Description

In 2014 a centre for 1400 asylum seekers was established in a Dutch village with only 150 inhabitants. The emotions were running high. Due to all the media attention, the village became a symbol of many people’s fear that the Netherlands would be flooded by refugees…

When the news cameras left, director Sander Francken and producer Robbert van Lanschot started filming – and they continued filming until after the centre closed in 2017.

Nobody could have imagined what happened in and around this village after that turbulent start. It can be seen and experienced in the documentary ORANGE – THIS GREAT A SMALL VILLAGE CAN BE (2020 – 96 min.).

Director Biography – Sander Francken

Sander Francken practiced a variety of disciplines in the visual arts – until he discovered that film could enable him to merge all disciplines into one final piece of art. Since then he has made short and long feature films, documentaries, television drama, commercials and commissioned films. His first feature won the Prix Futura Berlin 1981, his second feature was awarded the Golden Calf for Best Dutch Feature 1983 – but later disqualified because the film was banned from the cinema. More than 35 national and international awards followed for work in a wide variety of genres and styles. If there is one main theme in his work, it is the attraction and repulsion between (people of) different cultures.

Director Statement
Sander Francken’s goal is to make thought provoking movies with a high dramatic potential and an outstanding visual approach.

Credits

Sander Francken
Director
BARDSONGS, DEALING AND WHEELING IN SMALL ARMS, PAPA’S SONG, WAY UPSTREAM, CALLED TO THE BAR / PLEIDOOI etc.

Sander Francken
WriterBARDSONGS, DEALING AND WHEELING IN SMALL ARMS, PAPA’S SONG, WAY UPSTREAM, CALLED TO THE BAR / PLEIDOOI etc. above

Robbert van Lanschot
Writer
AFRICAN BRIDE

Robbert van Lanschot
Producer
see above

Sander Francken
Producer
see above

Jan Voortman
Key Cast
“himself”

Walid Khatba
Key Cast
“himself”

Sawsan Eskander
Key Cast
“herself”

Zakwan Hadid
Key Cast
“himself”

Specifications

Project Title (Original Language): ORANJE – HOE EEN KLEIN DORP GROOT KAN ZIJN
Project Type: Documentary
Runtime: 1 hour 36 minutes
Completion Date: January 15, 2020
Production Budget: 250,000 EUR
Country of Origin: Netherlands
Country of Filming: Germany, Netherlands
Language: Arabic, Dutch, English
Shooting Format: HD digital
Aspect Ratio: 16:9
Film Color: Color
First-time Filmmaker: No
Student Project: No