We are very proud to announce that Zeevonk (Sea Sparkle) has been selected to have its world premiere in the Berlinale Generation Kplus 2023 programme.

Domien Huyghe’s feature is about a North Sea fisherman who dies at sea under mysterious circumstances and his teenage daughter, Lena, who wants to investigate if a sea creature is to blame. Lena’s relentless push against the tide reveals a tale of anger and grief, yet also of the strength and comfort the ocean provides.

For his first feature film, Domien Huyghe joined forces with his sister and screenwriter Wendy Huyghe, with a story based on the death of their own father 20 years ago. The screenplay is by Wendy Huyghe and Jean-Claude van Rijckeghem.
Dries Phlypo and Stephen Vandingenen produced for A Private View, in co-production with Viking Film in The Netherlands.

The leading roles in Zeevonk are played by Valentijn Dhaenens and Hilde De Baerdemaeker, in addition to newcomer Saar Rogiers. Other important roles are for Zouzou Ben Chikha, Lynn Van Royen, Sebastien Dewaele, Sverre Rous and Dunia Elwaleed.

“When I lost my father as a teenager, stories about loss helped me to name the unmentionable, to learn to understand the incomprehensible”, said Huyghe of what is his directorial debut. He added he wanted to “create a story that takes the young viewer seriously, but at the same time draws them into a story full of magic, excitement, adventure, humor, and friendship. After all, just because you’re grieving doesn’t mean you can’t have an adventure.”

Backers include Flanders Audiovisual Fund (VAF), Eurimages, Netherlands Film Fund, The Netherlands Production Incentive, Ostend, Belgian Tax Shelter, Casa Kafka Pictures empowered by Belfius, ÉÉN.

The film will be released on 29th of March 2023 in Belgian cinemas and will be distributed by Paradiso Filmed Entertainment.

In addition to Zeevonk, production company A Private View has been selected for the Berlinale with a second title, the international co-production Inside.