A washed up Flemish criminal (Manou Kersting) gets assigned the job of babysitting a feisty, young Hungarian beauty (Melody Klaver) in a remote cottage somewhere in the French Ardennes. They don’t know each other’s backgrounds and they’re not supposed to ask questions. But young girls get bored and bored girls act out.
To Catch a Fly is an award winning short black comedy by Sanne Kortooms. It won awards on several festivals including: Best Short Film, Best Short Audience Award, Best Director, Best Actor, Best Cinematography and Best Cast.
Starring: Melody Klaver, Manou Kersting, Martin van Waardenberg,
Jason de Ridder, Remco Koning, Vincenzo de Jonghe, Liv van Roon.
Languages: English, Dutch, Flemish, France, Hungarian. Subs: English Format: Anamorphic 2.39, color. Running time: 20 min Genre: Black Comedy, Crime, Horror
Between 2018 and 2021, To Catch a Fly was shown at many festivals around the globe (scroll down for a list) but now you can watch it from your home too! Watch To Catch a Fly via: Vimeo (worldwide), CineMaker (previously Cinetree) (Benelux) and BitPix (USA). And also scroll down to read the cool review BitPix wrote after choosing it “Pic of The Week”!
Synopsis
Vincent actually quite likes his summer assignment; watching over Daniella, a young, Hungarian beauty, in a remote cottage somewhere in the French Ardennes. His time consists mostly of lying in his inflatable pool, sipping drinks and squashing flies. And let’s be honest, the girl’s not bad too look at. Not a bad way at all to approach retirement as a Flemish washed-up small-time criminal. The only downside is the lack of a decent sewage system. The smell in the outside toilet plays havoc with his gag reflexes.
It’s been five days already on this stupid mountain. To Daniella, the boredom starts to get pretty overwhelming. The old Belgian guy does nothing but lie around all day, ordering her around. If he knew who she was, he’d definitely change his tune. He’ll find out soon. They all will. Every man who thinks he can boss her around. Don’t think she didn’t see where he keeps his precious pistol.
Vincent’s foul-mouthed Dutch boss Maikel couldn’t have been more clear. Stay at the house, keep a low profile and no fucking questions. The less everyone knows, the better. So how come he still has to switch to damage control?
‘To Catch A Fly’ is a dark Dutch comedy about an aging criminal forced to face the lack of impact he has made in the world while watching over a pretty young girl during a hot summer assignment. All he really wants to do is follow simple orders; make sure she stays at the house, keep a low profile and don’t ask questions. The girl has other plans however and she’s not about to let him boss her around.
The BitPix Review “Sanne Kortooms’ wonderful short film To Catch A Fly is this week’s Pick Of The Week! This film is a wonderfully dark comedy that focuses on a protection job, as an older, bitter hired gun is tasked with protecting the daughter of a well known crime boss, taking refuge in what was noted as a “very, very” small cottage in France. Hiding out in this remote location, with its wonderful amenities, such as a putrid smelling outhouse, unbearable heat and an absolute lack of things to do, the pair must not only keep a low profile, but also attempt to not drive each other crazy until things are able to go to their version of normal once again.
Throughout the film, Daniela and Vincent have a very fun dynamic, pushing each other’s buttons and antagonizing one another in any way they can. From petty insults to silly arguments, the two of them do whatever they can to pass the time, even if it means they get more and more bothered with one another.
While there are several actors in the film, Manou Kersting and Melody Klaver are the focal points, and their chemistry is wonderful. His weary annoyance and her demanding petulance create an interesting back and forth, until that immaturity ends in a tragedy, as Daniella does something to completely change everything about this situation as several impulsive decisions put things on an unexpected path.
While the film itself is under twenty minutes, it does a lot in that time, bringing an entire relationship from its edge and back, completely changed. It’s really interesting how one event can completely change how a person is perceived, how they are treated, and where social dynamics go when the unexpected happens, as it does here. This is especially true for Daniella, as Klaver is able to pull off what is a near 180 tone switch for her character in a way that not only works, but is completely consistent with the story. In it’s own, unique way, this film takes the old adage of not judging a book by their cover and brings it into this world of the criminal underground in a way that is very satisfying.
