The next day the short films that were nominated a few months earlier were shown in the ‘filmhuis Leeuwarden’ which included my short film Letting Go which ended up in second place in the highest catagory (Semi-Pro). I’m very happy with the second place of Letting Go, also because at first I wasn’t planning on sending it to a festival in the first place! I added the film in this blog below.

The competition was also very enjoyable because some friends & family came along and also the crew and actors were there. Koen Leerink (DOP), Arne Mulder, (DOA) Boa Mulder (set photographer), Christopher Morgan (actor) and Vassilena Valchanova, who was the actrice in the film, came to the festival from Bulgaria to the Netherlands. In the end it was a great week for me of networking, inspiration, motivation, agknowledgement that we made something good,  and off course meeting up with family and friends.

And now it’s finally time to put the short film Letting Go on my blog! Hope you enjoy it

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Also, Jose told me today that – if the short documentaries about Portugal are a ‘go’ – I can direct one or two myself. I’ll be involved in the whole film production process in any case for the other ones as well. more information and updates soon!

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Down here are three photos I made yesterday. Photo 1 one is the ‘view from the office of Check The gate.’ Photo 2 is ‘Metro life at ‘Cais do Sodre’, Lisboa’. And Photo 3 is ‘People become art in a metro hall of ‘Cais do Sodre’, Lisboa.’ The last two photos I shot on my way back home.

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Sunday 21st of june was the day we shot my short film ‘Letting Go’. The day started out with rain so we decided to enjoy a coffee at a cafe where we ran through the script and got to know each other a little better. Currently I’m putting the whole thing together in Final Cut Pro and After Effects. Looking good so far!

Koen Leerink did the camerawork (DOP) of this film, Arne Mulder held the boom mic. Boa Mulder was our set photographer and I directed the scenes during the day.

The actors I casted were Vassilena Valchanova from Bulgaria and Christopher C. Morgan, orignally from Scotland, now living in the Netherlands. They did an amazing job and it was a delight to work with them and get to know them. In this blog you will find several set photos by Boa Mulder and some portrait stills of the actors by me.

So, before we click on ‘read the whole story’ and go to the photos, I would like to thank everyone that helped before and during the making of this short film for there enthousiasm, professionalism and inspiration for new things to come. Thank you, guys! All of you!

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SCRIPT ‘LETTING GO’ 

Jaap Ruurd Feitsma 

 

M = Man

W = Woman

M is waiting in the park. He is surrounded by the green colours  from the trees and the grass of the park. Around him he can hear  many birds singing. In the back stands a high weaping willow.  Then, suddenly in front of him stands W. She smiles to him,  tenderly. ‘Hey,’ She says. M answers. ‘Hey’. And he smiles mildly  back at her, as if he can’t really believe the fact that she is  here. ‘I missed you,’ M says. ‘I missed you too,’ W says, still  smiling kindly. And then they hug each other.  M exhales with a  deep sigh and he says ‘so much..’ during the sigh. V smiles  softly. They release each other from their hug and they hold each  others hands instead. M is making a fairly troubled face by now.  ‘you’re coming with me, aren’t you?’ And W replies: “Off course  I’m coming with you, silly!” M seems relieved about this and says   “Thank god,” in a relieved way. “I find it really hard going there  by myself”. W nods because she understands his problem and smiles  to him. “I know. Don’t worry, baby. I’m here with you. I always  am, aren’t I? “Yes,” M says. And smiles back. “That’s true”. “It’s  time to go, baby” W says, still smiling. M sighs deep again and  looks a bit sad now. “OK,” he says. “I’m ready..” They turn around  and start to walk hand in hand to whatever it is that they are  going.

Together they walk through the green park past great trees, ponds  and fountains. The park has some soft gliding hills and past the  park is broad canal. From the otherside of it the soft hills are  well seen. It is almost like a make believe country, but the  longer they walk, the less green their surrounding gets. Then  suddenly they stop, still holding each others hands.  ‘We’re here’ Says W. She turns to him and W takes his other hand  now as well. M sighs deep now, as if he really finds himself in  trouble. ‘Yes’ he says. ‘It’s ok,’ says W. ‘Time to let go, baby’.  M is looking sad at W. ‘I know’, says M. And he smiles softly at  W. ‘It is time to let go’ says M, more to himself then to W. He  inhales with his mouth and at the same moment he closes his eyes.  When he opens them again, W has dissapeared.

He looks around but there is no one to be found. He looks down and  in his hand he holds a bouquet of flowers. He smiles briefly, as  if he found his peace with it all and then slowly turns around. He  walks toward graveyard past several toombstones with the flowers  in his hand, on his way to the stone that belongs to W.

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