drama tips for their own jokes, videos or plays. How do you make fake puke, tears, or a life-like wound? And how do you re-enact a spectacular fight scene, an intimate kiss, or a revolting puking scene? Presenter Sosha Duysker finds out. She receives drama lessons and top tips from The Apple Core actors such as cowboy Maarten Heijmans and vlogger Sarah Janneh, as well as make-up tips from professionals.

In line with the Apple Core format, things are explained and professionals provide tips on how to act like a star. In the episode entitled Sick, Sosha teaches you how to act like you are sick. A great acting exercise, but also really good for those days when you don’t want to go to school. Some of the acting tools can also be employed by the children in daily life.

CHARLOTTE HOOGAKKER

THE NETHERLANDS | 2020 | 15’ | 6+

FACTS

Dutch title Koken met konijnen Producer Martijn Bakker Screenwriter Charlotte Hoogakker Editor Frithjof Kalf Leading actors Ayrton Fraenk, Diederik Kreike Production company VPRO, The Netherlands, info@vpro.nl, www.vpro.nl Broadcaster VPRO

CHARLOTTE HOOGAKKER

THE NETHERLANDS | 2021 | 11’ | 7+

FACTS

Producer Jacqueline Brinkman, Pamela Nijhuis Screenwriter Charlotte Hoogakker Editor Lennart Reijnders Leading actors Eva van der Gucht, Maarten Heijmans, Sosha Duysker Production company NTR, The Netherlands, info@ntr.nl, www.ntr.nl Broadcaster NTR

Moonriders

While the unsuspecting populace sleeps, artist Aukje Dekker, children and her friends from the artworld head out. They have a mission to make guerrilla art together, put up secretively at night in neighbourhoods around the Netherlands. For example, 11-year-old Chadi wants an ‘earth wizard’ in his neighbourhood to remind people to be good to trees, nine-year-old Soraya wants more to bring love to her area with huge pink bunny ears and 12-year-old Timo is fascinated by chicken’s eyes and builds a conceptual chicken run.

Moonriders came about in the framework of the NPO’s Actieplan Cultuur. This programme about art expands NPO’s cultural programming to provide an extra platform for the arts sector during the pandemic. Artists including Folkert de Jong, Koen Vanmechelen and Narges Mohammadi collaborated in the programme.

Stripped Down

Gewoon. Bloot.

Is my body normal? Children often ask themselves this question. No wonder, because everyone on Instagram, Snapchat and TikTok looks perfect. People use filters, make-up or undergo surgery to look better. This makes it hard to tell what is real. Luckily, there is Stripped Down. This TV programme sees five ordinary Dutch people of all shapes and sizes take their clothes off. A group of children, led by presenter Edson da Graça, then gets to ask them all sorts of questions to get to the naked truth behind the human body.

Every episode revolves around a different body part like the bottom, breasts, penis or vulva, body parts that can start to change during puberty and which children can be insecure about or ashamed of. Stripped Down shows them that everyone looks different and that that is just fine.

NOEL LOOZEN

THE NETHERLANDS | 2021 | 20’ | 8+

FACTS

Producer Marjolein Klooster, Martijn Bakker Screenwriter Noel Loozen Editor Mieneke Kramer, Eline Bakker Leading actors Aukje Dekker Production company VPRO, The Netherlands, info@vpro.nl, www.vpro.nl Broadcaster VPRO

SASKIA RENSEN

THE NETHERLANDS | 2021 | 15’ | 9+

FACTS

Dutch title Gewoon. Bloot. Producer Michiel van der Hoeven, Jasper Geel Screenwriter Saskia Rensen Editor Bart Witkamp Leading actors Edson da Graça Production company Warner Bros. International TV Production Netherlands, The Netherlands, info.nl@warnerbros.com, www.wbitvpnetherlands.com Broadcaster NTR

Talking Heads

Hoofdzaken - Seizoen 3

In Talking Heads children take a seat in Marko the hairdresser’s chair. In the mirror we can see their new haircuts take shape, while we listen to what they think: their view on the world, their worries and the things that truly make them happy. In the third season, Elena explains what she feels when everyone is asleep, Hailey talks about her special underwater hobby and Rens dreams about a career in musicals. And while Levi talks about his great love, Raya explains why there are all sorts of devices stuck to her body.

Whether the children talk about hope, love, fear or growing up; the conversations in Talking Heads are always heart-to-heart and unfiltered. This leads to amusing, moving stories full of anecdotes that both children and their parents will recognise. After sharing their stories, the kids leave with a fresh new haircut.

Test Kitchen

At The Test Kitchen, Pieter Hulst and Willem Voogd study all sorts of products and see how they are made. Pieter seeks out the right ingredients across the country and then tries to recreate the product with Willem from raw material to finished object – without complex machines and huge factories, but just in an old shed with tools all over the place. To make that happen, they come up with the craziest experiments and the most unusual techniques.

In the seventh season, they investigate how a warm winter coat is made and how to start your own brand. Will their energy bar conquer the world? They also dissect a radio and a bicycle, then build an underground bunker for when the apocalypse comes. If the world doesn’t crash and burn, they will still have their lolly-grabbing machine which lets you win cherry-fizz lollies.

MENNO OTTEN

THE NETHERLANDS | 2020 | 15’ | 8+

FACTS

Dutch title Hoofdzaken - Seizoen 3 Producer Derk-Jan Warrink, Koji Nelissen Screenwriter Menno Otten Editor Saskia Kievits, Wouter Jansen Composer Benny Sings Leading actors Marko Suds Production company Keplerfilm, The Netherlands, hello@keplerfilm.com, www.keplerfilm.com Sales company Beta Film GmbH, Germany, beta@betafilm.com, www.betafilm.com Broadcaster VPRO

WILLEM REVIS, PIETER HULST

THE NETHERLANDS | 2020 | 25’ | 8+

FACTS

Dutch title De Proefkeuken Producer Lisa van Dorp, Paulien Katerstede, Stephanie Kolb, Jeroen Weeda Screenwriter Willem Revis, Pieter Hulst Editor Willem Revis Leading actors Willem Voogd, Pieter Hulst Production company BlazHoffski Productions/Dahl TV, The Netherlands, info@blazhoffski.nl, www.blazhoffski.nl Broadcaster VPRO