Wednesday 23 January, the world premiere of 'De wederopstanding van een klootzak' ('The Resurrecntion of a Bastard') by Guido van Driel (The Netherlands) opens the 42nd International Film Festival Rotterdam. Van Driel’s fiction feature début, also selected for the festival’s Hivos Tiger Awards Competition, stars Yorick van Wageningen ('The Girl With the Dragon Tattoo'), Goua Robert Grovogui and Juda Goslinga. Recently deceased Dutch actor Jeroen Willems plays one of the supporting roles. The film, produced by Topkapi Films in co-production with Menuet and VPRO will be released in The Netherlands by A-Film Distribution. 

An old Frisian farmer bent on revenge. A criminal from Amsterdam barely surviving a liquidation. An illegal immigrant with uncertain prospects. Eventually, they meet under an ancient oak tree. Beyond the last town.

Rutger Wolfson, director of the International Film Festival Rotterdam about the opening film: “We are extremely glad to present 'The Resurrection of a Bastard' as our Official Opening Film and in our Hivos Tiger Awards Competition. Filmmaker Guido van Driel deeply impresses with an original, bleak and nearly magical story that he shot in a compelling and controlled way. Also the actors excel in this film. Yorick van Wageningen gives a knock out performance as criminal in transformation. The late Jeroen Willems is seen in a hair-raising and unforgettable role.”

Multi-talented artist Guido van Driel is filmmaker, painter and writer / designer of graphic novels. In 2000 Van Driel made his debut as a filmmaker with the documentary 'U spreekt met Frank Laufer'. The film 'Groen is toch de Mooiste kleur voor Gras', produced by Topkapi Films for broadcaster VPRO, was written and directed by Van Driel and nominated for a Golden Calf Award at the Netherlands Film Festival in 2007. This film established his name as a filmmaker with a very original signature.

In 2004 Om Mekaar in Dokkum was published, a graphic novel which was universally acclaimed in the Dutch media. Based on this graphic novel, 'The Resurrection of a Bastard' was selected for IFFR’s CineMart in 2010.

Director Guido van Driel

Screenplay Guido van Driel & Bas Blokker

Principal cast Yorick van Wageningen, Juda Goslinga, Goua Robert Grovogui, 

Other cast members Rian Gerritsen, Leny Breederveld, René Groothof, Eric Schreurs, Jeroen Willems

Producers Frans van Gestel & Arnold Heslenfeld (Topkapi Films), Dirk Impens & Rudy Verzyck (Menuet)

Co-producer Joost de Wolf (VPRO)

Director of Photography Lennert Hillege

Editing Alain Dessauvage

Composer Peter van Laerhoven

Sound design Peter Warnier

Production design Floris Vos

Distribution in The Netherlands A-Film Distribution

The film is produced with the support of The Netherlands Film Fund, The Flanders Audiovisual Fund and the MEDIA Programme of the European Union.