Viaplay Group commissions first Dutch film
- Star ensemble cast includes Dutch talents Jacqueline Blom, René van Zinnicq Bergmann, Georgina Verbaan, Barbara Sloesen and many more
- Comedy is feature debut for acclaimed director Michael Middelkoop
- Viaplay already has more than 1.2 million subscribers in the Netherlands
Viaplay will premiere its first Dutch film, a sharp comedy set around a Christmas dinner where nothing goes as planned, in late 2023. Jacqueline Blom (‘Black Widow’), René van Zinnicq Bergmann (‘Smeris’), Georgina Verbaan (‘Klem‘), Barbara Sloesen (‘Something About Love’), Kiefer Zwart (‘Good Times, Bad Times’) and Stefanie van Leersum (‘Woensel West’) in the leading roles, supported by an ensemble of established and new talents. Directed by Michael Middelkoop (the critically acclaimed short ‘Snor’) as his debut feature and produced by HALAL. The shooting of the film is underway in Amsterdam and the title is to be announced at a later stage.
In Viaplay’s next comedy, it’s Christmas time and viewers get to follow a dysfunctional family in the two weeks leading up to their annual festive dinner. Brechtje is a 60-year-old woman who gets cancelled by the entire nation and has no idea why. Martijn is hopelessly in love with his much younger colleague, Bob is stuck with a useless husband, and Justus is on a hyper-masculine quest. Finally, Jos is an unstoppable advocate for the most open-minded world possible... until her girlfriend wants a threesome.
Filippa Wallestam, Viaplay Group Chief Content Officer: “Our first Viaplay Film in the Netherlands is a relatable story of the joys of family celebrations, and the disappointment when nothing goes as planned. We already have 1.2 million Dutch subscribers, and this year will be key in establishing Viaplay’s position as the home of premium storytelling in the Netherlands. This sharp comedy with its top-quality cast will be a memorable addition to our Dutch scripted slate.”
The Viaplay streaming service launched in the Netherlands on 1 March 2022 and offers a broad portfolio of Viaplay Films and Series, local and international content as well as premium sports. Viaplay has previously announced ‘Roombeek’, ‘The Hunt for Jasper S.’, ‘Something Stupid’ and ‘The Guilty’ as its first scripted Dutch Viaplay Series.
The writers are Lotte Tabbers and Isis Mihrimah Cabolet, and the producer is Gijs Kerbosch at HALAL with Kennard Bos as executive producer for Viaplay Group. The film is sold internationally by Viaplay Content Distribution.
About Viaplay’s own content
Upcoming Viaplay-produced series and films include ‘Camino’; ‘Munch’; ‘Bullshit’; ‘Jana – Marked for Life’; ‘The Åre Murders’; ‘Furia’ season two; ‘Rebus’; ‘Sex Dreams Love’; ‘Veronika’; ‘In the Name of Love’; ‘The Street Where I Live’; ‘My Fault’; ‘Call Me Dad’; ‘The Beach Hotel’; ‘Roombeek’; ‘Listen Up!’; ‘End of Summer’; ‘Thunder in My Heart’ season two; ‘Live Life’; ‘Little Did I Know’; ‘It Could Have Been Us’; ‘Threesome’ season two; ‘The Fortress’; ‘The Hunt for Jasper S.’; ‘Liv Ullmann: The Road Less Travelled’; ‘Something Stupid’; ‘The Guilty’; ‘Stockholm Bloodbath’; ‘Delete Me’ season two; ‘Ronja’; ‘The Uninhabitable Earth’; ‘Murderesses’; a biopic of Börje Salming; and ‘The Swarm’.
Two major English-language films will be produced by Viaplay every year. The company has also established a UK-based joint venture with FilmNation Entertainment and invested in US studio Picturestart.
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NOTES TO EDITORS
Viaplay Group AB (publ) is the international entertainment provider. Our Viaplay streaming service is available direct-to-consumer in every Nordic and Baltic country, Poland, the Netherlands and the UK, and we are expanding rapidly by launching in the US and Canada in 2023. Every day, millions of customers enjoy our unique entertainment offering, including acclaimed Viaplay Series, Films and more, and an unrivalled line-up of premium live sports. In addition, our innovative Viaplay Select branded content concept makes Viaplay’s compelling storytelling available to partners around the world. From streaming to TV channels, radio stations and production companies, our purpose is to tell stories, touch lives and expand worlds. Viaplay Group is listed on Nasdaq Stockholm (‘VPLAY B’).
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