Release CalendarDVD & Blu-ray ReleasesTop 250 MoviesMost Popular MoviesBrowse Movies by GenreTop Box OfficeShowtimes & TicketsIn TheatersComing SoonMovie NewsIndia Movie Spotlight
    What's on TV & StreamingTop 250 TV ShowsMost Popular TV ShowsBrowse TV Shows by GenreTV NewsIndia TV Spotlight
    What to WatchLatest TrailersIMDb OriginalsIMDb PicksIMDb Podcasts
    OscarsBest Picture WinnersBest Picture WinnersEmmysLGBTQ+ Pride MonthSTARmeter AwardsSan Diego Comic-ConNew York Comic-ConSundance Film FestivalToronto Int'l Film FestivalAwards CentralFestival CentralAll Events
    Born TodayMost Popular CelebsMost Popular CelebsCelebrity News
    Help CenterContributor ZonePolls
For Industry Professionals
  • All
  • Titles
  • TV Episodes
  • Celebs
  • Companies
  • Keywords
  • Advanced Search
Watchlist
Sign In
  • Fully supported
  • English (United States)
    Partially supported
  • Français (Canada)
  • Français (France)
  • Deutsch (Deutschland)
  • हिंदी (भारत)
  • Italiano (Italia)
  • Português (Brasil)
  • Español (España)
  • Español (México)
  • Cast & crew
  • User reviews
IMDbPro

De zee die denkt

  • 20002000
  • 1h 40m
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
539
YOUR RATING
De zee die denkt (2000)
We humans live in a world of illusions. In a playful labyrinth of images and viewpoints, this film raises questions that get to the very essence of existence. Is this real? What do I think I see? Who do I think I am? The main character in this illusory drama is a screenwriter desperately looking for a leitmotif, a connection between things, between the separate scenes in his story. Then he introduces himself as a character in his script. He does what he types and he types what he does, and illusion and reality soon blend completely. He is delighted by the twist in his story and gradually seems to manage what he has been trying to do: to let go of the thoughts that hinder his being and to be happy, unfettered by anything. Just like the sea in the story that the filmÂ’s title refers to: the sea that thinks she is a tree and is robbed of her happiness because of that illusion. But nothing is what it seems in this film, which is not about the screenwriter, after all. The film, the greatest illusion of all, is about the viewer.
Play trailer3:12
1 Video
3 Photos
  • Adventure
  • Biography
  • Comedy
Incredible optical illusions in a story in a story in a story helps the surprised viewer finally to find out that he has been watching himself all along.Incredible optical illusions in a story in a story in a story helps the surprised viewer finally to find out that he has been watching himself all along.Incredible optical illusions in a story in a story in a story helps the surprised viewer finally to find out that he has been watching himself all along.
IMDb RATING
7.0/10
539
YOUR RATING
  • Director
    • Gert de Graaff
  • Writer
    • Gert de Graaff
  • Stars
    • Bart Klever
    • Devika Strooker
    • Rick de Leeuw
Top credits
  • Director
    • Gert de Graaff
  • Writer
    • Gert de Graaff
  • Stars
    • Bart Klever
    • Devika Strooker
    • Rick de Leeuw
  • See production, box office & company info
    • 7User reviews
    • 7Critic reviews
  • See more at IMDbPro
    • Awards
      • 6 wins & 1 nomination

    Videos1

    the sea that thinks
    Trailer 3:12
    the sea that thinks

    Photos

    De zee die denkt (2000)
    De zee die denkt (2000)
    Add photo

    Top cast

    Edit
    Bart Klever
    • Klever, Bartas Klever, Bart
    Devika Strooker
    • Margaas Marga
    Rick de Leeuw
    • Selfas Self
    Don Duyns
    • Duyns, Donas Duyns, Don
    • Director
      • Gert de Graaff
    • Writer
      • Gert de Graaff
    • All cast & crew
    • See more cast details at IMDbPro

    More like this

    The Nightmare
    6.5
    The Nightmare
    Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
    7.6
    Dr. Jekyll and Mr. Hyde
    John Dies at the End
    6.3
    John Dies at the End
    I'm Your Man
    7.1
    I'm Your Man
    Pi
    7.3
    Pi
    Stay
    6.7
    Stay
    Mirror
    8.0
    Mirror
    Stalker
    8.1
    Stalker

    Storyline

    Edit

    Did you know

    Edit
    • Connections
      Features Tokyo-Ga (1985)
    • Soundtracks
      The Fifth Day
      by René de Graaff

    User reviews7

    Review
    Top review
    8/10
    3.5 stars
    The plot doesn't begin to describe the film: a man is writing a film, or rather, *this* film. It's totally self referential to the point that you think it's going to fold in on itself like a black hole. The writer writes something and it happens, or something happens and he writes about it.

    It's very philosophical, like "Waking Life" but more Zen oriented and for that matter, much better, in my opinion. At one point there are person-on-the-street interviews and then you see shots of these people being filmed, and then you discover that their responses are scripted when one keeps flubbing her lines. There is beautiful scenery and optical illusions.

    I hope it comes out on DVD so I can watch it again more carefully. Seen at Cinequest (the San Jose, CA film festival) on 2/25/2002.
    helpful•7
    3
    • mweston
    • Apr 18, 2002

    Details

    Edit
    • Release date
      • December 21, 2000 (Netherlands)
    • Country of origin
      • Netherlands
    • Official sites
      • official website
      • Studio Nieuwe Gronden [nl
    • Language
      • Dutch
    • Also known as
      • The Sea That Thinks
    • Production companies
      • SNG Film / Studio Nieuwe Gronden
      • Theorema Films
    • See more company credits at IMDbPro

    Technical specs

    Edit
    • Runtime
      1 hour 40 minutes
    • Color
      • Color
    • Sound mix
      • Dolby
      • Dolby SR
      • Stereo
    • Aspect ratio
      • 1.33 : 1
      • 1.37 : 1

    Related news

    Contribute to this page

    Suggest an edit or add missing content
    De zee die denkt (2000)
    Top Gap
    By what name was De zee die denkt (2000) officially released in Canada in English?
    Answer
    • See more gaps
    • Learn more about contributing
    Edit page

    More to explore

    View list
    List
    The Best Movies Coming This Summer
    See the full list
    Image caption not available
    2:02
    LGBTQIA+ Movies and Shows to Watch This Summer
    Watch the video

    Recently viewed

    Please enable browser cookies to use this feature. Learn more.
    Get the IMDb App
    • Get the IMDb App
    • Help
    • Site Index
    • IMDbPro
    • Box Office Mojo
    • IMDb Developer
    • Press Room
    • Advertising
    • Jobs
    • Conditions of Use
    • Privacy Policy
    • Interest-Based Ads
    IMDb, an Amazon company

    © 1990-2022 by IMDb.com, Inc.