With slightly over two months to go before the official opening in January, it is our great pleasure to announce IFFR 2017’s first world premiere: Double Play by Ernest Dickerson. A film about Curaçao, the past and a game of dominoes, after the much lauded novel Double Play by Frank Martinus Arion. The cast and crew will walk the red carpet for the festive premiere in Rotterdam.
Double Play was directed by American filmmaker Ernest Dickerson (1951), who previously created Juice and Bulletproof, and directed episodes of Dexter, The Wire and The Walking Dead. Producer Lisa Cortes was, among other things, responsible for the highly praised film Precious. Double Play is an adaptation of the eponymous book Double Play. In 1973, this much lauded novel by Curaçaoan author Frank Martinus Arion (1936 - 2015) provided unique insight into culture and society on Curaçao by means of an exciting story of intrigue and a game of dominoes. Dickerson’s version bringing the story to the silver screen and the present, providing both a historic and contemporary perspective on Curaçao.
Double Play is about anolder man named Ostrik who returns to Curaçao and his childhood after many years abroad. Ostrik reminisces about 1973 and the events surrounding a game his father played which had major consequences for Ostrik’s youth. The dramatic poverty and colourful landscapes provide the background for the leads who represent Curaçao’s melting pot: a story of pride and humiliation, money and love, ambition and hope.
A world premiere needs champagne and a party: a large number of the cast and crew will attend the premiere in Rotterdam and appear on the ‘red’ carpet. Some of those present will include Dani Dare, Colin Salmon, Mustafa Shakir, Alexander Karim, Barbara Eve Harris, Isaach De Bankole and Saycon Sengbloh. Director Ernest Dickerson as well as producers Lisa Cortes and Gregory Elias will also be in Rotterdam to attend the premiere.
