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During the Berlinale I met Sam de Jong, director of Goldie, at the Marriott hotel and sat down with him to talk about his film, future projects and if there ever was a "Plan B" for him?fGR: How did you meet Slick Woods?
SdJ: So Slick was introduced to me by the casting directors, cause I like to meet people and actors early on in the writing stage of the project. They set up a meeting with her, cause they felt that what I was working on had a lot of mutual ground with who she was and her life story. And then I met her and she really liked my previous work and the project and shared her journey with me and we managed to incorporate that in the movie. After that I wrote a few more drafts of the screenplay - knowing Slick would be Goldie.
fGR: So it was like a mixture of you having this idea and then combining this with her experiences?
SdJ: Yeah, exactly.
fGR: Okay! And do you know if she will be acting in another movie?
SdJ: I think she wants to, but she said like “I want to play a bus driver or something different…”, because I think she was processing a lot while filming and that was pretty impactful.
fGR: Did you intended to use these aggressive scenes within the family as a stylistic device or were they only to show what really happens in the family?
SdJ: I think it was mainly to show the two modes in her life, because I think it’s important that you understand that dreams about her career are perceived as a way out of a situation that is not pleasing to the family as a whole.
fGR: And which message would you like to send to the (American) audience? Is there anything you have on your mind?
SdJ: I think what Slick and I were talking about is that although in real life she found salvation in pop culture it is not accessible to everyone. Although the idea in the US and in the West is that there is this equality of opportunity for people and I think that clearly isn’t if you’re young and you have to deal with such issues… I think the movie shows the obstacles and difficulties of pursuing you’re dreams in a society that’s not completely equal to everyone.
fGR: Why did you decide to not show what Goldie’s next steps are although you could have made a blend into the future? For example one month later: she is working at a coffee bar and still post’s pictures on Instagram.
SdJ: Yeah, but I think her life is moving so rapidly and quickly. The movie is set over the course of three days, so if you want to be truthful to what happens… There is happening a lot already and I also think there is no resolution yet and I think that’s what we’re trying to convey with the structure of the film.
fGR: How long did it take you to make this movie? Starting from the first idea…
SdJ: Four years.
fGR: Have you been doing something else in between?
SdJ: Well you have to process your experiences and observations – I did a lot of research in the script writing phase. Whenever you craft a new draft of a script, whenever you submit it there is like a few months before you get feedback. In the meantime I need to make enough money to get by, so that means doing commercials now and then and starting future writing projects, just finding future things to work on.
fGR: Would you say that you formed a team around you that helps you with all the projects or at least the movies? Or is it always different?
SdJ: No, I have my Dutch family that I work with, but this was all American. So by now I have my European home that I’m developing a new project with and at the same time I have people in the US that I work with. So I have those two things that I’m working on simultaneously.
SdJ: So the new movie is set around ivory trade and it will be a Dutch/German/South African co-production.
fGR: So the project is just starting?
SdJ: I’m getting feedback on the script now and it will be two more years, I think, before we can shoot it. And we still need to get it financed…
fGR: Do you know know if “Goldie” might be shown in German cinemas?
SdJ: I don’t know yet - I really hope so and will try and will discover that when I go and meet my sales agent later. But it’s a hard industry and there are many movies, there are like 400 here in Berlin. (at the Berlinale 2019) So I’m hoping for the best.
fGR: Was there any other option beside making movies and commercials? Did you have a “Plan B”?
SdJ: No, because I just can do this. I want to farm mussels or oysters but I don’t have the skills yet, so for now it’s just making movies.
fGR: When did you start making movies?
SdJ: When I was 18-years-old and then graduated from film school in 2013. So now I’ve been making movies as an adult for six years.
Thank you very much for the interview!
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