Young men from problematic or criminal backgrounds can find help in building a future at a center in Rotterdam called De Nieuwe Kans (Dutch for “the new chance”). Hardened by the past, these rebellious, quick-tempered men struggle to adapt to “normal society.” The camera follows Tayfun, Nabil and Delgano in close-up in an attempt to understand what’s going on inside their heads. They lack something, their supervisor says: the ability to see the people around them and themselves.

Their mentors need an inexhaustible supply of patience, empathy and perseverance. One of them, Toine, is now an art teacher, but spent 21 years in prison himself. Marina Meijer, winner of the Karen de Bok Talent Award in 2017, captures their compelling, fragmented dialogues in precisely framed shots, which they seem to want to break out of. This microcosm implicitly has a wider story to tell about youth inequality, and the unending efforts of caregivers to help young adults make different choices.

World premiere on November 23rd at IDFA 2019: IDFA Competition for Dutch Documentary & IDFA Competition for Mid-Length Documentary.

Special screenings: VPRO Preview day & the Volkskrant-day.
Click here for more information about IDFA & tickets.

In co-production with VPRO.
With financial support of NPO Fund.

Marina Meijer's filmplan won the Karen de Bok Talent Prijs 2017. This film has been developed with the support of the IDFAcademy & NPO-fonds workshop. 

DIRECTOR, CAMERA & SOUND Marina Meijer
EDITOR Nicole Hálová
SOUND DESIGN Jacob Oostra
LINE PRODUCER Floor van Benthem
POST PRODUCTION SUPERVISOR Anouk Houtman
ADDITIONAL SOUND Daimo da Costa
FOLEY ARTIST Ronnie van der Veer
COLOUR GRADING Michiel Rummens
IMAGE PROCESSING & MASTERING Jan Jaap Kuiper
SCRIPT COACH Joost Seelen
SYNC & TRANSCODING Laurent Fluttert
PRODUCERS BASALT FILM Simone van den Broek & Eline van Wees
COMMISSIONING EDITORS VPRO Barbara Truyen & Annemiek van der Zanden