Vlekkeloos

Spotless | Fleckenlos
Outwardly, Ruby leads a life just like any girl her age. However, the 15-year-old has to invest a great deal of energy to maintain this appearance. One morning, surprised by her period, she is confronted with a well-known emergency: While she urgently needs tampons, her mother, who is struggling with financial problems, hasn’t put this, of all things, on her shopping list. Ruby begins each new day somewhere between improvisation and shame, and increasingly finds herself in over her head.
by Emma Branderhorst
with Alicia Prinsen, Astrid van Eck, Wendy Ruijfrok, Ilva Los
Netherlands 2021 Dutch 16’ Colour recommendation: 13 years and up

With

  • Alicia Prinsen (Ruby)
  • Astrid van Eck (Barbara)
  • Wendy Ruijfrok (Tessa)
  • Ilva Los (Marie)

Crew

Director Emma Branderhorst
Screenplay Milou Rohde with contributions from Emma Branderhorst
Cinematography Myrthe Mosterman
Editing Tessel Flora de Vries
Music Hans Nieuwenhuijsen
Sound Design Gijs Domen
Production Design Noa van Nielen
Costumes Zoë Scheffer
Make-Up Sharon de Ruijsscher
Line Producer Julie Janssen
Producers Nicky Onstenk, Marc Bary

Emma Branderhorst

Born in the Netherlands in 1995, she graduated with a degree in directing from the University of the Arts Utrecht in 2019. She has worked as an assistant director and casting director for various large Dutch film production companies. Her short film Onderhuids premiered in the 2020 Berlinale Generation. She is fascinated by the topics of youth and growing up from a female perspective. She is currently developing several films as well as directing commercials.

Filmography (short films)

2017 Femme 2019 Onderhuids (Under the Skin) 2021 Vlekkeloos (Spotless) 2023 Ma mère et moi (My Mother and I)

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2023