Short films
 

Preferably documentaries are never too long

From mini online documentaries to shorts, children’s films, brief and our film debut; Prospektor loves short films and is keen to make a lot more of them. Below, we have set out a selection of short films that Eefje and Arnold have made since founding Prospektor in 2004.

JOELLA, BEST FRIENDS FOREVER, 2013
At first sight, Joëlla seems to be just like any other girl. However, if you look at her face for a little while longer, you can see that something isn’t quite right. There is no philtrum between her nose and upper lip, she has a thin upper lip and she is much smaller and thinner than other children of her age. Joëlla has Foetal Alcohol Syndrome (FAS). When Joëlla’s mother was pregnant, she drank a lot of alcohol and consequently Joëlla’s brain is not like those of healthy children. Because of the ‘error’ in her brain, Joëlla finds it difficult to remember things, she sometimes gets very angry and she is often hyperactive. All this not only makes learning difficult, it is also hard for her to make friends. At her new school, she has finally made some new friends, but will she manage to hold on to them? How do you do that: stay BFF –Best Friends Forever?

The idea for the film arose from the FAS project, run by Joost Bos and Allard de Witte, with whom Prospektor had also produced several films for their exhibition and website. Broadcast by IKON – Mensjesrechten.  

COLOPHON
Directing: Eefje Blankevoort 
Camera: Rogier Timmermans & Jefrim Rothuizen
Sound: Carla van der Meijs, Willem de Wijs
Editing: Maurik de Ridder 
Colour Correction: Loods Lux en Lumen
Sound editing: Warning Studios
Title design: Manuel Rodrigues
Production: Natascha Teunissen / Ikon
Final editing: Saskia Wielinga / Ikon

JONG GELEERD, OUD GEDAAN/ CATCH THEM YOUNG, 2013
Together with our colleague Sanne Rovers, we made the children’s series Jong geleerd, oud gedaan for VPRO’s Villa Achterwerk. Swimming, playing a sport, roller-skating or skiing; you learn to do all these things when you’re still young. However..... some fathers, mothers, grandmothers and grandfathers never learned to do them. In Jong geleerd, oud gedaan children (aged 8-12) teach an older member of their family to do something that they mastered when they were young.  In four 8-minute episodes, we followed these children and their parents/grandparents while they taught them and it involved lots of falling over and getting up again. Did these older beginners learn enough in two weeks to get through the final test?

COLOPHON
Idea, research, production, directing and editing: Eefje Blankevoort en Sanne Rovers
Camera: Thomas Roebers 
Sound: Hein Verhoeven 
Production assistant: Carlijn Limburg 
Final editing: VPRO: Jack Valkering

PLAY FOR KEEPS, 2011
 ‘Play for keeps’ is a film about the most exciting playground game there is: marbles. With other games, there’s nothing to lose, but with this game there is a real risk of being left no marbles at all. ‘The absurdness of this childhood conflict is also the only reason to take it seriously – the chilren are just like people,’ says documentary maker Peter Fleury in his report on the film for the Mediafonds (Media Fund). ‘Play for keeps’ s a 15-minute documentary made for and about children. The film plan was developed during the Kids and Docs workshop, which was sponsored by IDFA, Mediafonds and Cinekid. The film premiered on 19 November during the IDFA.

COLOPHON
Directing: Arnold van Bruggen
Camera: Rogier Timmermans / Peter Brugman
Sound: Gideon Bijlsma / Willem de Wijs
Production: Prospektor / NTR 
Editing: Sarah Domogala / Eefje Blankevoort
Final editing: Loes Wormmeester / NTR
Titles: Sara Orfali
Colour correction: Joppo
Sound editing: Sharkee

Made possible by Cinekid / IDFA / Mediafonds

Short documentary about the children's game of marbles.

DUTCH DOC DOCS, 2010
 In the spring of 2010, in partnership with researcher Mirelle Thijsen, Prospektor produced a series of five films about photographers with an inquisitive nature: Rob Hornstra, Andrea Stultiens, Willem Popelier, Petra Stavast and Judith van Ijken. The films talk about their working methods and the way they see and their mindsets. The first three films premiered at the New York Photo Festival.

