International documentary film festival
March 30 - April 6, 2025
Kaptol Boutique Cinema, Zagreb

International documentary film festival
March 30 - April 6, 2025
Kaptol Boutique Cinema, Zagreb

And a Happy New Year

Sebastian Mulder

And a Happy New Year

At the end of every year, millions of euros’ worth of fireworks go up in smoke in the Netherlands, as in many other parts of the world. Many people enjoy this, but for animals, New Year’s Eve is a total nightmare. To make their experience tangible, Sebastian Mulder’s documentary takes an original approach: in the run- up to the big night, he fitted dogs with a GoPro, and we follow their movements, witnessing their tension, stress and fear. The poetry of the nighttime shots and the fireworks filmed in slow motion contrast starkly with the trembling, panting and slobbering animals in bare bathrooms and under beds. No commentary is needed, the images and sound speak for themselves, and the message is loud and clear—even louder than the fireworks.

The Netherlands 2023, '21

DIRECTOR: Sebastian Mulder

SCENARIO: Sebastian Mulder

CAMERA: Dick Harrewijn

MONTAGE: Nina Graafland, Sebastian Mulder

PRODUCERS: Sebastian Mulder

FESTIVALS & AWARDS:

IDFA: Best Youth Documentary (2023)

Sebastian Mulder

Dutch filmmaker Sebastian Mulder (1994) explores the conflicts and  interactions between humans and other nature, and the influence of technology on these relationships. His short essayistic documentaries, in which he likes to experiment with unconventional forms, have been screened and awarded at numerous festivals around the world.

His graduation film for his audiovisual media degree at the University of Arts in Utrecht, Nature: All Rights Reserved (2016), was screened at Palm Springs, Ji.hlava and awarded Best European Student film at Go Short. In 2021, NAYA - Der Wald hat tausend Augen premiered at Hot Docs and won the Best Documentary Form award at Kurzefilmtage Winterthur.

Sebastian was selected for the VPRO Dorst Pitch (2017) and the IDFA - Zapp Doc Lab (2021). During this lab he developed his new short documentary And a Happy New Year which premiered at IDFA 2023 and won the award for best youth documentary.

Additionally, Sebastian teaches at photography museum FOAM and Filmmuseum Eye in Amsterdam, conducting film and photography workshops and tours.

Sebastian is based in Amsterdam.

 

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