Simon (2004 film)

Dutch drama film

Simon

Theatrical release poster

Directed by| Eddy Terstall
Written by| Eddy Terstall
Produced by| Imko Nieuwenhuijs
Starring| Cees Geel
Marcel Hensema
Cinematography| Willem Nagtglas
Edited by| Ben Isaacs

Production
companies

Spaghetti Film
VPRO

Distributed by| A-Film Distribution

Release date

* 30 September 2004 (2004-09-30)

Running time

| 100 minutes
Country| Netherlands
Language| Dutch
Box office| $1,107,774[1]

Simon is a 2004 Dutch drama film written and directed by Eddy Terstall. The story is about two male friends, one heterosexual and one gay. Same sex marriage and euthanasia are prominent themes of the film. The film has won three Golden Calves, for Best Actor (Cees Geel), Best Director (Eddy Terstall) and Best Feature Film, as well as the Audience Award (Eddy Terstall) of the Netherlands Film Festival.[2] It was also the Dutch entry for the Oscars in 2005, but it was not nominated.[3]

## Plot

[edit]

One of the characters is Camiel, a gay dentist who marries his lover and the other is Simon (Cees Geel), a heterosexual drugs dealer and lady magnet. They become close friends in the late 1980s, but Camiel does something that interrupts their friendship.

After fourteen years Camiel and Simon meet again, but Simon is now terminally ill with cancer.

Simon has a daughter, Joy (Nadja Hüpscher) and a son, Nelson (Stijn Koomen). They develop a friendship with Camiel and his husband and after Simon's death Camiel adopts them.

## Cast

[edit]

* Cees Geel as Simon Cohen
* Marcel Hensema as Camiel Vrolijk
* Rifka Lodeizen as Sharon
* Nadja Hüpscher as Joy
* Eva Duijvestein as Ellen
* Daan Ekkel as Marco
* Dirk Zeelenberg as Bram
* Stijn Koomen as Nelson
* Johnny de Mol as Floris (billed as Johnny de Mol jr.)
* Maria Kooistra as Gwen
* Femke Lakerveld as Adrienne
* Natasja Loturco as Astrid, Camiel's Assistant
* Araba Walton as Gisela
* Medi Broekman as Priscilla
* Dennis Rudge as Sjimmie
* Helena Remeijers as Djoeke
* Esmarel Gasman as Merjolein
* Wilhelmija Lamp as Alijt (billed as Willemijn Lamp)
* Klavertje Patijn as Liselot
* Ron Schuitemaker as Sjors (billed as Ron Schuitema)
* Jenayden Adriaan as Bruce
* Lisa Kuil as Samantha
* Laura Dozzelne as Joy - Age 7 (billed as Laura Dozzolne)
* Jeroen Willems as Huisarts
* Aaron Wan as Neurologist
* Howard van Dodemont as Traffic Cop
* Henk Kreekel as 2nd Opinion Arts
* Nico Huisman as Student
* Emmanuel K. Obinna as (Soldier #1) (billed as Emmanuel Obinna K)
* Troy Patterson as (Soldier #2)
* Matt Kosokoff as Director
* Pee Chantrarangsan as Thaise Man in Bar

## Reception

[edit]

Simon received positive reviews. On Rotten Tomatoes the film has an approval rating of 67% based on reviews from 6 critics, and an average rating of 5.7/10.[3] On Metacritic it has a score of 59 out of 100, based on reviews from 5 critics, indicating "mixed or average reviews".[4]

Jay Weissberg of Variety wrote: "Slick packaging and easy ensemble-playing can't mask hoary 'gather round, I'm dying' formula."[5]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ "Simon (2004)". Box Office Mojo. IMDb. Retrieved 26 November 2024.
2. ^ "Simon". Netherlands Film Festival. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
3. ^ a b "Simon (2004)". Rotten Tomatoes. Retrieved 5 August 2019.
4. ^ "Simon". Metacritic. Retrieved 15 February 2019.
5. ^ Weissberg, Jay (18 February 2005). "Simon". Variety.

## External links

[edit]

* Simon at IMDb

Awards

Preceded by

De Tweeling

|  Golden Calf for Best long feature film
2004  | Succeeded by

Paradise Now

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Golden Calf for Best Feature Film

* The Mark of the Beast (1981)
* A Question of Silence (1982)
* Hans: Life Before Death (1983)
* The Illusionist (1984)
* Flesh and Blood (1985)
* Abel (1986)
* Bygones (1987)
* The Vanishing (1988)
* Secret Wedding (1989)
* Evenings (1990)
* Prospero's Books (1991)
* Kyodai Makes the Big Time (1992)
* The Little Blonde Death (1993)
* 1000 Roses (1994)
* Little Sister (1995)
* Long Live the Queen (1996)
* Character (1997)
* Felice...Felice... (1998)
* The Flying Liftboy (1999)
* Leak (2000)
* Nynke (2001)
* Miss Minoes (2002)
* Twin Sisters (2003)
* Simon (2004)
* Paradise Now (2005)
* Black Book (2006)
* Crusade in Jeans (2007)
* Love Is All (2008)
* Nothing Personal (2009)
* Joy (2010)
* Black Butterflies (2011)
* The Girl and Death (2012)
* Borgman (2013)
* How to Avoid Everything (2014)
* Son of Mine (2015)
* The Paradise Suite (2016)
* Brimstone (2017)
* The Resistance Banker (2018)
* Dirty God (2019)
* Buladó (2020)
* The Judgement (2021)
* Oink (2022)
* Sweet Dreams (2023)
* Memory Lane (2024)

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Dutch submissions for the Academy Award for Best International Feature Film

* The Village on the River (1959)
* Like Two Drops of Water (1963)
* The Human Dutch (1964)
* Monsieur Hawarden (1969)
* Mira (1971)
* Turkish Delight (1973)
* Help! The Doctor Is Drowning (1974)
* Dr. Pulder Sows Poppies (1975)
* Max Havelaar (1976)
* Soldier of Orange (1977)
* Pastorale 1943 (1978)
* A Woman Like Eve (1979)
* In for Treatment (1980)
* Come-Back! (1981)
* The Cool Lakes of Death (1982)
* The Fourth Man (1983)
* Army Brats (1984)
* The Dream (1985)
* The Assault (1986)
* Count Your Blessings (1987)
* The Vanishing (1988)
* Polonaise (1989)
* Evenings (1990)
* Eline Vere (1991)
* The Northerners (1992)
* The Little Blonde Death (1993)
* 06 (1994)
* Antonia's Line (1995)
* Long Live the Queen (1996)
* Character (1997)
* The Polish Bride (1998)
* Scratches in the Table (1999)
* Little Crumb (2000)
* The Moving True Story of a Woman Ahead of Her Time (2001)
* Zus & Zo (2002)
* Twin Sisters (2003)
* Simon (2004)
* Bluebird (2005)
* Black Book (2006)
* Duska (2007)
* Dunya and Desi (2008)
* Winter in Wartime (2009)
* Tirza (2010)
* Sonny Boy (2011)
* Kauwboy (2012)
* Borgman (2013)
* Accused (2014)
* The Paradise Suite (2015)
* Tonio (2016)
* Layla M. (2017)
* The Resistance Banker (2018)
* Instinct (2019)
* Buladó (2020)
* Do Not Hesitate (2021)
* Narcosis (2022)
* Sweet Dreams (2023)
* Memory Lane (2024)

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