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Spotless

DIRECTOR / EMMA BRANDERHORST

SPOTLESS tells the story of 15-year-old Ruby who lives in a small apartment in a suburb with her mother and younger sister. Her mother works double shifts to support the family, and Ruby feels responsible for her sister. When Ruby gets her period and discovers that there are no menstrual products left in the house, she doesn’t want to bother her mother with this issue, knowing that her mother already has enough problems. To avoid being a burden to anyone around her, she tries to solve it on her own.

 

Supported by the Netherlands Film Fund (Filmfonds Short 2020), Amsterdam Fund for the Arts, and with the cooperation of, among others, the Linda Foundation, Libresse by Essity.

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Credits

Festivals

  • 2021

  • 41st Netherlands Film Festival, the Netherlands | Short film selection | 24 September – 2 October 2021

    • Nomination debut prize

  • 35th Cinekid, the Netherlands | Best Dutch Short film competition | 13 – 31 October 2021

    • Winner Best Dutch Short Film

  • 2021 HER Film Festival, the Netherlands | October 2021

  • 2022

  • 72nd Berlinale, Germany | Generation competition, international premiere | 10 – 20 February 2022

    • Winner Crystal Bear Generation Kplus Best Short Film

  • 42nd International Filmfestival Assen, the Netherlands | KersVers competition | 11 – 13 March 2022

    • Winner KersVers competition  Best Dutch Film

  • 39th BUFF Film Festival Malmö, Sweden | Short Film Panorama | 19 – 25 March 2022

  • 16th International Frauen Film Fest Dortmund & Köln, Germany | Programma for children and young adults | 29 March – 10 April 2022

  • 26th Regard Festival international du court métrage au Saguenay, Canada | International competition | 24 – 27 March 2022 

    • Winner Grand Prize – Best Film

  • 14th Go Short – International Short Film Festival Nijmegen, the Netherlands | Dutch Competition | 1 – 10 April 2022

    • Winner Audience Award High School Students

  • 25th Brussel Short Film Festival, Belgium | International competition | 20  30 April 2022

  • 2022 Landshuter Kurzfilmfestival / Short Film Festival, Germany | International competition | 27 April – 8 May 2022

  • 20th Plein la Bobine Film Festival, France | Competition 12+ | 9 – 20 May 2022

    • Winner High School Jury Prize

  • 19th Vienna Short International Film festival, Austria | Non-competitive program | May/June 2022

  • 10th Cinema in Sneakers Film Festival, Poland | Short Film Competition | May/June 2022

  • 24th Mo&Friese Junges Kurzfilm Festival Hamburg, Germany | International competition | 28 May – 5 June 2022

  • 14th Short Waves Festival, Poland | 14 – 19 June 2022

    • ​Winner ZEF Award for best film in Youth Section

  • 26th VERS Film Awards, the Netherlands | 10 – 12 June 2022

  • 12th Figari International Short Film Fest, Italy (Sardinia) | Videomarket | 13 – 18 June 2022

  • 18th FEST New Directors | New Films Festival, Portugal | Children/teenagers competition FESTinha SUB16 | 20 – 27 June 2022

    • Winner FESTinha SUB16

  • Young Director Awards – Cannes Lions International Festival of Creativity, France | June 2022

    • Winner Gold Young Director Award – Emma Branderhorst

  • 15th Dutch Directors Guild Awards, the Netherlands | Shortlist Short Fiction | 29 June 2022

  • 24th Motovun Film Festival, Croatia | Shorts competition program | 26 – 30 July 2022

  • 35th Green River Fest Zagreb, Croatia | 22 August 2022

  • 47th OFF - Odense International Film Festival, Denmark | International Competition & Youth Competition | 28 August – 4 September 2022

  • 15th Bueu International Short Film Festival, Spain | International competition | September 2022

    • Winner Audience Award

  • 5th Cut to: GENT, Belgium | Official competition | September 2022

  • 6th Festival Du Film Jeune De Lyon, France | Official competition | 12 – 17 September 2022

  • 19th Reykjavík International Film Festival, Iceland | Youth Program (non-competitive) | 29 September – 9 October 2022

  • 40th International Young Audience Film Festival Ale Kino!, Poland | Official competition | 1 – 7 October 2022

  • Bolton International Film Festival, England | Official competition | 5 – 9 October 2022

