The Heineken kidnappers (© George Boellaard)
THE COUNSELOR
We have been working on a project called The Counselor since beginning 2022. It explores the life and times of Dutch crime reporter Peter R. de Vries. From the start, the story resisted order. Accounts overlapped but did not align; facts changed with perspective, and what appeared clear cut from one vantage point, completely unraveled from another. Our reflex was to impose structure and find a narrative that would hold. None did. Each version made sense on its own, yet refused to converge with the rest. Gradually, it became clear that the disorder was not incidental, it was an inherent characteristic of De Vries’s imposing life and work and the worlds he inhabited.
Mourners during funeral bishop Romero (© Mattison)
THE SCHOOL OF THE ASSASSINS
In the lush tropics of Panama, just after World War II, the United States quietly established a military training facility that would become one of its most controversial exports: the School of the Americas (SOA). Founded in 1946, the school trained Latin American soldiers in military tactics, counterinsurgency, and intelligence, tools the U.S. saw as vital to spreading its influence.
While in other parts of the world European colonies were fighting for independence, a similar need for reform and emancipation echoed across Central and South America. In these regions, a few elite families controlled most of the wealth, while the masses lived in poverty. Any effort to address this imbalance was branded communist and swiftly suppressed.
The School of the Americas became a key weapon in quelling even minor reforms. Its graduates led military coups and oppressive regimes. In countries like El Salvador, Chile, Honduras, and Guatemala, SOA-trained officers carried out brutal crackdowns, earning the school the nickname “School of Assassins”.
Status: in development
Peter Aerts prepping his daughter before a fight.
MEET THE LUMBERJACKS
Kickboxing legend Peter “The Lumberjack” Aerts is trading Holland for Japan and heading to Tokyo with his family to start a kickboxing empire. With dreams as big as Mount Fuji, Peter and his Japanese business partners are creating the ultimate kickboxing league called LEGEND, complete with a gym smack in the heart of the city. While Team Aerts isn’t afraid of taking a punch in the boxing ring, doing business in Japan is an entirely different fight. As they touch down in the land of neon and ninjas, this family finds itself thrust into a whirlwind of culture shock and kickboxing dreams. But as they navigate the bustling streets of Tokyo, cracks begin to show in their resolve. Will they make it as a team, or will they give up and move back to Holland again?
This reality series promises to be a real blast. So grab your chopsticks and get ready to see if Peter, Esther, Montana and Marciano can kick their way to success in Tokyo.
Status: in development
Still Terror episode 6 "The Island"
TERROR
Terror is a documentary series that delves into the complex world of political violence, revisiting iconic terrorist attacks using interviews, archival footage and reconstructions, to piece together what exactly happened during those horrific moments in history. From the streets of Algeria to an island in Norway, from the insights of an FBI agent to the strategies of a former chief of Mossad, this series spans the globe to bring personal stories of terrorism’s reach. Featuring a diverse cast, including the mind behind an Algiers bombing and a resilient survivor from Utøya, Terror examines the shifting boundaries of belief and ideology over time. It poses critical questions: what drives an individual to terrorism and who has the authority to label someone a terrorist? Through these narratives, the groundbreaking series seeks to uncover the haunting effects and moral ambiguities of political violence.
Dir: Joey Boink & Robert Oey
Status: released
Publicity The Snowman (Videoland)
THE SNOWMAN
In this three-part documentary on the infamous Belgian child murderer Michel Stockx, we deep dive into the process leading up to his conviction and the years of mystery that follow. Not only was he found guilty of rape and murder of three children, he also remained a suspect in several other cold cases. What made him capable of such gruesome murders? And what allowed him to strike time after time? Although his involvement seemed clear, the cases are still haunted by questions for truth. On the basis of interrogation reports, interviews with people involved, and reconstructions of his actions, we are presented an image of how a cold-blooded murderer could go about.
