Yesterday distributor September Film announced that INSTINCT, the debut film of Halina Reijn, is selected for the Chicago International Film Festival. In Chicago, the film will compete in the category for debuting directors. The festival will take place mid-October in the North-American city. The film produced by Topkapi Films celebrated its world premiere at the Locarno Film Festival. During the festival INSTINCT was awarded with the Variety Piazza Grande Award and received a Special Mention within the debut competition. Earlier it was announced that Instinct has been selected to be submitted on behalf of the Netherlands for the upcoming Academy Awards in the International Feature Film category. Nominees in all categories will be announced on January 13, 2020. The 92nd Oscar ceremony will take place on the 9th of February 2020.
In INSTINCT Carice van Houten (Game of Thrones) plays the experienced psychologist Nicoline, who is starting a new job at a penal institution. In the institution she meets Idris, played by Marwan Kenzari (Wolf, Aladdin), a sex offender who has been responsible for a number of serious crimes. After five years of treatment he is about to go on his first unaccompanied probation. His team of practitioners is enthusiastic about his development and behaviour, but newcomer Nicoline does not trust him an inch. She tries to push his probation. Idris tries his hardest to convince Nicoline of his good intentions, but he slowly but surely transforms into the manipulative man she saw in him from the beginning. A powerplay emerges between the two and Nicole, in spite of her knowledge and experience, lets herself be trapped completely.
INSTINCT is produced by Topkapi Films in co-production with Man Up and BNNVARA. The film was realized with the support of The Netherlands Film Fund, the Netherlands Film Production Incentive and CoBO. Distributor September Film will release the film in theaters on September 27th.