A bunch of directors-rockstars will takeover this session. From VAN GOD LOS TV series we will welcome 5 of the 6 directors of the 4th season of the hit TV series. Get ready for a super session with AARON ROOKUS, EDDY TERSTALL, GIANCARLO SANCHEZ, MICHIEL TEN HORN and TOMAS KAAN ... and when you think "things can't get any better", we are thrilled to announce that series' creator PIETER KUIJPERS will co-host this Q&A and make all the clever questions of the evening!
* TOMAS KAAN is in the middle of a really demanding project. His attendance is still not 100% confirmed. Please understand: if duty calls, "a director's gotta do what a director's gotta do”.
MORE ABOUT OUR GUESTS:
(Co-Host) PIETER KUIJPERS, producer for PUPKIN FILM, Series’ creator
Pieter Kuijpers graduated from the University of Utrecht majoring in Theatre, Film and Television Studies. He directed his first feature film Godforsaken in 2003. And in 2003, he founded Pupkin. Currently, his focus lies on project development, guiding writers and directors, both for feature films and television. His work is distinguished by translating unconventional ideas into film and television-drama.
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AARON ROOKUS, director (A Good Life, Wednesdays)
Aaron Rookus (1983) graduated with honors in 2008 as a Master of Media and Arts (EMMA) at the Utrecht School of Arts and Studies at the University of Amsterdam. His graduation film 'I Wish I Could Share The Happiness Of Being Alone With Someone Else' won several awards including the HKU award for best graduation project.
In 2010 he was selected for the international program Engage for feature film development and in 2012 he was selected as a talent at the Berlinale Talent Campus. He made several award-winning shorts such as 'Wednesdays', 'P' and 'A Good Life'. He continued to direct single plays like Icarus and Van God Los and is now working on his first feature film.
Aaron Rookus is a teacher at the Utrecht University of the Arts.
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EDDY TERSTALL, director (Simon, Alberta)
Eddy Terstall debuted his first film Transit in 1992. He started Political Science and Sociology studies at the University of Amsterdam but didn’t finish. He follows politics closely and considered joining the political world at one point.
His 2004 film Simon won four Golden Calves and is said to be the first installment from a series of three films focusing on freedoms: death, sexuality, and rule of law. The other two were Sextet (2007) and Vox Populi (2008).
Terstall’s first collaboration with Erik Wünsch resulted in Meet me in Venice, World Cinema Award at Woodstock Film Festival for Best Foreign Film and Best Actress in a Leading Role (Roberta Petzoldt) and the second in Alberta.
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GIANCARLO SANCHEZ, director (Horizon, Gameboy)
After graduating from high school Giancarlo starts working as an item director for Bruja & C. He wins the Off screen Student Award with the short movie KAOLO (2011).
During and after his study at the Film Academy Giancarlo directs several video clips and commercials for Wangler and The Opposites. During his internship, he assists Shariff Korver with the preparations for the Devilish Dilemma MI KULPA (2013), and with a subsidy from the Oversteek project, he develops DE INFILTRANT (2014).
With his graduating movie GAMEBOY (2014) he wins the Topkapi Films Fiction Award. In 2015 his work as a director was awarded with the Gouden Kalf for Best Television Drama HORIZON.
Currently, Giancarlo is working on a new television series.
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MICHIEL TEN HORN, director (Aanmodderfakker, The Deflowering of Eva van End)
Director and screenwriter Michiel ten Horn (1983) graduated in 2007 from the Utrecht School of the Arts in Utrecht, where he studied Animation.
After his successful debut movie THE DEFLOWERING OF EVA VAN END, had its world premiere at the Toronto International Film Festival in Canada (TIFF) and was nominated for the Discovery Award in 2012, the prestigious American film magazine Variety listed him as one of ‘Ten European Directors to Watch’. At the Netherlands Film Festival, his film received 5 Golden Calf nominations.
In 2014 his second feature HOW TO AVOID EVERYTHING (OT: AANMODDERFAKKER) had its world premiere at the Netherlands Film Festival. The film was nominated in six different categories and won 3 Golden Calf Awards for Best Actor, Best Screenplay and Best Film.
Michiel is currently working on four new projects, two feature films and two TV projects including one episode of GODFORSAKEN!
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TOMAS KAAN, director (Greenland, Boys We Are)
Tomas Kaan (1979) is a documentary maker and film director. In both his documentaries and films he expresses a distinctive visual and experimental style.
In 2012 Tomas wins the prestigious Dutch Media Fund Documentary Award. His films are shown at (inter)national Film Festivals and for BOYS WE ARE (2009) Tomas wins several awards.
Besides films and documentaries Tomas also directed several music videos such as HIDDEN WOUNDS for the Belgian band dEUS.
His first feature film GREENLAND (2015) was screened at several international festivals. He co-directed the critically acclaimed Dutch TV series FIGHTER’S HEART (2016), the family series ZENITH (2017) and a TV movie in the GODFORSAKEN series.
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In our Official Selection, you can watch and meet the teams of:
DYING LIGHT
Jim de Klerk | Fiction | 11:09 minutes
Dying Light is a psychological thriller about a visually impaired woman who's afraid of the dark. She has to overcome her fear to escape the darkness that has entered her house.
HEADBUTT
Daan Bunnik | Fiction | 9:11 minutes
Headbutt portrays the desire of Tobias (15) to restore the old relationship he had with his brother Lucas (18). While they used to do everything together, Lucas now has no interest in his younger brother anymore. When Tobias fantasizes that Lucas will commit suicide, Tobias has no other option than to restore the relationship with his isolated brother.