Dutch entry for the Oscars
Sweet Dreams
Dutch East Indies, circa 1900: On a remote Indonesian island, during the final days of the colonial era, Dutch sugar manufacturer Jan suddenly drops dead in front of his wife Agathe. Their estranged son and his heavily pregnant wife arrive from the Netherlands to take over the family business. To everyone's dismay, Jan's mistress turns out to play a key role in his will. Amid an uprising of Indonesian workers, a cat-and-mouse game begins from which no one will emerge in one piece.
Sweet Dreams is director Ena Sendijarevic's second film, in which she combines relentless satire with an exuberant aesthetic in a story about the downfall of European colonialism. Actress Renée Soutendijk was awarded the Golden Leopard for Best Actor at the prestigious Locarno Film Festival for her role of Agathe. In addition, the film was also nominated in the Best Film category.
