still Ik ben geen Robot (I'm Not A Robot) (Victoria Warmerdam, NL/BE 2023)

Een avond met Victoria Warmerdam en Nina Gantz

An evening with and about Victoria Warmerdam, Oscar winner (for I’m Not a Robot), and Nina Gantz, BAFTA-winner and Oscar nominee (for Wander to Wonder). Both of these short films will screen, alongside two of the makers’ earlier films, and there will be a Q&A with the makers.

There was great rejoicing when it was announced that Victoria Warmerdam’s short fiction film I’m Not a Robot and Nina Ganz’ short stop-motion animated film Wander to Wonder had been nominated for Oscars. And that rejoicing was even greater for the Netherlands as a filmmaking country when I’m Not a Robot went on to win the Oscar for Best Live Action Short Film. Wander to Wonder came close to the big prize, but was just pipped at the post by the Iranian short animation In the Shadow of the Cypress.

"Holy shit"

Henry van Loon, who plays opposite Ellen Parren in I’m Not a Robot, called winning the Oscar a “holy-shit-what-the-fuck-moment”, demonstrating how exceptional winning or even being nominated for an Oscar is. Eleven Dutch makers have previously won an Oscar, including Hoyte van Hoytema, Mike van Diem and Marleen Gorris.

On Wednesday 26 March, Victoria Warmerdam and Nina Gantz will be celebrating their success in Eye. The programme includes these two recent titles, as well as two earlier films from the makers, who will take part in a Q&A in Dutch prior to the screenings, led by VPRO film journalist and presenter Noa Johannes.

Programme

Edmond (Nina Gantz, GB 2015, 9’)
A stop-motion film about an oddball, felted character who slips through floors into the past and the deepest parts of his psyche in his pursuit of self-understanding.
Korte Kuitspier (Victoria Warmerdam, NL 2019, 13’)
Absurdist black comedy about Anders (Henry van Loon). And Anders is different. But he doesn't know that. Yes, he's also gay, but that's not the point here. There is also this thing that others see but he doesn't.
I’m Not a Robot (Victoria Warmerdam, NL 2023, 22’)
Music producer Lara (Ellen Parren) starts to have doubts after she fails to pass a captcha test on her computer: could she be a robot? A film that has now received many awards, as well as high praise for the darkly humorous way in which Warmerdam tackles issues such as identity, feminism and out-of-control AI.
Wander to Wonder (Nina Gantz, BE/FR/NL 2023, 14’)
Stop-motion animation about three child stars of the eighties who are left all alone in the studio when the maker of the children’s TV show dies. In spite of suffering from hunger, they carry on making new, ever-stranger episodes.