    • Winner Lens for Change Award

  • 3rd Humans of Film Festival, the Netherlands | Short Film competition, Amsterdam | 13 – 16 October 2022 

    • Winner Special Mention Jury

  • SchulKinoWoche Film Festival Hamburg, Germany | October 2022

  • 9th Shortcutz Amsterdam, the Netherlands | October 2022 

    • Winner Public Award

  • 2022 San Diego Intl Film Festival, US | 19 – 23 October 2022

  • 14th Lobo Fest - International Film Festival, Brazil | October 2022

  • 41st Uppsala Short Film Festival, Sweden | 24 – 30 October 2022

  • 16th Filem'On International Film Festival, Belgium | ECFA Award: European Short Film competition | 26 October – 5 November 2022

  • 41st Oulu International Children's and Youth Film Festival, Finland | Short Film competition | 12 – 20 November 2022

  • 37th Brest European Short Film Festival, France | Official competition | 8 – 13 November 2022

  • 39th FACETS Annual Chicago International Children’s Film Festival (“CICFF”), US | 4 – 20 November 2022

  • Japan Prize Award for Educational Media, Japan | 1 – 4 November 2022 

    • Winner Best Work in the Youth Division (The Minister for Foreign Affairs Prize)

  • 31st St Louis International Film Festival, US | 3 – 13 November 2022

  • 13th Amnesty Film Festival Paris, France | 4 – 6 November 2022

    • Winner Jury Award

  • MenstruAÇÃO Film Screening, Brazil | 8 –9 November 2022

  • Ciclope Festival, Germany | Shortlist Special Categories | November 2022

  • 15th KUKI Film Festival, Germany | 13 – 20 November 2022

  • 16th Kurzfilmfestival Cologne, Germany | 17 – 20 November 2022

  • 18th Festival international du film d'éducation, France | 29 November – 3 December 2022

  • New Filmmakers LA (NFMLA), US | 3 – 5 December 2022

  • Event Cultural Counselor Paris, France | 10 December 2022

  • Short Film Day Film Fest Dresden, Germany | 21 December 2022​

  • 2023

  • 10th Festival PLAY, Portugal | 15 January 2023

    • Winner Public Award

  • 7th Indie Júnior International Children’s and Youth Film Festival Porto, Portugal | 23 – 29 January 2023 

  • 35th JEF Children’s Film Festival, Belgium | 11 – 26 February 2023

  • 35th Premiers Plans Angers Festival, France | 17 – 26 January 2023

  • University of Ilmenau in Germany, Hochschulfilmclub, Germany | 2 – 3 February 2023

  • FEST- Cineclube de Espinho, Kino Club, Portugal | 2023

  • Cinematheque Passion Macau, China | 8 March 2023

  • 25th New York International Children's Film Festival, US | 3 – 19 March 2023

  • 4th Joinville International Film Festival, Brazil | 7 – 11 March 2023 

    • Winner Best Director

    • Winner JISFF Best Film 2023

  • 25th Mecal Pro Barcelona International Short and Animation Film Festival, Spain | 29 June – 9 July 2023

  • 25th Film By The Sea, the Netherlands | 8 – 17 September 2023

  • 34th Cinemagic, Ireland | 30 September 2023

  • 14th Balkans Beyond Borders, Montenegro | 11 – 14 October 2023

  • KIKI International Film Festival for Kids, Croatia | 9 – 13 October 2023

// Cast

Astrid van Eck
Thomas Höppener
Ilva Los
Alicia Prinsen
Wendy Ruijfrok
Zjon Smaal

// Director

Emma Branderhorst

// Screenplay

Milou Rohde

// Producer

Nicky Onstenk (IJswater Films)

Marc Bary (IJswater Films)

// Line Producer

Julie Janssen

// Production Manager

Marrit Greidanus

// Director of Photography

Myrthe Mosterman, NSC

// Sound

Gijs Domen

// Production Design

Noa van Nielen

// Costume Design

Zoë Scheffer

// Hair & Makeup

Sharon de Ruijsser

// Casting

Borgman en Augustinus

// Editor

Tessel Flora de Vries

// Sound Design

Gijs Domen

// Post-Production

STORM

// Music

Hans Nieuwhuijsen

// Sales Agent

Salaud Morrisset

// Funds/ financers

Netherlands Film Fund

Amsterdam Fund for the Arts

Riki Stichting

Linda Foundation

Libresse by Essity

Kattendijke / Drucker Foundation

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