Few TV episodes are as infamous as the Woensel-West episode of the controversial SBS6 program Problem Neighborhoods (2005). And now the series is getting a sequel. Filmmaker Meije Dijkstra saw the craziest things and will soon come up with her own documentary on YouTube. “They are real birds of paradise.”
In the original program SBS6 went to several notorious neighborhoods in the Netherlands. The channel made Woensel-West in Eindhoven and the Graafsewijk in Den Bosch a household name, but not in the most positive sense. The program was very controversial, especially after riots broke out in the neighborhood for four days after the episode about the Graafsewijk.
“I was curious to what extent Woensel-West can still be seen as a problem area.”
Meije had not missed that. “If you look at the episodes of Problem Neighborhoods, Woensel-West may be number one,” he explains. “I was curious to what extent Woensel-West can still be seen as a problem neighbourhood. I previously did the same in Assen, which also had an episode in Problem Neighborhoods.”
But what did he actually find? “Well, a neighborhood that is no longer a problem district,” Meije says. “There is still a hard core of people who already lived there in 2005. And the good thing is, they also think it’s a shame that the neighborhood has changed so much. Which is also the case, partly due to the efforts of the municipality of Eindhoven.”
Still, there was plenty to film. At least, it is not only Woensel-West that is worth filming. According to Meije, his documentary is therefore actually an ode to the whole of Eindhoven.
“I cut out the bits they couldn’t appreciate.”
“Look, these are birds of paradise. To people who are completely themselves in front of the camera. I like people who don’t clap when I film them. You will find that type of people a lot in Eindhoven. It is an industrial city and so it is not just about Woensel-West. You will find this type of people in more neighborhoods.”
So an ode. You can’t really say that about the 2005 broadcast. SBS6 visualized each detail of the district. Is he afraid that his images will cause the same fuss as the SBS6 images 18 years ago?
“No. There is nuance in my documentary. And I also showed the images to all the main characters. I cut out the pieces they couldn’t appreciate. SBS6 has not requested that consent. So I can reassure people, it will just be a nice picture of the Woensel district.”
The documentary can be seen soon on YouTube.
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