De Jacht op Meral Ö is a Dutch drama film from 2024 about the Dutch childcare benefits scandal, directed by Stijn Bouma in his fiction directorial debute.[1] Bouma previously directed two documentaries about the victims of the scandal, Alleen tegen de Staat from 2021 and Sheila versus de Staat from 2023.[2][3] The film premiered on the 2nd of September 2024 in De Balie in Amsterdam.[1] The film also played at the Film by the Sea film festival in Vlissingen.[4]
| De Jacht op Meral Ö | |
|---|---|
| Directed by | Stijn Bouma |
| Written by | Stijn Bouma Roelof Jan Minneboo |
| Produced by | Koji Nelissen Derk-Jan Warrink |
| Starring | Dilan Yurdakul Gijs Naber Raymond Thiry |
| Cinematography | Mick van Dantzig |
| Edited by | Saskia Kievits |
Production company | Kepler Film |
| Distributed by | Paradiso Film |
Release date |
|
Running time | 91 minutes |
| Country | Netherlands |
| Languages | Dutch Turkish |
Premise
editThe Turkish-Dutch Meral tries to keep afloat with her two young daughters in Almere when the tax authorities unjustly demand an enormous repayment of €34,000 in child benefits.
Reception
editThe film was received mixed-to-positive by Dutch critics. Trouw called it a compelling drama about the childcare benefits scandal.[5]De Volkskrant gave the film four out of five stars.[6] While Dagblad van het Noorden gave it three stars out of four.[7] Renske Leijten, one of the whistleblowers of the childcare benefits scandal, praised how the film realistically it depicted the scandal.[8]
References
edit- ^ a b "De Jacht op Meral Ö." De Balie. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
- ^ "Nederlands Film Festival | Alleen tegen de Staat". filmfestival.nl. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
- ^ "2Doc: Sheila versus de Staat - Documentaires". HUMAN. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
- ^ "Jacht op Meral Ö., De". Film by the Sea. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
- ^ "www.trouw.nl/recensiesfilm/recensie-de-jacht-op-meral-o-ontpopt-zich-als-een-indringend-drama-over-het-toeslagenschandaal~bafc08a6/?referrer=www.google.com/". trouw.nl. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
- ^ "www.volkskrant.nl/films/de-jacht-op-meral-o-is-een-terecht-kwade-film-die-weinig-probeert-te-vergoelijken~bcac2dd1/". volkskrant.nl. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
- ^ "Bruut overheidssysteem vermorzelt alleenstaande moeder | recensie ★★★☆☆ - Dagblad van het Noorden". dvhn.nl. Retrieved 2024-09-22.
- ^ "Film gemaakt over toeslagenaffaire: 'Zou goed zijn als iedereen deze kijkt'". rtl.nl. Retrieved 2024-09-22.