Matthew's Laws
a film by Marc Schmidt



Synopsis
Director Marc Schmidt films his childhood friend Matthew, who, due to his autistic disorder, desperately tries to create order in the chaos around him. Schmidt follows him close to the heart. Explosive confrontations with the outside world are alternated with stylized observations and personal confessions. Little by little the film unravels Matthew’s complex way of thinking and shows the catastrophic consequences it eventually has for him.


Screenings and media
Matthew’s Laws won the Grand Jury Award at the Open City Docs Fest in London.
Matthew’s Laws won the Magic Hour Award for the best mid-length film at the 10th Planete+ Doc Film Festival in Warsaw.
Marc Schmidt won the Dutch Directors Guild Award 2012.
Matthew’s Laws wins two prizes at RIDM (Rencontres International du Documentaire de Montreal). Grand Prize for Best International Feature en Beste Editing International Feature.
Matthew’s Laws wins The Merit Prize for Feature-Length Documentary at the Taiwan International Documentary Festival.
Matthew’s Laws wins Golden Calf for Best Feature Length Documentary at Dutch Film Festival, Utrecht, Netherlands.

presskit



in the media
De Volkskrant about Matthews Laws - 28 October 2012
Marc Schmidt in VPRO NFF report - 28 September 2021
Marc Schmidt at Pauw en Witteman - 4 October 2012
Trouw about Matthews Laws - 3 October 2012

Additional information
Dutch Broadcaster: NCRV.
With financial support of Dutch Cultural Media Fund.
Worldsales Autlook Films.

Credits
WRITTEN, DIRECTED & FILMED BY Marc Schmidt
EDITING Katarina Türler, NCE
ADDITIONAL CAMERA Aage Hollander
MUSIC Jasper Boeke
PERCUSSION & PREPARED PIANO Daniel Cross
VOICE OVER DIARY Gerardjan Rijnders
SOUND DESIGN & MIX Paul Gies
GRAPHICS & ANIMATIONS Rogério Lira
GRADING Florentijn Bos
LINE PRODUCERS Renske Meertens and Eline van Wees
PRODUCTION NCRV Yolande van der Blij
COMMISSIONING EDITOR NCRV Jelle Peter de Ruiter
PRODUCERS Simone van den Broek and Ingeborg Jansen

produced by Industrious Empire & Basalt Film