We
Film poster
DutchWij
Directed byRene Eller
Written byRene Eller
Based onWij
by Elvis Peeters
Produced by
  • Rene Eller
  • Julius Ponten
Starring
  • Aimé Claeys
  • Tijmen Govaerts
  • Pauline Casteleyn
  • Maxime Jacobs
  • Friso van der Werf
CinematographyMaxime Desmet
Edited byWouter van Luijn
Music byColin Stetson
Production
companies
  • Pragma Pictures
  • New Amsterdam Film Company
  • A Team Productions
  • Umedia
  • BNN-VARA
  • Vice Benelux
  • Habbekrats
  • uFund
Distributed by
  • Gusto Entertainment
  • Artsploitation Films
Release dates
  • January 27, 2018 (2018-01-27) (IFFR)
  • July 12, 2018 (2018-07-12) (Netherlands)
  • September 26, 2018 (2018-09-26)
Running time
90 minutes
Countries
  • Netherlands
  • Belgium
Languages
  • Dutch
  • Flemish

We (Dutch: Wij) is a 2018 Belgian–Dutch drama film written, directed and co-produced by Rene Eller. The movie was released on January 27, 2018, at the International Film Festival Rotterdam.

Plot

In a boring summer, a group of eight friends (four male and four female) decide to find new ways to entertain themselves. They allow their sexual curiosity to run freely and engage in several sexual games, as well as commit several violent crimes. The story is told non-linearly, with four of the youths recounting what happened during their trial after they have been apprehended for the death of one of their group.

Cast

  • Aimé Claeys as Thomas
  • Tijmen Govaerts as Simon
  • Pauline Casteleyn as Liesl
  • Maxime Jacobs as Ruth
  • Friso van der Werf as Jens
  • Folkert Verdoorn as Karl
  • Laura Drosopoulos as Ena
  • Salomé van Grunsven as Femke
  • Lieselot Siddiki as Loesje
  • Gaia Sofia Cozijn as Sarah

Soundtrack

Release

Reception

Patricia Smagge from the "Cinemagazine" wrote: "This film can be seen as a fascinating but jet-black portrait of a generation, or as a disturbing account in which it would have been better to devote more attention to the elaboration of the story and the characters than to bringing moral decay into the picture as explicitly as possible. You will have an opinion about 'We' anyway because it is a film that leaves its mark.[1] David Pountain writing for FilmDoo stated: "Rene Eller’s bold and sinister portrayal of hedonistic youth is an alarming statement of collective identity, putting a generation’s worst impulses on display while suggesting that the larger ‘we’ of modern society is no less inclined to destruction and debauchery."[2] Alex McLevy of The A.V. Club decried its nihilistic tone, conceding that "It’s a fairly well-directed and well-acted endeavor, which only adds to the disgust at what a waste it was having talented folks spend so much time on what’s essentially I Dare You to Care About This: The Movie", with pointless violence and cruelty, summing it up as "awful".[3]

Accolades

We won the Golden Calf (award) of "Best Editing" (for Wouter van Luijn) at the 2018 Nederlands Film Festival.,[4] the "Best Director" (for Rene Eller) at the 2018 Raindance Film Festival[5] and the "RIFF Jury Award" of "Best Film" at the Rome Independent Film Festival.[6]

We was nominated for the "German Independence Award" of "Best Film" at the Oldenburg International Film Festival, the "KNF Award" at the International Film Festival Rotterdam and the "Best European First Film" at the Zlín Film Festival.[5]

References

  1. ↑ Smagge, Patricia. "Wij (2018)". Cinemagazine (in Dutch). Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  2. ↑ Pountain, David (16 April 2018). "REVIEW: WE (2018)". FilmDoo. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  3. ↑ McLevy, Alex (March 30, 2020). "Wij Isn't Salò for 2020, or the Next Kids—It's Just Repugnant". The A.V. Club. Retrieved April 24, 2020.
  4. ↑ "Golden Calf Winners". filmfestival.nl. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  5. 1 2 "Wij (2018) - Awards". IMDb. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
  6. ↑ "Film Finalists 2018". Rome Independent Film Festival. Retrieved 24 November 2019.
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