Jaap van Heusden

2021

Jaap van Heusden was born 1979 in Utrecht, the Netherlands. As the son of a preacher he was surrounded by stories right from childhood. By the age of eight he had trashed his first Nikon camera. And by age twelve he burnt his first novel because it was so bad. At fifteen he was convinced he would become a major player in European politics. He gave up acting at seventeen because he found out there where people who were actually any good at it. Before going to film school, he lived and worked in Ouagadougou, West Africa, where he shot a series of most enlightening traffic safety instruction videos and co-founded a platform for young filmmakers that grew into the biggest human rights film festival on the continent, but only after he left. At the turn of the century he entered the Dutch Filmacademy where he focused on fiction. He graduated (after a fling with philosophy at the university and a screenwriting course in Hollywood) as a director in 2005 with his film A complicated story, simply told, showing the last intense three months in the lives of two friends, before one of them dies. The film was shortlisted for the Student Academy Awards, it was in competition at the Cannes film festival's Cinefondation and it won prices at festivals around the world. His short documentary Anderman showed his psychotic friend Per battling the madness of his mother. The film was warmly received by the press and distributed in national theaters. In the United States it was shown at Tribeca film festival and AFI Silverdocs. In 2008 he teamed with the famous Dutch actor Barry Atsma to create Ooit, a psychological drama about a mentally disabled man living with his mother. The film premiered at the Netherlands Filmfestival, was called 'a jewel' by the press and was nominated for the Golden Calf.

Фильмы

Een ingewikkeld verhaal, eenvoudig verteld

Jaap van Heusden

This film is well made and has educational value at the same time. It gives a reality check to the problem, and a validation to the Cystic Fibrosis sufferers. The number of positive reactions to the film from those afflicted with Cystic Fibrosis , attests to the emotional value as such. The humor used to substantiate the suffering of the patients gives such a film a great human touch. Hail to the producers, and especially a true memorial for one of them, Robert Schmidt, who so tragically passed away last year after filming was finished. I certainly hope that any income from this film will be donated to research for Cystic Fibrosis, and the film itself could be used to further promote outreach for this purpose.

Een ingewikkeld verhaal, eenvoudig verteld

8.0 ⚠️ 2005

Le griot de Daporé

Jaap van Heusden

An ordinary day in an African village like any other. Until a song resounds. It reminds the Griot, an old tailor, of an old story about a drought. Passers-by stop to listen as he brings the story to life. Life in the village comes to a halt for a moment.

Le griot de Daporé

7.7 ⚠️ 2006

драма

Ooit

Jaap van Heusden

Barry Atsma, Kuno Bakker

Jos is mentally-challenged and still living with his mother. On his 34th birthday his life is about to change dramatically.

Ooit

7.4 ⚠️ 2008

драма

The New World

Jaap van Heusden

Bianca Krijgsman, Issaka Sawadogo

Mirte is a cleaner in the reception centre for asylum seekers at the airport. She tries to forget her past through routine. When the charismatic West African Luc is brought in, Mirte seems to get a grip on her life again. A film about loss, fleeing and love from an unexpected corner.

The New World

7.2 ⚠️ 2013

Нидерланды, драма

Anderman

Jaap van Heusden

Per Anderman has been trying to write for years. Right now, the care for his demented mother is about to drive him mad. He decides to record the daily insanity in his PodCast: Andermans Alzheimer Café.

Anderman

7.0 ⚠️ 2006

Win/Win

Jaap van Heusden

Oscar Van Rompay, Halina Reijn

Ivan is a true number cruncher and 'surfs the waves of the stock market' like a natural trader. He rakes in big profits for the bank. But all is not well. The new job gives Ivan sleepless nights. As Ivan rapidly becomes the most successful trader in town, he feels increasingly alienated from himself and the world around him. In spite of his unprecedented success Ivan has to get out. Before it's too late...

Win/Win

6.7 ⚠️ 2010

комедия

In Blue

Jaap van Heusden

Maria Kraakman, Bogdan Iancu

A sturdy flight attendant has to deliver a child in mid-air and gets involved in a confusing mother/lover relationship with a boy who's living under the streets of Bucharest.

In Blue

6.5 ⚠️ 2017

Бельгия, драма

A•SY•LUM

Jaap van Heusden, Jefta Varwijk

Swung back and forth between depression and euphoria, David Brown (29) has ended up in the umpteenth psychiatric facility. With stories and humor he tries to keep the madness at bay. Will he manage to stand on his own two feet again, or will he change into one of those ‘Valium zombies’ he only parodies right now?

A•SY•LUM

2017

Нидерланды, документальный