The Telescoop initiative, which reunites the Netherlands Film Fund, the CoBO Fund and the Dutch public broadcasting organizations, has awarded the project Public Works with €1.8 million euro.
Frank Ketelaar (The Magicians, In Orange) wrote the script based on the novel by Thomas Rosenboom that has been sold 400.000 times. Joram Lürsen (The Family Way, Love is All, In Orange) is the director and Topkapi Films will produce this film in co production with broadcaster VRPO and publisher Querido. International co producers are the Flemish Menuet, Zentropa Germany and Apple film from Poland.
Public Works is an epic historical drama about the struggle of two middle class cousins, alter Vedder and Christiaan Anijs, to rise above their social class at the end of the 19th century. The story takes us from the heart of bustling Amsterdam to the peat colonies in Northern Netherlands. Set against the background of the enormous social changes brought about by industrialization – symbolized by the construction of the Victoria Hotel in Amsterdam – that threaten to force Vedder from his home.
Telescoop’s aim is to provide production support for quality Dutch films that have the potential to reach a large audience.
Wild Bunch Benelux expects to release the film in 2015