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When Indonesia became independent after WW II, many Indonesian Dutchmen repatriated to the Netherlands. They were temporarily put up in contract pensions. They did not really feel welcome.
When Indonesia became independent after WW II after years of fighting, more than 300,000 Indonesian Dutchmen repatriated to the Netherlands between 1946 and 1964. Upon their arrival, they were put up in contract pensions. Hetty Naaijkens-Retel Helmrich visited repatriates and talked with them about their sometimes unpleasant initial period in Holland. Some of them ended up on horse blankets in Westerbork, while others were lucky and stayed at the Loo Palace. Many repatriates did not feel at home. Dutchmen considered people 'from the tropics dirty', thinking they came straight from the jungle. 'You must be glad to finally live in a brick house', someone was told to his great dismay. They also got insulting lessons - 'as if I don't know how to brush my teeth!' - and it turned out that money for a new inventory was a loan, which some had to pay off until their death. The filmmaker also speaks with Dutch people who experienced all of this from the other side.

Credits

Sound Design
Production company
Scarabeefilms
Distributor NL
Cinema Delicatessen

Title: Contractpensions - Djangan loepah!
Year: 2008
Duration : 1 hour, 30 minutes
Category: Long Documentary
Edition: NFF 2008

Gouden Kalf nominees

Other awards

Kristallen Film (10.000 bezoekers documentaire) (2009)

NFF Archive

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