This film has a great cast headlined by Kersting and Klaver, who are absolutely brilliant together. To Catch A Fly is an interesting amalgamation of comedy, crime and drama all rolled into one, creating its own interpretation of the dark comedy genre. It’s easy to see why this was the Pick of the Week, and now it can be seen by all, only on BitPix.
To Catch a Fly – A Short Film by Sanne Kortooms Directed by (and Idea by): Sanne Kortooms Written by: Rudi Brekelmans Produced by: Peter van den Dungen – MovedMedia Director of Photography: Max Maloney Edited By: Daan Wijdeveld Music and Sound by: Music Studio Cube Casting by: Saida van der Reijd, Kemna Casting
AWARDS – Best Director Short Film – North Hollywood Cinefest, Los Angeles, CA, USA
– Best Fantastic Short – FilmQuest Festival, USA
– Best Director – Anatomy International Film Festival, Athens, GR – Best Dutch Short – New Renaissance Film Festival Amsterdam, NL
– Audience Award Best Film – Night of the Short Film, Antwerp, BE – Best Comedy – Falcon International Film Festival London, UK
– Best Director – Zuidelijk Film Festival, NL
– Audience Award Best Short Film – Short Film Festival Kalmthout, BE – Best Director – Goldon Short Film Festival, IT – Best International Short Film chosen by the jury – Short Film Festival Kalmthout, BE
– Best Cinematography – Mid West Action Fest, Indiana, USA
– Best Cast – Scorpius Fest, Park City, USA
– Audience Award Best Film – Zuidelijk Film Festival, NL
– Best Director – Scorpius Fest, Park City, USA
– Best Actor – Manou Kersting – Tilburgs Film Festival, Netherlands
Screenings:
– The Women’s Film Festival, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, USA 27/09/2021 – New Renaissance International Film Festival, London, UK 24/09/2021 – New Renaissance International Film Festival, Amsterdam, NL 10/09/2021 – Bucharest ShortFest CineFest, Bucharest, RO 27/06/2021 – Falcon International Film Fest, London, UK 30/03/2021 – Jelly Fest, Los Angeles, California USA 26/03/2021 – Goldon Short Film Festival, Rome, IT 08/03/2021 – Holly Shorts, Los Angeles, California, USA 10/08/2019
– Tilburg Film Festival on Tour, HeyHoef Cinema Tilburg 27/09/2019
– Theater Het Klavier, Kaatsheuvel, NL 13/09/2019
– De Kiosk, Loon op Zand, NL 06/09/2019
– Tilburg Film Festival on Tour, Tilburg, NL 23/08/2019
– Verkadefabriek, Den Bosch, NL 16/07/2019
– Verkadefabriek, Den Bosch, NL 14/07/2019
– Verkadefabriek, Den Bosch, NL 09/07/2019
– Verkadefabriek, Den Bosch, NL 07/07/2019
– Verkadefabriek, Den Bosch, NL 05/07/2019
– Kriterion Amsterdam, NL 11/05/2019
– 43th Cleveland International Film Festival, Cleveland, Ohio, USA 07/04/2019
– NoHo Cinefest, Hollywood, Los Angeles, California, USA 27/03/2019
– Horror Hound Film Fest, Cincinnati, Ohio, USA 17/03/2019
– Scorpius Fest, Park City, Utah, USA 26/01/2019
– International Anatomy Crime Film Festival, Athens, GR 04/11/2018
– De Mus, Amsterdam, NL 31/10/2018
– Atelier de Heerlijkheid, Den Bosch, NL 26/10/2018
– CineCitta, Tilburg, NL 06/10/2018
– FilmQuest Festival, Prova, Utah, USA 12/09/2018
– Night of the Short Film, Antwerp, BE 25/08/2018
– The Atlanta Comedey Film Festival, USA 28/07/2018
– Verkadefabriek, Den Bosch, NL 31/05/2018
– Rotterdams Open Doek, NL 26/05/2018
– Tilburgs Film Festival, NL 26/05/2018
– Mid West Action Fest, USA 22/04/2018
– Cluj Shorts, RO 21/04/2018
– De Mus, NL 21/01/2018
– Eindhovens Film Festival, NL 09/12/2017
– Nederlands Film Festival, Utrecht, NL 22/09/2017
– Nederlands Film Festival, Utrecht, NL 20/09/2017
