Starting your own country? That is impossible in a world where almost every inch of land has already been claimed. Still, program maker Tim den Besten seemed like an interesting idea. The new youth series is about that mission Timmylandfrom Sunday on NPO Zapp.
In the series, den Besten discovers what it takes to be the boss of your own country. In Timmyland he is the leader and can control everything, but how do you do that? The political leader-to-be consults key political figures.
‘I’m starting my own country, but do it in a way you would as a child’, explains Den Besten. ‘We eat snacks every day and you can’t wear boring clothes. Gradually I find out that I am actually setting up a dictatorship. In this way children learn about the importance of democracy, but in an imaginative and funny way.’
In the first episode, the leader of Timmyland visits King Willem-Alexander. ‘An unreal and absurd experience’, according to den Besten. ‘You go up that famous platform where a footman receives you. ‘I have an appointment with the king’, you say. Of course I pretended to set up a country and as an experienced head of state he could give me advice on that.’
Prime Minister Mark Rutte also received the presenter in the Torentje. ‘That was much more informal. Afterwards my team and I felt like we could go away for the weekend Mark.’ Den Besten mentions another series of people and organizations that were happy to cooperate. ‘Vera Bergkamp received us in the House of Representatives, singer Froukje made a national anthem for us, Eva Jinek presented it Timmyland Journaland we were allowed to print our own Timmyland coin at the Royal Dutch Mint.’
The program maker hopes that adults will also go to Timmyland will watch. ‘There are many references to the real world. For example, the suit I’m wearing is inspired by the uniform Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi always wore. The program is a big soup of references to reality that are sometimes the most strange.’
Timmyland (VPRO), from Sunday 13 November, 19.20, NPO Zapp