Het Achterland (The Hinterland), 1999

ALEX

I’d say, it’s changed here.

ESMEE

What did you expect? That everything would stop when you left?

Synopsis: Stubborn 17-year-old Esmée works at a railway station. She lives with her mother, who likes to surround herself with younger lovers. A mysterious traveller arrives at the station. He invites the lonely Esmée for a cup of coffee and takes her on an adventure where he helps her discover first love.

Cast: Judith van Herck * Huub Stapel * Katelijne Verbeke * Jasper van Overbrugge * Kitty Courbois * Robin Rienstra

Year:1999 | Length:52’| format:16mm |

Language:Dutch | Subtitles:Eng & Fr

Screenplay: Dorothée van den Berghe

Director: Dorothée van den Berghe

DOP: Jan Vancaillie

Editor: Chris Teerink

Production: Motel Films

VPRO

Producers: Jeroen Beker

Frans van Gestel

Sound: Dirk Bombey

Art director: Bart van Overberghe

Costume designer: Sabine Kumeling

Make-up: Mariël Hoevenaars

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Festivals:

*Leuven: Leuven Kort Filmfestival (November ’99).

*Utrecht: Nederlands Film Festival (2000)

*Brussels: 27th International Film Festival (January 2000)

Press:

“Het Achterland hypnotizes: through textural reflections, oppositional colors manage to come across as gentle, whilst the slow-paced montage leaves room for a compelling, meditative viewing experience. As in some of van den Berghe’s later films, the young lead character, played by a charming non-actor, has her own coming of age moments, that validate the distressing feelings of uncertainty, yet celebrate the openness of possibilities. At her daughter goes through metamorphosis, the mother questions choices she once made – or rather choices she never made”.