the Dutch short live action film CONTACT directed by Hanro Smitsman was awarded with the Golden Bear at the 57th Berlin International Film Festival. The members of the international short film jury awarded CONTACT the prize

‘for being a brilliant film on its approach to the subjects of love, anger and desperation. But you mustn’t forget to mention the humour of the film. We honour the ability of the director to show in a compact manner three angles of the same story.’

Previously The Netherlands won the Golden Bear at the Berlin International Film Festival for I MOVE SO I AM, a short animated film directed by Gerrit van Dijk in 1998. He won the prestigious prize before in 1989 with his film PAS A DEUX, co-directed by Monique Renault. In 2004 the Silver Bear was awarded to the short live action GREAT! directed by Karin Junger and Brigit Hillenius.

Receiving its international premiere in the Berlin Short Film Competition, CONTACT depicts a boy, his mother and her lover and their search for happiness. As it turns out, if everyone vents its frustration on another, a small rolling stone rapidly becomes an avalanche. CONTACT, an IJswater Films/NPS Kort! production was written by director Hanro Smitsman, Philip Delmaar and Anjet Daanje. Key-cast: Camilla Siegertsz, Nino van der Lee, Juda Goslinga, Leon Voorberg and Jelka van Houten.

Hanro Smitsman directed two IJswater Films/NPS Kort! productions before. DAJO, selected for the Short Film Competition at the Berlin International Film Festival in 2003, and ENGEL AND BROER. Both films picked up many awards at international film festivals and had their theatrical release at the domestic market. Hanro Smitsman is currently developing a feature film with IJswater Films.