BUrnY Bos (the netherlands) - European Children's Film ...
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Meet the Mentors
THE ‘MEET THE MENTORS’
BURNY BOS (the Netherlands) Q&A
You have dedicated a big part of your
life to quality children’s cinema.
Personal impression by Xiaojuan Zhou Burny Bos: It all started when a Dutch
broadcaster needed someone to set up a
If Rock Demers is the godfather Schmidt whose body of novels ly rooted in Dutch culture, his children’s department, back in the eight-
of Canadian children’s films, in was successfully adapted for films were festival darlings and ies when we had only two channels and
my view, Burny Bos is the equiv- the big screen by Burny’s team; are among the best sold Dutch 10 hours of TV per day. Up till then I had
alent on the other side of the and Tamara Bos, his daughter, films ever at home and abroad. only made radio for kids and I jumped
Atlantic. I wish I could have met accomplished scriptwriter and His countrymen gave him a Life- into that completely new and unknown
Burny when he was at the age his right hand at BosBros. time Achievement Award for world. As crazy as it was, it allowed me
of Tom Sawyer - he must have his pioneering work in quality to do crazy things. As an outsider I could
been a naughty boy full of dar- It was one of Burny’s early films, family entertainment. There is pick a team of people with fresh ideas.
ing ideas that could mesmerise THE PENKNIFE, that introduced only one Burny in Holland and We immediately became hugely suc-
little girls! Burny and I grew up me to his world. Burny was a elsewhere, and he’s always his cessful because we were ‘different’. Our
on different planets and who father figure, a published writ- own bos(s). tone of voice was full of humour, never
could foresee that we would er, an award winning producer, patronising. We took our audience seri-
even meet, collaborate and be- an entrepreneur and a die hard ously and told our stories in a way that
friend for 20 plus years!! Burny believer in dreams. Through inspired them and made them laugh.
was born in a place with wind- the ups and downs he had in Success made me eager to do more. I was
mills, cheese and lots of fairy his personal wealth and health, convinced that I could write and produce
tales. Me in communist China, one thing remained unchanged: a feature film, without ever having writ-
a pigtailed young pioneer who his passion for good stories. ten one before, and so I did. MY FATHER
was told to change the world! At BosBros, MINOES, WINKY’S LIVES IN RIO was my first feature and a
HORSE, WIPLALA, intelligent winner at the Berlinale. Soon I decided
If no one else, three women and commercially viable films being an independent producer fitted me
writers played an important were churned out one after an- better than being an employee.
role in his life: Astrid Lindgren other. Burny is a great storytell-
(PIPPI LONGSTOCKING) whose er, so good that he can blur the Who, fictional or real, inspired you the
work inspired him to pursue a line between fiction and reality most?
career for children; Annie M.G. His humour is contagious. Deep- Bos: The TV programmes I saw in Scan-
dinavian countries. That was exactly the
18 | Journal 04 | 2020
Meet the Mentors
through difficulties, bullying, fami-
ly separation, sickness, war, pover-
ty, covid-19 etc. What do you wish
to tell them through the films you
make?
Bos: My message to my audience is
that every child should be seen and
heard. I show them that my own ways
of getting somewhere, by being stub-
born, tenacious, showing flair, can
help them find their way through the
world. I am a strong believer in the
power and stamina of youth. That is
tone on which I wished to address what I aim to trigger. Of course this
children. Back then in the Netherlands Burny Bos & his daughte message is not always as obvious, it
r - writer Tamara Bos
children were commonly addressed in depends upon the age group.
a ’sugar sweet’, rather infantile way, necessary? Is there a certain urgency What is the secret to your success?
with high voices and childish vocab- to make it? I look for ‘freshness’, a Personal character, study and trav- What makes a good film producer?
ulary. TV programmes were gender personal touch from the makers (writ- el, hard work, good luck or simply Bos: A good producer creates a ‘fam-
divided - adventure, fighting, science er/director). I tend to prefer protago- good genes? ily’ of inspiring, creative profession-
for boys and family issues, rivalry, nists who look at the world in a fresh Bos: I’ve asked myself this question als: writers, directors, line-producers,
dolls, romance for girls - with plenty or different way, yet still being a per- many times… I think my success assistants, financial experts, etc. With
of moral preaching. In Scandinavia, son I can relate to. In developing the sprouted from a combination of mere their taste and attitude, this stable
as the heritage of Astrid Lindgren, script I have learned that I should con- luck, endurance, stubbornness and basis of people inspire each other.