Dir: Flynn von Kleist
Status: released
Still The Bulldog
THE BULLDOG
In the heart of Amsterdam’s infamous red light district, Henk de Vries’s amazing journey from a background of poverty, violence and alcoholism to becoming the revolutionary force behind The Bulldog coffeeshops, unfolds as a testament to resilience. Surviving against all odds, Henk faces off against competitors, the State, and organised crime, who all seek to claim his successful business. This feature length documentary traces Henk’s larger-than-life story, revealing how the indomitable spirit passed down by his mother—an Auschwitz survivor—fuelled his rise to become a pioneer of the cannabis trade in the Netherlands.
Dir: Arne Toonen & Robert Oey
Status: in post-production
Research Project Kimberley
KIMBERLEY
In the documentary series Kimberley, we see the true story of sixteen-year-old Kimberley from Limburg who becomes entangled in the arms of her ‘lover boy’. When the police discover that she is prostituting herself in a hotel room in Valkenburg, the Public Prosecution descents mercilessly on the alleged perpetrators. The subsequent sensational newspaper headlines have far-reaching consequences; two suspects promptly commit suicide. We follow the search of the main characters to the underlying causes of the sexual abuse case, which is dominated by sexuality, power, media and public opinion. A case where nothing is what it seems.
Status: not realised
Still Inside the Mind of a Con Artist
INSIDE THE MIND OF A CON ARTIST
Inside the Mind of a Con Artist dives deep into the captivating world of con artists, unravelling the psychological and neurological underpinnings of some of the most notorious fraudsters. In this groundbreaking documentary series notorious swindlers are brought to a fictional research facility, facing the reality of their deceits head-on. Guided by a panel of experts, including forensic psychologist Kerry Daynes, neuroscientist Moran Cerf, and behavioural scientist Mark Frank, this investigative journey seeks to dissect the minds behind the scams. Through cutting-edge science and expert analysis, the series offers a unique window into the minds of society’s most fascinating con artists.
Dir: Daniel Nogueira, Flynn von Kleist, Robert Oey
Status: released
Research False Confessions
FALSE CONFESSIONS
In this anthology documentary series, the viewer is taken on a riveting journey into the minds of people who confessed to crimes they didn’t commit and into the motivations of people who elicited these confessions.
Status: in development
President John F. Kennedy, Dallas 22 November 1963
CONSPIRACY
An idea for a gripping documentary that unravels the wondrous life of investigative journalist Willem Leonard Oltmans and his relentless battle against the Dutch establishment. From witnessing pivotal historical events to achieving a ground-breaking legal victory against the State, this film explores the thin line between truth and power through the eyes of a man who dared to challenge the status quo. Conspiracy reconstructs the issues surrounding Indonesian President Sukarno, the murder of John F. Kennedy, the interview with Surinamese military leader Desi Bouterse, dealings with the Soviet Union, his arrest and deportation from South Africa, and ultimately his victory over the Dutch state. Twenty years after his death, he is remembered as a contentious troublemaker, with almost no one recalling that Oltmans witnessed history in the making. Conspiracy shows how the Dutch establishment dealt with Oltmans, using archival footage, interviews with those involved and, of course, Oltmans’ diaries, in which he meticulously described how the industrial, administrative and cultural elites are all connected and dependent on each other. The story of his struggle reveals painful truths about these power structures that sought to silence one of the most provocative voices of his time. This documentary should serve as a painful reminder that not much has changed since his death in 2004.
Status: in development
Berry Visser en Georges Knap in Cannabis
CANNABIS
Cannabis is a 6-part narrative driven documentary series that charts the tumultuous journey of Dutch cannabis entrepreneur Johan van Laarhoven against the backdrop of the Netherlands’ seemingly liberal stance on cannabis consumption over five decades. As Van Laarhoven endures his days in a Bangkok prison, startling revelations come to light, pointing to the Netherlands itself as the architect of his downfall. This series peels back the layers of a case that began in the liberal 1970’s, challenging the image of the Netherlands as a paragon of legal justice and uncovering the deep-rooted tensions in the battle for cannabis legality.
Dir: Arjen Sinninghe Damsté
Status: released
