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NLWave’s new NxtWave strand to spotlight four emerging Dutch voices with a curated slate of new shorts

The second edition of NLWave, the international showcase presenting upcoming Dutch features, documentaries and animation, is to launch NxtWave, presenting four shorts by rising Dutch filmmaking talent. With this new strand, the organisers aim to draw professional attention to Dutch filmmaking voices of tomorrow.

The four selected shorts are:

  • How to Catch a Butterfly (doc, 26’) by Dutch/Japanese filmmaker Kiriko Mechanicus (prod: Docmakers), world premiered during SXSW, won the Best Short Film/Short Film Grand Prize at Indie Lisboa and Best Short Documentary Award at Millennium Docs Against Gravity
  • A Shot at Art (fiction, 12’) by Ilke Paddenburg (prod: Studio Ruba), world premiered during Clermont-Ferrand, where it received the International Audience Award. Also got selected for SXSW.
  • A Tenderness (fiction 17’) ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ ​ by Sabrine Khoury (prod: Buddy Film Productions), which premiered during TIFF 2026
  • Where is My Sex Drive (experimental 25’), third year student film by Nina Broers which received the Bronze Placement Student Academy Award in the Alternative/Experimental category last weekend.
Where Is My Sex DriveHow to Catch a ButterflyA Tenderness
NxtWave 2026 selectionNLWave logoA Shot at Art

Organised by the Netherlands Film Fund in co‑operation with SeeNL, NLWave is a by‑invitation‑only showcase designed to connect emerging and established filmmakers with international sales agents and festival programmers.

Last year’s inaugural edition of NLWave ​ featured a number of titles that received their world premiere at such festivals as Venice (Al Baraneya at Venice Days), Toronto (In Alaska), Berlin (A Family, Truly Naked), Tribeca (Get Up), Rotterdam (Between Brothers, Treat Her Like A Lady), Edinburgh (First Zone), Visions du Réel (Club Heaven) and at IDFA (Paikar). Other 2025 titles are scheduled to screen at festivals in the months to come.

This year’s edition features a curated selection of 35 titles, ranging from early‑stage projects to works in progress, and runs from 30 September to 2 October in Utrecht.

The full selection of projects and works in progress will be unveiled on 22 September, 2026.

Christian De Schutter

Christian De Schutter

Hype Park

 

 

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