Dutch Film Fund grants $2.03m in production subsidies

The Dutch Film Fund has granted production subsidies for five major new Dutch featurefilms. The total production subsidy amounts to $2.03m (Euros 1.7m.) The grantshave been awarded to four different production companies: IdtVFilm, 24FPS Features, Feature Partners and LagesteeFilm.

IdtV Film received funds for two features, the first Unfinished Sky is the long awaitedremake of Dutch 1998 art house hit ThePolish Bride, the story of a female Afghan refugee escaping from anAustralian brothel and finding peace with a silent farmer. Unfinished Sky received$239,570 (Euros 200,000) Peter Duncan is directing with Dutch actress Monic Hendrickx starring as theAfghan prostitute.

BollywoodLove, IdtV'ssecond feature received $543,628 (Euros 453,780). The film is based on realevents experienced by Dutch actor Egbert Jan Weeber about two adventurous young boys who travel to India. Marcel Hensema isdirecting and co-wrote the script with Eddy Terstall.

The bird can't fly by 24FPS Features was the recipient of $370,372 (Euros309,159) This is a psychological tragedy of thestruggle between an old white woman and a small black boy. South African IMG Productions and Irisch Borderline Productionsare co-producing. The feature stars American actress Barbara Hershey and isdirected by Threes Anna Schreurs. Shooting on this $2.3m(Euros 2.m) production is scheduled to start in autumn in South Africa.

Mata Hari's Last Love by Feature Partners, tells the tale of therelationship between a nun and Dutch courtesan Mata Hari,who was executed in France on July 25th 1917. Mata Hari shared thelast phase of her life with Leonide, a young nun.Dutch actress Monic Hendrickxis starring with Peter Delpeut directing this $2.9m (Euro 2.5m) production. FeaturePartners is searching for co-producers in Luxembourg and France with shooting scheduled to start in 2007. FeaturePartners received $419,299 (Euros 350,000) from the Dutch Film Fund.

Barcelona by Lagestee Film BV,is an urban drama about wandering souls from four different countries all ofwhom have ties to the city of Barcelona. The film received a subsidy of $419,299 (Euros350,000). Belgium DE Film is co-producing this $3.5m (Euros 3.m) feature whichis a directorial debut for theatre director, Ivo vanHove, who plans to start shooting this summer in Barcelona.