Indonesia-based Dutch actor Hans de Kraker has long been the go-to face of white colonial villainy on Indonesian film sets. But when he receives a suitcase of old family belongings from his sister, Hans uncovers a highly unnerving truth – his late father had committed terrible atrocities during his service in Indonesia.
What becomes disturbingly clear to Hans is that the colonial villains he has portrayed so often in films, no longer seem like characters of the imagination. Confronted with his father’s violent legacy, Hans begins to question what he may have inherited from him – and how he might liberate himself from the dreadful legacy…
The feature doc Penjajah (The Colonial), produced by Dutch production company BIND, tells de Kraker’s story, all the time tracing the man’s changing attitude toward his background that is tied so closely to a violent and bloody Dutch-Indonesian history.
“In Penjajah, an interplay of perspectives unfolds, shedding light on the painful Dutch colonial history centred around the arena of the Indonesian film set,” BIND Creative Producer Esther van Driesum confirms to Business Doc Europe.
“It turns history inside out in such a way that it prompts reflection on the legacies of European colonialism and its absurd aspects. In its own unique and highly visual way, Penjajah fits seamlessly into the current decolonisation debate by revealing different perspectives on a controversial chapter in European history.”
In her notes for the film, director Eva van Pelt describes the personal undertow this story has for her. “My Dutch-Indonesian grandmother underwent a dramatic transformation: from an almost regal life in the tropics to that of a suburban Dutch housewife,” the filmmaker reveals. “She rarely spoke about Indonesia, yet its mystique lingered around her. For my 12th birthday, she gave me a gold ring she claimed could warn me of bad news. Indonesia became both a place of fascination and one I hesitated to visit, burdened by the legacy of Dutch colonialism.”
“That fascination led me to Indonesian anti-colonial action films. While the Netherlands has only recently begun confronting its colonial past, these films leave no doubt about Dutch violence,” she laments.
BIND’s van Driesum further emphasises director van Pelt’s qualities. “As a filmmaker and researcher, Eva has a keen eye for detail and has managed to track down some extraordinary and particularly compelling characters. She listens carefully to their stories, which means she always succeeds in telling her own documentary narrative from the inside out, rather than simply choosing whatever serves her best.”
In Utrecht, the company is looking to secure a festival premiere, streamer/broadcast interest and impact partners for their 90-minute documentary, which is set for a Spring 2027 delivery. International sales company Film Harbour has signed a first look agreement with BIND.
“By sharing our ideas and plans, we aim to determine the most effective way to release this film, identify how the story will resonate and establish who will be drawn to it,” van Driesum explains her Utrecht rationale. “With its unique narrative, we want to attract festivals, distributors, streamers, channels and other potential partners. This project has great impact potential, and we hope to meet people who would like to collaborate with us to organize a decolonization debate involving a wide range of experts and artists.”
Belgian Clin d’oeil Films and Indonesian Cahaya Nusantara Films take co-pro credits on Penjajah. Funding has been sourced from the Netherlands Film Fund (NL), NPO-fund (NL), Netherlands Film Production Incentive (NL), Flanders Audiovisual Fund – VAF (BE), Belgian Tax Shelter (BE) and FondsBJP (NL). Dutch distribution will be handled by M&N Media Group, while local broadcast rights have been acquired by KRO-NCRV.
The strength of the story lies in “two contrasting arcs that converge,” van Driesum further explains to BDE of a documentary with enormous capacity both to shock and surprise.
“[There is] Hans who serves the Indonesian filmmakers’ cause of seeking revenge against the Dutch colonizers by playing the villain, and the mystic Om Hao, who communicates with deceased Dutch colonials and soldiers and attempts to grant them peace,” she says. “The painful core of the entire film is revealed when Hans discovers that his father actually committed the very acts that he is portraying as an actor. Ultimately, it is Om Hao who helps Hans move on, alongside a method acting coach, a casting director and a film agent.”
Director van Pelt reserves special mention for Indonesian co-producer Ade Kusumaningrum, without whom the development and production of the film would not have been possible, she says.
“From our very first research trip in 2022, she [Ada] has been an invaluable collaborator bringing insight and dedication to every step of the process. Ade has joined me on every research and shooting day, consistently challenging assumptions and pushing the project further. Her perspective has taught me invaluable lessons, and will continue to do so as we work on the edit and impact strategy for Indonesia,” van Pelt signs off.
