Bluebird (2004 film)
Bluebird is a 2004 Dutch television film directed by Mijke de Jong. It is the first in a trilogy of films made by de Jong about young women becoming adults.[1]
Bluebird | |
---|---|
Written by | Helena van der Meulen |
Directed by | Mijke de Jong |
Starring | Elske Rotteveel Kees Scholten Elsie de Brauw Jaap Spijkers Bright O'Richards |
Theme music composer | Harry de Wit Richard Janssen |
Country of origin | Netherlands |
Original language | Dutch |
Production | |
Producers | Hans de Weers Hans de Wolf |
Cinematography | Goert Giltay |
Editor | Dorith Vinken |
Running time | 77 minutes |
Production company | CoBo Fonds |
Release | |
Original release |
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Plot
Merel (Elske Rotteveel) is a 13 year old girl living in Rotterdam and looking after her younger disabled brother. She is successful at school, but hounded by a group of a classmates. As the bullying intensifies, Merel finds it hard to talk about it and her behaviour changes.
Accolades
Bluebird won a Crystal Bear award at the Berlin International Film Festival.[2] The film was selected by the Netherlands as its official Foreign Language Film submission for the 78th Academy Awards, but was rejected by the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences because it had been shown on television.[3] The film also won the Youth Jury Award at the Toronto Sprockets International Film Festival for Children and the Grand prix de Montréal at the Montréal International Children’s Film Festival.[4]
In 2008, VPRO rated it as de Jong's best film and stated it demonstrated her skill as a director.[5]
References
- Bockting, Berend Jan; Broekhoven, Jorrit van (14 February 2020). "De Volkskrant film- en tv-tips voor zaterdag 15 februari". de Volkskrant (in Dutch). Retrieved 12 April 2020.
- "Katia's Sister (Het Zusje Van Katia)". Walker Art Center. Retrieved 12 April 2020.
- "The blue bird will not fly". Cineuropa - the best of european cinema. Retrieved 18 April 2020.
- Kortum, Evelien (19 September 2018). "Op scherp: Mijke de Jong - vpro cinema". VPRO (in Dutch). Retrieved 12 April 2020.
- "Op scherp: Mijke de Jong". VPRO (in Dutch). Retrieved 12 April 2020.