In 2008 the fortified town of Woudrichem was already a shooting location for the film Hunger Winter, followed by shooting for the TV series Dokter Tinus for six seasons. And soon it will be hit again: Woudrichem will be the film set for the new Dutch film: Hart in the right place. “Seven or eight shooting days are planned,” says Mark van Room of the production house Messercola. “We shoot scenes in which sometimes thirty extras play a part, but sometimes only three. There has been a lot of response from the population to the call for figuration.”
“Heart in the right place, finally home” is the title of the film, which will be largely shot in Woudrichem and which will premiere in more than a hundred Dutch cinemas next summer. “It’s a romantic comedy,” says Mark van Room. “It is the story of a girl who has moved after the big city, but returns to her mother due to problems in her relationship and work. Back to her native village (Woudrichem), which will be called Zeilne in the film.”
Coby van Frankenhuizen from the fortified town is super excited that film shooting will take place again. “I only hear nice reactions around me. We run a small shop called ‘Old Love’. At Dokter Tinus’s, that shop was the greengrocer’s shop in town, and our house had to close the shutters for the film Hunger Winter.”
Coby goes on to say that the crew of the film has already visited her shop. “They’ve already gone to look at stuff that they can use in the film. We sell vintage interior stuff, among other things, and they can just borrow it for the shooting. When I’m closed, they can even borrow the key to get in.”
In the film Eve exchanges the village (Woudrichem) for the trendy city at the age of 18, when she returns to the village she is much older (Irene Moors) and notices that the village is years behind the city. “Have we become a village again, despite the fact that we are a real city”, is the humorous reaction of city guide Jos. “I don’t mind, I like it.”
When asked, Korthout thinks he knows why a major film production is being shot again – and for a large part – in Woudrichem. “You have a beautiful setting, there is little crowds and cooperation in Woudrichem goes fairly smoothly,” says Korthout.
Herman van Diejen, who organized ‘Doker Tinus Walks’ in the town at the time that Doctor Tinus was admitted, also understands that Woudrichem was chosen again. “It’s beautiful here, it’s compact and still has that old Dutch feel. If you look at Willemstad, for example, you still see a huge contrast between old and new construction. Only that name: Zeilne I don’t like that, that’s not a catchy name.” In addition to Woudrichem, recordings are also made in Roterdam and Arkel.
In the six seasons that Doctor Tinus was admitted to the fortified city, there was certainly some slight irritation between residents and crew in the beginning. That irritation arose at the time due to the ‘urban behaviour’ of the crew. “I also told this crew in conversations that they really have to respect the residents,” says Coby van Frankhuizen. “Then you really get all the cooperation here.” An advice that Herman van Diejen also draws attention to. “They should not say ‘we are from Amsterdam’ because then they are at the wrong address here.”
Video: In January 2018, Woudrichem said goodbye to Doctor Tinus with melancholy