COLOPHON
Directing: Eefje Blankevoort & Arnold van Bruggen
Interviews: Mirelle Thijssen 
Camera: Rogier Timmermans 
Editing: Eefje Blankevoort
Titles: Sara Orfali

Een korte documentaire over fotograaf Rob Hornstra, onder regie van Eefje Blankevoort (Prospektor) met interviewer Mirelle Thijsen (IPhoR). 2010
Een korte documentaire over fotograaf Rob Hornstra, onder regie van Eefje Blankevoort (Prospektor) met interviewer Mirelle Thijsen (IPhoR). 2010

NOBODY TELLS ME WHAT TO BELIEVE, 2008
 Niemand vertelt mij wat ik moet geloven / Nobody tells me what to believe (2008) is an intimate portrait of the Amsterdam division of the only personalised church reformation movement in the Netherlands. The self-written creed and baptism at an adult age form the core of the Baptist Church. This leads to the unique situation in which, in Amsterdam’s Singelkerk, on a sunny Whit Sunday in 2008, after a long process of thinking, talking, writing and rewriting, 11 ‘candidates’ formulate their own religion that reflects how they think they would like to practice it. In Niemand vertelt mij wat ik moet geloven three confirmation candidates are followed in the run-up to their confirmation and baptism. It was the first time cameras were allowed in..

COLOFON
Directing and composition: Eefje Blankevoort & Arnold van Bruggen
Camera: Rogier Timmermans & Bas Zwartepoorte
Editing: Allard Bon

TAINTED REVOLUTION, 2006
 ‘Tainted Revolution’ is a short documentary about anti-Semitic riots during the Hungarian uprising of 1956. The economic malaise in Hungary prior to 1956 is often mentioned by historians as one of the key reasons behind the resistance. What has never previously been revealed is that the uprising – and the run-up to it – went hand-in-hand with blatant anti-Semitic incidents and propaganda. Prospektor made a film about this underexposed history.


COLOFON
Editing & production: Arnold van Bruggen / Prospektor
Interviews & research: Martin Mevius
Camera & sound: Rogier Timmermans
Editing: Peter van Houten
Duration: 22 min 54

The Hungarian revolution of October 1956 was a national uprising against Soviet oppression. It is an event that inspired a generation. Less well-known is that during the revolution several serious anti-Semitic incidents took place. Among the worst were the anti-Semitic riots in the north eastern town of Hajdúnánás. We don't have the (wrong) claim to tell the new 'Hungary '56'-history; this is a shocking story of events happening in the shadow of such a revolution. Featuring in the film are the former mayor of the eastern Hungarian town of Hajdúnánás, where a lot of anti-Semitic riots were going on, and one Jewish woman who then lived there. Her house got run over by a big crowd of rioters and all her family emigrated to Israel shortly after the revolution in fear of another trauma after World War II. A 95-year old Jewish man in the big eastern city of Debrecen remembers the anti-Semitic incidents in his hometown during the revolution clearly and comments: "then it can't be a pure revolution." Director/production: Arnold van Bruggen / Prospektor Interviews/research: Martin Mevius Camera: Rogier Timmermans Editing: Peter van Houten 'Tainted Revolution' is een korte documentaire over antisemitische rellen tijdens de Hongaarse Opstand van 1956. De economische malaise in Hongarije voor 1956 wordt in de geschiedschrijving vaak als een van de belangrijkste oorzaken van het verzet genoemd. Wat nog nooit eerder aan het licht is gebracht, is dat de opstand - en de aanloop er naartoe - gepaard ging met uitgesproken antisemitische incidenten en propaganda. Prospektor maakte een film over deze onderbelichte geschiedenis. De film laat zien hoe tijdens de beroemde Hongaarse Opstand, in oktober en november 2006 50 jaar geleden, in het oosten van Hongarije ernstige antisemitische incidenten plaatsvonden. De onderzoeker en interviewer Martin Mevius kwam dit tot dusverre nauwelijks belichte thema tegen tijdens zijn promotie aan de Universiteit van Oxford over de Hongaarse communistische partij. In de film vertellen drie ooggetuigen, een oud-burgemeester van een stadje waar bijzonder veel anti-joodse rellen plaatsvonden, een joodse bewoonster van dat stadje en een 96-jarige joodse man uit de naburige stad Debrecen hun verhaal over de Opstand. 'Dit is mijn '56-geschiedenis', zegt de vrouw na verteld te hebben hoe haar huis werd bestormd door een menigte opstandelingen die naar joden zochten. Een historica van het '56 Instituut in Boedapest vertelt hoe het zover heeft kunnen komen. De film baarde opzien. Voor velen is '56 een moreel ijkpunt. De film heeft totaal niet de (onjuiste) pretentie de gehele Opstand af te doen als een antisemitische revolutie, maar vertelt een verhaal over gebeurtenissen zoals die zich in de schaduw van zo'n opstand kunnen voordoen. Regie/produktie: Arnold van Bruggen / Prospektor Interviews/research: Martin Mevius Camera/geluid: Rogier Timmermans Montage: Peter van Houten De film was 10 april 2008 te zien tijdens het ASN festival op Columbia University.

