24/03/2011

The amazing true story of Walter Süskind, a German-born, Amsterdam-based Jew who saved hundreds of children from deportation during WWII, will be filmed by Dutch director Rudolf van den Berg. The director’s previous feature, the book adaptation Tirza [+see also:
trailer
film profile], was the Netherlands’ submission in the foreign-language Oscar category this year.

The project, simply titled Süskind, will start filming in early April, in the Netherlands, Belgium and Romania. It is produced by San Fu Maltha of Fu Works, who produced Tirza as well as the Dutch WWII films Winter in Wartime [+see also:
film review
trailer
film profile] from Martin Koolhoven, which just opened in the US, and Black Book [+see also:
trailer
film profile] by Paul Verhoeven.

Süskind’s story, already documented in the 2005 documentary Secret Courage: The Walter Suskind Story, from directors Tim and Karen Morse, hinges on the friendship between Süskind and the head of the Amsterdam SS, which not only kept him above suspicion but also caused him to be seen as a potential collaborator, as he secretly helped hundreds of children go into hiding to avoid being sent to the camps.

Süskind will be co-produced by van den Berg’s Cadenza Films and is also backed by the Netherlands Film Fund, which granted an initial €578,570 in production support in April 2010, and another €1,345,320 earlier this year as part of the “Suppletieregeling,” which awards funds to films of cultural value that have the potential to draw a large audience.

Dutch actor Jeroen Spitzenberger, who has mainly worked in TV and in supporting roles in the cinema, will play the title role. Dutch Shooting Star Lotte Verbeek (Nothing Personal [+see also:
film review
trailer
interview: Urszula Antoniak
interview: Urszula Antoniak
film profile]) and Tygo Gernandt (Winter in Wartime) co-star, while the cast is rounded out by Olga Zuiderhoek, Nasrdin Dchar and Chava Voor in ‘t Holt.

Independent Films will release the film locally, most likely in early 2012.