Dutch Post-production Award 2022

Jury statement

“This is a highly intriguing and creative period film from a female filmmaker that due to its ambitious mix of personal and historical elements is set to make effective use of this post-production award. The Indonesian setting, and the story’s connection to Dutch colonial history, convinced us that this is an ideal co-production that deserves support for its post-production in the Netherlands.” The jury comprised Naima Abed of Memento Films, Violeta Bava of Ruda Cine, and post-production supervisor Maarten de Graaf.

“Reimagine our shared history”

Surya has twice before shown at IFFR, with her second feature What They Don't Talk About When They Talk About Love receiving the NETPAC Award at IFFR 2013, before screening Marlina the Murderer in Four Acts at IFFR 2018. This City is a Battlefield follows Isa, an impotent war hero and school teacher in Jakarta, Indonesia, who relives his past heroics. The project was supported in two prior stages by the Hubert Bals Fund, both in 2019 for development and in 2021 via the NFF+HBF Co-production Scheme.

Mouly Surya: "The Hubert Bals Fund has always been a great supporter of my work and I am truly grateful and honoured to receive this exceptional award for This City is a Battlefield. With our partner, Volya Films, we will execute the fund to explore the best possibilities to reimagine our shared history.”

Final prize

The prize will be the final Dutch Post-production Award which will now be discontinued, after having supported seven titles since 2019. Notable features include Feathers, the first film from Egyptian director Omar El Zohairy which took the top award in the Critics' Week at Cannes 2021. Silver Bird and Rainbow Fish by Chinese director Lei Lei, which competes in the Tiger Competition at IFFR 2022, was also supported by the scheme in 2020.