PORA!, 2004
In December 2004, Arnold and his then Prospektor companion Thomas Kaan saw an opportunity to experience the Orange Revolution in Ukraine at close hand and to see, smell and hear what a revolution is really all about. They wrote a long report about the Orange Revolution in Ukraine for Vrij Nederland. They concentrated mainly on the role that other Velvet Revolutions in the region (Serbia and Georgian) had played. They made a short film about the campaign run by PORA!, the student movement that played a major role during the revolution. A year later – in December 2005 – they returned to interview the same people and describe how their lives had changed since the revolution. Once again, the results were published in Vrij Nederland.

Directing, camera, editing: Arnold van Bruggen & Tomas Kaan. 

The Orange Revolution In December 2004 Arnold and Tomas took advantage of the opportunity to closely experience the Orange Revolution. To find out what a revolution looks, smells and feels like. Arnold and Tomas were born in 1979, the year of the Iranian revolution, and grew up while the revolutions of 1989, 1991 and 2000 (Serbia) took place. This time they didn't want to waste their time in Amsterdam while new revolutions were occuring. In December 2004 they decided to finally 'visit' a revolution. To find out what a revolution looks, smells and feels like. Vrij Nederland (a Dutch weekly magazine) published a long reportage they wrote about the Orange Revolution in the Ukrain. They focussed on the influence of other nonviolent revolutions in the region (Serbia, Georgia). They made a short film as well about the campaign of Pora!, a studentmovement wich played a big part during the revolution. A year leater - December 2005 - they returned to make a follow-up and interviewed the same people about the way their lives changed since the revolution. This follow-up story was published as well in Vrij Nederland. De Oranje Revolutie In december 2004 zagen Arnold en Tomas hun kans schoon om de Oranje revolutie van dichtbij te beleven. Om te zien, te ruiken en te horen wat een revolutie nou werkelijk is. Arnold en Tomas werden geboren in 1979, het jaar van de Iraanse revolutie, en groeiden op terwijl de revoluties van 1989, 1991 en 2000 (Servie) plaatsvonden. Ze wilden hun tijd niet verspillen in Amsterdam terwijl nieuwe revoluties zich aan het voltrekken waren. In december 2004 besloten ze dan ook eindelijk een revolutie te bezoeken. Om mee te proeven van de fascinerende revolutiesfeer in Kiev. Voor Vrij Nederland schreven ze een lange reportage over De Oranje Revolutie in Oekraïne. Ze richtten zich vooral op de rol die andere fluwelen revoluties in het gebied (Servie, Georgie) speelden. Ze maakten ook een korte film over de campagne van PORA!, de studentenbeweging die een grote rol speelde tijdens de revolutie. Een jaar later - december 2005 - keerden ze terug om dezelfde mensen te interviewen en te beschrijven hoe hun levens waren veranderd sinds de revolutie. Het resultaat werd opnieuw gepubliceerd in Vrij Nederland.

AMSTERDAM-KOSOVO, 2004
 Amsterdam-Kosovo (2004) is a report on the continuing problems in the Serbian province of Kosovo. Five years after the NATO intervention, Prospektor travelled in an ambulance to the war-torn area of former Yugoslavia.

During our journey, we found out that the area was still being beset by ethnic tensions. Young Albanian and Serbian Kosovans talk about their day-to-day problems, their expectations and their disillusions. “Serbians live in fear, as we used to”, says Spent, a former KLA soldier. Then there is the Serbian Ivana: “I believe that Albanians can live alongside Serbians in a democratic country, but they seem to be scared to admit it.”

The documentary was first broadcast by IKON on the Factor programme in September 2004 and in the ‘De Balie’ cultural centre in Amsterdam. Amsterdam-Kosovo was also selected for the 2005 Tribeca Film Festival in New York. Amsterdam-Kosovo was co-produced by Prospektor and IKON 

Directing & composition: Eefje Blankevoort, Roos Boer, Arnold van Bruggen, Tomas Kaan en Gert Corba (IKON) 
Camera & sound: Eefje Blankevoort & Tomas Kaan
Editing: Vera Jong
Production: IKON & Prospektor

 
 
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Our short that won most prizes:

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Have a look at this webseries consisting of short episodes:

Love Radio