Simon, the newfeature by director Eddy Terstall, has been selected as the Dutch entry for theOscars next year in the best foreign film category. The production will alsoopen the 24th Dutch Filmfestival on September 22.

The film is produced by Imko Nieuwenhuijs for productionhouse Spaghetti Film. The screenplay is written by Terstall, who previouslymade De Boekverfilming and Hufters And Hofdames. Like his otherfilms the story is set in Amsterdam.

Simon deals withthe unlikely friendship between a heterosexual drugs dealer, called Simon, anda shy gay student. Leading actors are Cees Geel and Marcel Hensema.

Previous years' Dutch entries for the Oscar did well. Twin Sisters (Ben Sombogaart, 2004) and Zus And Zo (Paula van der Oest, 2003)made it both to the final five. The last time a Dutch movie won the Oscar forbest foreign film was in 1997 with Characterby Mike van Diem.

Seventeen,directed by Hisko Hulsing and produced by Ruud den Drijver (for Cineventura),has been selected to represent the Netherlands at the Academy Awards in thecategory Best Short Animation.