Last year, it was suddenly buzzing around: Dutch animation is going to break through, a real animation industry has emerged. The reason was the premiere of Heinz, Piet Kroon's whimsical and out-of-tune film version of Windig and De Jong's comics. Not a children's film. And certainly not a Disney clone.
We are talking about feature-length animation films, and there are many of them in production or preparation in the Netherlands. We can expect the results in the coming years. And now that, due to closures of movie theatres, we are beaten to home viewing, it is worth exploring the terrain in advance. Here are five tips in relatively random order - creative and striking long animations that show how much is possible.
The first four can be seen at picl.co.uk, the online auditorium of movie theatres. For the fifth, we have to go to Netflix competitor Amazon Prime.
Mind My Mind.
Floor Adams reveals herself to be a great talent with this dive into the perceptions of an in love autistic young man. While the protagonist struggles with social conventions, he tries to follow the advice of his alter-ego. This one resides in his head and there he searches for the appropriate manuals. Perfect for animation, which adds an extra, slightly strange dimension to the realistic fact. This homegrown gem has already been rewarded with numerous festival awards and - despite its tight 30-minute length - release in cinemas.
J'ai perdu mon corps.
How close feature film and animated drama can be to each other is proven by this moving and Cannes award-winning fantasy by Jérémy Clapin. A beautiful, moving tale about fate and how to escape it. Seen from the point of view of a hand separated by accident from a reclusive, awkward boy who (again) doesn't know how to approach a girl.
La Fameuse invasion des ours en Sicile.
Tough, poetic and sober-expressive, this multifaceted fable about the adventures of a bear folk migrating to the human world. Appeals to children and adults alike. Based on Dino Buzzati's classic children's book. Now animated by Lorenzo Mattotti, who already had a formidable reputation as an illustrator and author of comic strips.
Le grand méchant renard et autres contes.
In this comedy drawn in loose but character-driven style, the seemingly idyllic life of a company of farm animals flies pretty much out of kilter. Many stereotypical role patterns are decisively overturned. A children's film that adults will also love, thanks to its infectious mix of slapstick, irony and homage to classic comedy. Proves en passant that such relatively simple 2D animation can be more expressive than Disney-Pixar's 3D computer work.
Undone.
As the fifth, but certainly not the least tip this widely acclaimed series on Amazon Prime, for which the animation came in Dutch hands. This moving and fascinating story of a young woman tumbling through time could also have been performed simply as a feature film. But again, it is precisely the animation - done in a very realistic style - that gives it an extra dimension. With Hisko Hulsing as director and Submarine as studio, this is a wonderful calling card for the emerging Dutch animation industry.
English (UK) 
Nederlands 
Français 
){kind=link}