What do you do when your child turns out to be a highly talented athlete. What do you do when he/she grows up in a world full of expectations, tensions and disappointments?
TURN! is a documentary by Esther Pardijs about the hopes and fears of parents within a certain parenting paradox. On the one hand every child is a promise of the parents and on the other hand we all just want them to be happy. For this film Esther followed her son and the ways she guides him in the highly demanding world of gymnastics.
The film was nominated for a Dutch Golden Calf for best Documentary, the Tegel - a Journalistic award and it was the most viewed documentary of the year 2019.
In the months Creative Mornings about STRESS Esther will talk about the process of making such a personal documentary. During this 3 year period she had to carefully navigate between the different sensitivities of her main characters. But she also had to balance between her role as a mother and her role as a director. Was it worth the stress? Yes!
Esther Pardijs is a Dutch documentary maker and director. She has more than 20 years of experience in directing, writing and researching documentaires, television formats and films for specific target groups.
A quote Esther keeps close at heart is from Alan Berliner - an American filmmaker, who said: “You will never stop learning how to make films. Get used to that.”
Esther worked for Dutch National Broadcasters, such as NPO, VPRO, HUMAN, NTR, KRO-NCRV, BNN-VARA and also for foundations, NGO’s and museums.
