Punks
Maasja Ooms 90'- Synopsis
- Regie
- Nieuws
The parents are at their wits’ end, so a temporary supervision order is the last hope for a group of teenagers in Punks. Now, on a remote farm in France, they’re going to have to get their lives back on track, with the help of a counselor.
If they want any chance of a happy life, they need to engage in some frank and painful conversations. Mitchel has to find a way to get along with his father, but maybe too much has already happened since his mother died. Jahlano is already at the next stage: he’s no longer allowed to live with his mother, and needs to get over the disappointment. Mike, meanwhile, is struggling with his image as a boy who’s “got a screw loose.”
Filmed in constant close-up by director Maasja Ooms, the teenagers try to tame their demons with music and therapy, but problems from the past keep resurfacing. In this intimate and sincere portrait, these troubled kids show us their most vulnerable sides.
Best Cinematography IDFA 2019
Best Editing IDFA 2019
Special Mention Dutch Documentary IDFA 2019
Dutch Directors Guild Award, Best Documentary
Nominated for a Golden Calf for Best Feature Length Documentary, NFF 2020.
Where to see in the Netherlands
Dutch Public Broadcast VPRO – 2DOC
Where to see at International Film Festivals
International Children Care Film Festival, Paris France | 21.11.2023
In the early 1990s, Maasja Ooms completed both the Photo Academy and the Film Academy. After working independently as a cinematographer for about 15 years, she transitioned into editing. Initially, she edited documentaries she had filmed herself, later extending her expertise to editing the work of others and offering editing coaching. Her strong engagement with the content as a cinematographer gradually led to more collaborative efforts, including co-directing.
In 2013, Maasja embarked on an extensive research project focusing on human interactions and behavior. This research resulted in two films for which Maasja assumed the roles of director, cameraperson, and editor: Between people (55′, VPRO, 2015) and ALICIA (90′, VPRO, 2017, recipient of the IDFA Special Jury Award for Dutch Documentary). The impact campaign stemming from these films successfully translated the momentum generated by the documentaries into behavioral change and policy adjustments for children in closed youth care.
With Punks (Dutch title: Rotjochies), Maasja delves further into the theme of loyalty, the primal force that binds children to their parents. The film competed in the main category at IDFA and received awards for Best Cinematography and Best Editor. Additionally, it received a Special Mention in the Dutch Documentary category.
Crew
Maasja Ooms – regie, camera en geluid
Sander Vos – montage
Mark Lizier – sounddesign
Laurent Fluttert – kleurcorrectie
Fever Film – postproductie
Barbara Truyen – commissioning editor
Jet van Eeghen – vertaling
Harry Pallemans – onderteling
Generous Minds – impact
Vera Born – impact Cerutti Film
In coproductie met VPRO
Met steun van stichting Het Vergeten Kind en CoBO-fonds
DDG Award voor beste lange documentaire
1 July 2020TWEE KEER FEEST! De Dutch Directors Guild reikte 30 juni de award voor beste Nederlandse documentaire uit aan Maasja Ooms voor de regie van Rotjochies. In een mooi online interview met Peter Delpeut vertelde ze waarom ze denkt dat ze zich als maker vaak zo onzichtbaar kan maken. Maasja hanteert een participerende camera maar dat...
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