The promotional clip for the Netherlands Film Festival (NFF) is a flashy, rap-style compilation. It exudes an explosion of creative energy that is also totally up to date. It is the best festival clip in ages. Combine that with Nobody in town as a strong opening film and you get the feeling that things are looking up for Dutch film. And then that party at the NFF conference - kicking off the programme section for professionals - suddenly spoiled by the presentation of Filmdistibuteurs Nederland (FDN).
'The Dutch audience film: up or down?" is projected there in large letters on the screen above the panel. To be honest, that morning I had also heard a representative of Flemish film say that it was 'grow or die', but there they only make eight cinema films a year. In our country, you're easily talking about 30 or so, so surely it won't be such a big deal here? Unfortunately for the optimists, the FDN shows figures.
Market share
Distributors have already had to drastically downsize their businesses in the last five years. In the process, the market share of Dutch film has declined from 20% in a few years to less than 7% in 2018. That, in a nutshell, is the message of FDN chairman René van Turnhout.
Admittedly, that 7% is based on the first three quarters of 2018. It may still pick up slightly, as the last quarter is usually the best. But that the 2018 annual figures will be disappointing, no one really doubts that. Also because it looks like the steadily growing cinema market is shrinking again for the first time in a very long time. As a result, less money is also flowing back towards production, which could exacerbate the downturn.
Think tank
Aside from criticism from a number of quarters about the method of analysis, everyone in the industry agrees that something needs to be done to attract more audiences to Dutch film. This is why the FDN has taken the initiative to set up a think tank in which all sections of the film industry - from makers to exhibitors - are represented.
By way of kick-off, those present in the room - many producers, few operators and directors - can conjure their suggestions directly on the screen via their smartphones. For instance, what could be the cause of the free fall Dutch cinema seems to have fallen into? And what the solution?
'Quality' (the perceived lack of it, that is) and 'competition' (Netflix is singing around at the conference) are the most frequently mentioned suggestions for the cause of the problem. As a keyword for the solution, the word 'make' appears life-size on the screen. Better films? Other films? So, for the record, we are talking about films for large audiences. Artistic cinema is also, and has been for a long time, looking for viewers, but that is another story.
Antoinette Beumer
The panellist with the clearest idea about it on the spot is Antoinette Beumer, who has a solid reputation as a creator of successful films. Think The happy housewife and Soof. Incidentally, stopped making films four years ago and has just debuted as a writer with the psychological novel inspired by her childhood My father is an aeroplane.
Does she recognise the reactions from the audience? Yes, she thinks we have stuck too much to offshoots of American genre films. We need to look for original Dutch stories. As an example, she mentions the thoroughly Rotterdam The Marathon (2012). We are never going to make it with bland American imitation. We must dare to be ourselves. Look at the Danes, who are proving that you can conquer the world that way. And don't forget Iceland, notes discussion leader Ruurd Bierman.
Ambition
Producer Maarten Swart sums it up with the term ambition. With that, Beumer seems to agree. You have to trust that things will turn out well if you stay close to yourself. Don't let outsiders talk you into anything. Don't put a Dutch celebrity in your film if you don't believe in it yourself.
Invest in good scripts, conduct research, also look at where your target audience is and what they want to see, are other suggestions that surfaced during the discussion. Even with a low budget, you can do something that works, for instance by capitalising on the popularity of YouTube stars.
Rather unorthodox is Beumer's suggestion to try a model from the theatre world. So that operators take an initiative and hire producers to create content for their theatres. Thinking along, instead of just handing over money. But perhaps we are comparing apples with oranges here, Van Turnhout warns.
Taking a big step
From what else is brought up, it quickly becomes clear that the think tank has a big job ahead of it. If only to try and see the wood for the trees. Plans to let more money flow back from the exploitation (not everyone thinks so), better marketing, use of big data, making schoolchildren aware of film, more support from the Film Fund for distribution, it all comes up for discussion. Jaap Bruijnen of Pathé Thuis noticed that the main films of the honorary calf-winning Monique van de Ven are not available as video on demand. Rights issue no doubt. Not helping the audience with that.
That is the challenge the think tank will face. Will it finally succeed in getting the noses in the same direction in this traditionally fragmented film country? Take a big step together? We will know more before the end of the year, Van Turnhout hopes.
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