Another mother - Paula van der Oest

Original Dutch film title:
DE NIEUWE MOEDER
Year:
1996
Length:
96 minutes

Tagline:
Road-movie about a man from Riga who is searching for a new mother for his son.

Logline:
A road-movie about a Latvian man (Yuris) and his son Elvis (10), who has been struck dumb by the tragic death of his mother. Hoping to find a better future for Elvis, the father decides to take him to Holland in search of Marie, once his childhood pen friend.

Synopsis:
Riga 1992. Latvia has been independent of the Soviet Union for two years. Since then the Latvian boy Elvis (10, named by his parents after their Western “hero”) has been struck dumb by a traumatic experience. His desperate father Juris kidnaps him from hospital and goes off in search of another mother for his child. In view of the dreadful economic and social situation in Latvia, he only sees one way out, namely Marie, his Dutch pen friend from his youth. He hopes that Elvis will start talking again in affluent Holland and can spend the rest of his youth without cares.

Cast:
Arijs Adamsons (Elvis)
Janis Reinis (Juris)
Hannah van Lunteren (Vanessa)
Geert de Jong (Marie)
Evert de Jager (Leo)

Crew:
script & direction: Paula van der Oest
co–scriptwriter: Stan Lapinski
camera: Brigit Hillenius
sound: Ludo Keeris
art director: Erly Brugmans
editing: Menno Boerema
re-recording mix: Kees Linthorst
music: Fons Merkies
production manager: Anja Cloosterman
line producer: René Goossens
producer: René Scholten

this film is a co-production of Studio Nieuwe Gronden with KRO Televisie

this film is financially supported by:
Netherlands Film Fund
CoBO-fonds
Stimuleringsfonds Nederlandse Culturele Omroepproducties

Awards:
Rennes Festival de Cinéma 1997: Jury prize Rennes, Audience Award Rennes
Valenciennes International Festival 1997: Jury prize Valenciennes, Audience Award Valenciennes
Sotchi International Film Festival 1997: Award for best actor: Janis Reinis
Sao Paulo International Film Festival 1997: ‘Bandeira Paulista’ trophy
Osaka European Film Festival 1997: Award for young talent