programmes were made so much tinue to work on it until every doubt flair. This has not necessarily made As a producer I’m not the ‘controlling
more from the child’s point of view. I is resolved. Starting to produce, or me a popular person, especially not type’. I believe that allowing a person
wanted children to make up their own even shoot, knowing that there still is among decision makers regarding fi- freedom and responsibility will pay
minds, instead of presenting them the a problem somewhere in the script, al- nancial support. But in the end, the off in the end, as it stimulates them
adult point of view. ways hits you back like a boomerang. successes proved me right. Of course to develop themselves. As to the
Another important principle: never I deliberately choose not to mention choices to make, I believe in person-
What principles guided you in de- change a winning team. I allow my the flops which are inevitable when al signature features with a strong
veloping and producing children’s directors to pick their own team. In you decide to make interesting films story and interesting protagonists
films? How did you establish them? my experience this pays off in a sense that are ‘different’. and antagonists. I tend not to choose
Bos: When reading a script, my first that the workflow and vibe during the for merely commercial stories, un-
questions are: Do I consider this film production will be good. The children and youth who may go less they combine all elements men-
19 | Journal 04 | 2020
Meet the Mentors
BOS BROS WINS PLATINUM GOAT WHO STOPPED TALKING, THE FLY-
IN ALE KINO! FESTIVAL ING LIFTBOY, MISS MINOES, WINKY’S
HORSE, PLUCK AND HIS TOW TRUCK,
In the Ale Kino! Festival in Poznan, WHERE IS WINKY’S HORSE?, BEN X,
Poland, the ‘Platinum Goat’ Lifetime MORISSON GETS A BABY SISTER, THE
Achievement Award this year goes INDIAN, ALFIE THE LITTLE WERE-
to BosBros. WOLF, FIDGETY BRAM, THE ZIG ZAG
KID, THE AMAZING WIPLALA, MR.
At this year’s Golden Calf Gala – the FROG – and last but not least, ROMY’S
Dutch equivalent of the French Césars SALON, this year’s laureate of four
or Polish Eagles – one film took home Golden Calves and last year’s winner
four awards, including Best Screen- of the Golden Goats. One would say
MR. FROG play and Best Director. In Poland, this this film, directed by Mischa Kamp
raised a few eyebrows – such a dis- on a screenplay by Tamara Bos, is the
tioned. This way we created a library convinced that some of our stories de- tinction for a film for children! Well, capstone of a 30 year long career. But
with a typical BosBros trademark. serve a bigger international audience. in the Netherlands they might prob- that is not the case, as we are sure
I am working on it! The other thing ably think ROMY’S SALON is not only that their future productions will
Some say that what is national is on my list is an animated family film. a great movie, but even more impor- bring more delight, excitement and
also international. When producing We hope that MISS MOXY, that we tantly, a great movie for children... joy to our young viewers.
a Dutch film, do you think about the are currently financing, will become a
international market? worldwide success. High standards have been set since For all these charming and clever
Bos: We don’t necessarily look at the the very beginning, back in 1989. films, made with passion and aware-
international market as a criteria. We How do you wish to be remembered? Three years later, THE PENKNIFE did ness of children’s needs, with a pro-
think about international coproduc- Bos: As a loving father who did the not only win a Golden Calf Award, but fessionalism that does not obscure
tion options once we made the choice best he could to create a caring fam- was also awarded several European the sincerity of film expression, we
to produce a certain story. We do ex- ily, both in his personal and profes- festival prizes, whereas the series award the Platinum Goats 2020 to
perience that a film with an outspo- sional life. based on the movie received the tel- the BosBros production company,
ken local/national appeal can conquer evision Oscar, an Emmy Award. It also and we make particularly deep bows
international hearts by its basic hu- Select Filmography: delighted us in Poznań, as a model for and send our warmest regards to the
man emotion. MINOES an extremely child-friendly type of head of this crew, Burny Bos, and the
WINKY’S HORSE ‘cinema for the small ones’, rich with extremely creative screenwriter, Ta-
Can you name a few things on your WIPLALA multilevel values. In the years that fol- mara Bos.
bucket list and how you plan to ac- MR FROG lowed, Ale Kino! festival participants –
complish them? ZIGZAG KID had the chance to marvel at many Jerzy Moszkowicz, Festival Director
Bos: Producing a Netflix series. I am more BosBros productions; THE BOY Poznań, 15.10.2020
20 | Journal 04 | 2020
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