Go to content
When in 2001 the contagious animal disease FMD broke out, the government eliminated cattle across the Netherlands. Like in Kootwijkerbroek. The farmers there revolted. Ten years later, their pain is still tangible.

Around 2001, the Netherlands were startled by the contagious foot-and-mouth disease (FMD). On every farm where FMD was found, the government ordered the elimination of cattle. When a calf in Kootwijkerbroek (rural district of Barneveld) was diagnosed with FMD, Minister Brinkhorst had all animals killed. Questioning the diagnosis, the mostly Christian farmers revolted. Ten years later, victims and activists still believe there has never been an FMD epidemic in the area. Lassche follows four protagonists who still feel the pain. Cattle farmer Henk van den Brink: ‘It was a grave injustice that they removed those cows without being asked. The whole campaign was executed with brute force, as if we were big-time crooks.’ Lau Jansen (Foundation for the Investigation into the FMD Crisis) shares this view: ‘An incredible impertinence against Creation!’ Their emotional accounts are illustrated by archive footage of the revolts and removals.

Credits

Executive producer
Set geluid
Sound editing
Sound Design
Production company
IDTV Docs
TV company
Evangelische Omroep (EO)

Title: Mannenbroeders van Kootjebroek
Year: 2011
Duration : 58 minutes
Category: Short Documentary
Edition: NFF 2011

NFF Archive

You are now in the NFF Archive. The archive contains contains information on film, TV and interactive productions that were screened at past festival editions. The NFF does not dispose of this material. For this, please contact the producer, distributor or broadcaster. Sometimes, older films can also be found at the Eye Film Museum or the Netherlands Institute for Sound and Vision.

Stills

Still
Still
Still