Patrick janssens

Movies

Mothers
Editor
Four mothers explain how their sons ended up in trouble with the law because they fell in with the wrong crowd, experienced trauma or were intimidated by a gang. The offenses are minor, and their involvement was not always proven—sometimes they were only witnesses to a crime. But once Amsterdam’s Top400 crime prevention program has them in its sights, things just get worse for them.
Terwijl het liefde was
Editor
Artistic director of the National Theater Eric de Vroedt writes and directs a performance about his own mother Winnie, who passed away in 2020. This piece, titled The Century of My Mother, is a family story about the migration from the Dutch East Indies to the Netherlands. It is De Vroedt's way of examining the relationship with his mother and not having to say goodbye to her yet: 'I can let her live on stage, but when the curtain falls, when the play is completely finished, then she is really dead'.
Hart van de democratie
Editor
This documentary was shot in 2018 and 2019 within the walls of the Haagse Binnenhof and examines how our democracy works and shows that it is under considerable pressure. The Binnenhof now looks different in the corona era. It has also become quieter there and people keep their distance, but the question whether and how our democracy will survive is just as important as before.
Behind the Blood
Editor
Seen through the eyes of a priest, a crime reporter and a hitman, this documentary examines the thin line between good and evil in one of the most dangerous cities in the world: San Pedro Sula, Honduras.
Sylvana, Demon or Diva
Editor
She used to host music shows on Dutch TV, but now she’s the figurehead of the political party BIJ1 ("Together"). As a woman of color who was born in Suriname but grew up in the Netherlands, she knows how it feels to be treated as a minority. Her outspoken style in fighting for a world in which everyone has equal rights and opportunities sometimes provokes extreme reactions, and her attackers have posted sinister death-threat videos on YouTube. We follow her in the three months leading up to the local elections, in which she's running for the Amsterdam City Council. During TV debates, interviews and discussions with opponents, we see Simons standing up for her opinions with a fascinating force of argument. But when she’s on her therapist's couch or at home in front of her well-filled walk-in closet, she shows her vulnerable side.
Het Werkteater 1970-1985
Editor
Documentary about the Dutch theatregroup the Werktheater. The aim of the company was to create socially relevant theater by means of cooperative processes and improvisation. They often played their performances on location, such as in hospitals, prisons, healthcare institutions and schools. In this documentary, those involved are interviewed about this remarkable theater group.