LevelK boards IFFR Big Screen Competition title Idyllic

International sales and aggregation house LevelK has boarded Aaron Rookus’s Idyllic (De Idylle) which is to receive its world premiere as part of the Big Screen Competition at this year’s International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR). The news was announced by LevelK CEO Tine Klint and the film’s producers, Layla Meijman and Maarten van der Ven of Studio Ruba.

January 13, 2025

Idyllic is a life-affirming and humorous film that weaves together the stories of several generations of a somewhat dysfunctional family. Each family member, with their unique quirks and aspirations, embarks on a heartfelt quest for the elusive perfect fulfilment of life. A middle-aged man struggles to find his place in the dating scene after his recent coming-out, while his opera diva sister faces a terminal diagnosis and reflects on the different paths she could have taken. Their grandmother, tired of life, seeks an end that no one will help her with, while a 10-year-old boy races to fulfil his bucket list, believing his days are numbered.

The film stars Hadewych Minis (Borgman, Toni Erdmann, A Perfect Normal Family), Eelco Smits (Pink Moon, Feast, The Blood Pact), Beppie Melissen (Romy’s Salon, Tonio) and Nabil Mallat (Gangsta, Night Call).

"We’re excited to bring Idyllic into our line-up,” said LevelK CEO Tine Klint. “It’s a bold, layered drama that explores life’s complexities - love, death - and the search for meaning with a sharp, satirical edge. This is the kind of thought-provoking and distinctive storytelling we aim to showcase, and we are happy to work with Studio Ruba on this film."

“We are thrilled to collaborate with LevelK on this project,” added producers Layla Meijman and Maarten van der Ven. “We felt that Idyllic would be a perfect fit for LevelK’s line-up, with its bold, vibrant, author-driven drama that speaks to a wide audience. We’re excited to embark on this journey, starting at IFFR. From the outset, we were captivated by Aaron Rookus’s exploration of how different generations reflect on their life choices and the powerful idea that, in the end, we must all embrace our suffering and confront the loneliness and awkwardness that often accompany it, while learning to make a connection to someone or something that’s right in front of us.”

“Idyllic is a bold, layered drama that explores life’s complexities - love, death - and the search for meaning with a sharp, satirical edge. This is the kind of thought-provoking and distinctive storytelling we aim to showcase, and we are happy to work with Studio Ruba on this film" - Tine Klint

Idyllic is the first film written by director Rookus whose feature debut Goodbye Stranger premiered at IFFR in 2023. Emo Weemhoff (Milk, Sweet Dreams) is the director of photography, with David Verdurme (King of the Belgians) attached as editor and Kurt Rigole (The Broken Circle Breakdown) as production designer. The original score is by Sten Sheripov (The Snow Queen).

Produced by Meijman and van der Ven for Dutch outfit Studio Ruba (known for Kiddo, which premiered as part of Berlinale’s Generation in 2023, and To a Land Unknown which debuted in Cannes as part of the Directors’ Fortnight in 2024), currently prepping Amira Duynhouwer’s debut Sugar as well as financing Ena Sendijarevic's new film The Possessed.

The film is a co-production with Xavier Rombaut of Polar Bear (BE), Ivo Felt of Allfilm (EE) and Dutch broadcaster BNNVARA. Paradiso Filmed Entertainment is attached as its Benelux distributor.

Idyllic received support from the Netherlands Film Fund, the Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF), the Belgian Tax Shelter, the Estonian Film Institute and Creative Europe MEDIA.

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