Based on the bestselling book under the same title by Dutch author Guus Kuijer, the plot revolves around a 9-year old boy who is capable of seeing things no-one else can.
Houtman has been present regularly at numerous film festivals and programmes throughout the years, including Berlinale, Cinekid and Ale Kino!, among others.
The Book of Everything is a coproduction between the Netherlands and Latvia, with three production companies on board – Fatt Productions (NL) with coproducers Kaap Holland Film (NL) and Latvia's White Picture. The feature, with a budget of around 2.2 m EUR, is shot in both the Netherlands and Latvia. The production phase in the Netherlands has already been finished, concluding an 8 days long filming period. Shooting in Latvia will start at the beginning of August and will run for 16 days altogether. The majority of the shoot will take place in Riga Film Studio and a few days in the virtual production studio LED Unit. The decision to film in a virtual studio is an artistic as well as a practical one – the film's story involves quite a few fantasy scenes which would otherwise need to be shot on a greenscreen. Interior scenes will be shot on specially built sets in the historical Riga Film Studio.
Amidst Dutch cast and crew and a Latvian production crew, Latvian composer Kārlis Auzāns and production designer Laura Dišlere are also involved. Latvian side producer is Alise Ģelze, whose work includes Berlinale Generation winner Mellow Mud by Renārs Vimba and Cannes Directors' Fortnight contestant Oleg by Juris Kursietis.
The film is funded by the Netherlands Film Fund and the National Film Centre of Latvia (as a minority coproduction). It has received funding from Eurimages, as well as cash rebates from the Riga Film Fund and Investment and Development Agency of Latvia. The Book of Everything is also backed by Dutch broadcaster KRO/NCRV, its distributor in the Benelux countries – September Film (NL) and its world sales agent Nine Film (NL).
The film's release is planned for 2023.
Production information:
Producer:
Fatt Productions (Netherlands)
Coproducers:
White Picture (Latvia)
Kaap Film (Netherlands)
Credits:
Director: Ineke Houtman
Screenwriter: Maarten Lebens, Ineke Houtman, Judith Hees
DoP: Sander Snoep
Editor: Michiel Reichwijn
Production Designer: Fanny Kriek, Eke Kriek, Laura Dišlere
Costume designer: Magriet Procee
Make-up artist: Marjon Hoogendoorn
Original music: Kārlis Auzāns, Fons Merkies
Cast: Brandon Coene, Daan Schuurmans, Sallie Harmsen, Aiko Mila Beemsterboer
Producers: Hans de Weers (FATT Productions), Maarten Swart (Kaap Holland Film)
Coproducer: Alise Ģelze (White Picture)
