Tussenland (2002) (TV)

User Rating:

7.1/10   

Director:

Eugenie Jansen

Writer:

Helena van der Meulen (writer)

Release Date:

27 April 2002 (Netherlands)

Plot Keywords:

Friendship | Refugee | Africa

Awards:

3 wins & 2 nominations

Cast

John Kon Kelei	...	Majok
Jan Munter	...	Jakob
Willem Smit	...	Koos
Ingeborg Uyt den Boogaard	...	Meiti
Deng Barac Atem	...	Gideon
rest of cast listed alphabetically:
Cynthia Abma	...	Teacher
Mochir Awein Akol
Sabit Asholi
Miep Bos	...	Annie
Reinier Bulder	...	Farmer
Nicknora Gongich Chol
Elias Errami
Sarah Errami
Yolanda Gordon
Eugene Heuvel
Nezha Karim
Mevr. Keesom
Shogi Lado
Mevr. Luchies
Alom Gabriel Makur
Yoep Man
Henri Peterwia
Rose Abang Rehan
Rok Rok	...	Simon
Ahmed Salah
Lharby Salah
Adual Thel
Adut Thel
Rogier van de Weerd	...	Farmer's son
Paul Vlielander	...	Refugee worker

Also Known As:

Sleeping Rough (International: English title)

Runtime:

92 min

Country:

Netherlands

Language:

Dutch | Dinka | English

Color:

Color

Certification:

Germany:o.Al. | Netherlands:AL

Company:

Waterland Film & TV

Trivia:

Jan Munter and John Kon Kelei had no acting experience prior to this film.

seen at the Int. Filmfestival MAnnheim-Heidlberg; considered good

Compared with "Mapmaker" this movie points in the same direction yet form and importance of political conflict are different. Indeed, radical politics of nationalism/imperialism influences one man's life and behaviour, yet political socialization is placed in the background. Jakob, a lonesome and hostile Indonesian War veteran, quarrels with his neibourghs about their cat and about his share of the garden. Which is separated from kindergarten vis-a-vis by a massive fence with barb-wire. Directress Jansen attaches her the young refugee from the Sudan, Majok. She is his companion in misfortune. She's roamer, driven away. Like the cat, that comes round just before him at Jakob's, it is for Majok; the old guy chases him away. Little by little, he who has alienated from the people in his home country makes friends with the one alien to the people. Economical of expression, yet strong in presence, that's how the amateur actors model the departure away from isolation, the outset for a new understanding of each other. Jansen accompanies her actors with almost documentary patience and distance. When Jakob defiantly says in the end that the past was crap, then this contains a soft pleading, to do better in the present what could not be done better in the past. "Tussenland" was awarded by the oecumenical jury.