A HOLE IN MY HEART on way to Oscars

3 September 2015

Short fiction film A HOLE IN MY HEART (original title: Un Creux dans mon Coeur), directed by Mees Peijnenburg, has been selected by an independent committee of Dutch film professionals for Oscar® submission in the Live Action Short Film category. A HOLE IN MY HEART is produced by Halal Pictures and was made possible by the VERS Award 2012 (film prize for new talent) and with Netherlands Film Fund support.

The committee citation noted how “all elements of a good film blend together in a perfect way: direction, script, actors, camera work, editing and music. The director creates a sensitive balance between sad and happy elements. The story grabs you and takes you along with it.”

Earlier this week it was announced that A HOLE IN MY HEART has been selected by the BFI London Film Festival for its new competition section: the BFI London Short Film Award. Only 12 films have been shortlisted to take part in this competition. The BFI London Film Festival takes place 7-18 October 2015.

The main character in A HOLE IN MY HEART is Henri, a 19-year old Frenchman, who is confronted with issues about mortality and the fragility of life following the death of a loved one in a traffic accident. Sometimes things happen that turn everything to silence. To the point that nothing makes sense anymore. As if everything got stuck.

A HOLE IN MY HEART had its premiere at Berlinale (Generation 14Plus) in 2015 and was subsequently selected for a large number of international festivals, including the Oberhausen International Short Film Festival (Germany), Festival de Finos Filmes Curtos (Brazil), Palm Springs International Short Fest (USA) and Odense International Film Festival (Denmark). The film is also selected for the Netherlands Film Festival in September.

Mees Peijnenburg (1989) graduated in 2013 from the Netherlands Film Academy with the short film EVEN COWBOYS GET TO CRY, which premiered at 2014 Berlinale (Generation). After its premiere the film was selected for 26 international festivals, received excellent international reviews and won eight international awards. In 2014 Peijnenburg made the short film BLOOD DOG which premiered at International Film Festival Rotterdam in 2015.

Halal Pictures produces engaging and creative audiovisual works across different formats and genres; documentaries, feature films, short films, commercials, photography and music videos. Halal was founded in 2010 and operates internationally out of Amsterdam. In 2014 Halal produced the feature film PRINCE, by Sam de Jong, which opened this year’s Berlinale (Generation 14plus) and was released in theatres in the US in August 2015.

EYE International organizes the Dutch short film selections, the qualifying run of A HOLE IN MY HEART in Los Angeles and oversees its submission to the Academy. On 14 January 2016 the Academy will announce the nominees in all categories, including those for Live Action Short Film. The Oscars® will be presented on February 28, 2016.

Please watch the trailer of A HOLE IN MY HEART (original title: Un Creux dans mon Coeur) here: http://halal.amsterdam/item/un-creux-dans-mon-coeur/

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For more information:

Producer:
Halal
Ph: +31 20 639 1402
contact@halal.amsterdam
www.halal.amsterdam

Festival Distribution:
Some Shorts
Wouter Jansen
Ph: +31 6 2207 6717
info@SomeShorts.com
www.SomeShorts.com

The Academy of Motion Picture Arts & Sciences: www.oscars.org
London BFI Film Festival: www.bfi.org.uk/lff