Paradise Drifters

“Just one ride… and then it’s finished. No cops, no debts. Away.”

A silent yearning for a sense of belonging and emotional security, a pregnancy test and a grave pact, the distressing sight of a brother under lock and key: snapshots from the lives of the homeless Yousef, Chloe and Lorenzo, whose paths intersect on the concrete-jungle periphery of affluent society. On their trip to Southern Europe, each of them makes an irrevocable decision in this distinctive mix of calm and intimate portraits drawn together by dynamic editing. In his debut feature, Mees Peijnenburg employs great sensitivity in depicting the unique imperfection of three young individuals without a real place in this world as they dare to liberate themselves from dependent relationships while pursuing the safe harbour of authentic emotional bonds.
by Mees Peijnenburg
with Jonas Smulders, Tamar van Waning, Bilal Wahib, Joren Seldeslachts
Netherlands 2020 Dutch, Spanish, French 85’ Colour

With

  • Jonas Smulders (Lorenzo)
  • Tamar van Waning (Chloe)
  • Bilal Wahib (Yousef)
  • Joren Seldeslachts (Ivan)

Crew

Written and Directed by Mees Peijnenburg
Cinematography Jasper Wolf
Editing Imre Reutelingsperger
Music Ella van der Woude, Juho Nurmela
Sound Design Tijn Hazen
Sound Oliver Pattinama
Production Design Elza Kroonenberg
Costumes Minke Lunter
Make-Up Evalotte Oosterop
Assistant Director Willem Quarles van Ufford
Casting Job Castelijn
Line Producer Alexander Blaauw
Creative Producer Nathalie van der Burg
Producers Iris Otten, Sander van Meurs, Pieter Kuijpers
Co-Producer Martien Vlietman
Co-Production VPRO Hilversum

World sales

Orange Studio

Mees Peijnenburg

Born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands in 1989, he graduated from the Dutch Film Academy in 2013. His graduation film, Cowboys janken ook, as well as Un creux dans mon coeur, screened in the Generation programme where they competed for the Crystal Bear. In 2015, his television film Geen koningen in ons bloed won the prizes for Best Television Drama and Best Actor at the Netherlands Film Festival. In 2016, Un creux dans mon coeur won a Dutch Directors Guild Award for one of the most remarkable directing achievements of the year.

Filmography (short films)

2012 Wij waren wolven (We Were Wolves) 2013 Cowboys janken ook (Even Cowboys Get to Cry) 2014 Bloedhond (Wild Dog) 2015 Un creux dans mon cœur (A Hole in My Heart) · Geen koningen in ons bloed (We Will Never Be Royals); TV movie 2020 Paradise Drifters; feature film

Bio- & filmography as of Berlinale 2020