Beat

In making their feature film début, third-year Film Academy students Verbeek and De Blok were inspired by recent Asian films in which the atmosphere plays a key role. As is the case in Beat, whose protagonist is faced with burn-out. Beat is set in Rotterdam. Using prolonged scenes and shots and little dialogue, the film follows the anonymous city life of leading character Peter (Ian Bok). This ambitious 26-year-old IT employee works on a large project in a sterile office building, but has trouble concentrating. He gazes a little at his goldfish, strolls across town and does not take much pleasure from his relationship with his girlfriend (Janica Draisma). The company doctor sends him home for a month to recharge his batteries, but things only seem to worsen after that. The low-budget film, featuring Jacky director Fow Pyng Hu and D'66 politician Boris van der Ham in small supporting roles, was entirely shot on video.