Thursday, November 9-----South Florida audiences have an opportunity to experience the renaissance of films from Holland with the astonishing last film from Dutch director Willem de Sande Bakhuyzen. The director recently passed away at the tender age of 47, just one day before his latest film LEEF! (LIVE!) was set to open the 25th edition of the Netherlands Film Festival, the country's most prestigious showcase of local filmmaking talent.

On the Opening Night of the Festival in the historic city of Utrecht, the film's screenwriter Maria Goos tearfully announced to the capacity crowd: "Willem is not here, he is searching new locations. He didn't want to, but he had to." The audience responded with a standing ovation.

LEEF! chronicles the universal story of how life is a mixed bag...filled with moments of satisfaction amidst feelings of boredom and restlessness. Anna, a woman in her mid forties, is married to a successful architect and has raised two daughters. Although she does get some satisfaction from her job as a mid-wife, the passion has long been gone in her marriage and she finds herself at loose ends to find purpose and meaning in her life.

Complicating matters is Anna's mother, a former actress, who is a difficult and exacting person. Anna reflects on her unhappy childhood with haunting memories of how her father left and her mother's cold demeanor. Memories of a homicide from the past mix with present day difficulties to weave an emotional tapestry that both link the characters together and threaten to pull them apart.

Monic Hendrickx, one of Holland's most respected actresses, gives a performance of great depth as Anna, the woman who is the thread that holds the difficult fabric of her extended family together. The actress has won the Golden Calf Award as Best Actress at the Netherlands Film Festival a record three times, for her memorable work in SOUTH (2004), THE MOVING TRUE STORY OF A WOMAN AHEAD OF HER TIME (2001) and THE POLISH BRIDE (1998).

The excellent acting and intense script helped LEEF! sweep several awards at the Netherlands Film Festival, including the Audience Award, Special Jury Prize, Youth Award and a Best Supporting Actress nod for Sophie van Winden for her role as one of the troubled daughters. The film, which is making its US Premiere, is one of the strongest entries in the Festival Competition section.

Screenings:
Thursday, November 9, 1:00pm, Las Olas Riverfront
Thursday, November 9, 3:00pm, Las Olas Riverfront
Thursday, November 9, 7:00pm, Las Olas Riverfront
Friday, November 10, 5:00pm, Las Olas Riverfront

For tickets: Log on to the Festival website www.fliff.com or come to the theater box office.

Sandy Mandelberger
Online Festival Dailies Editor