AMSTERDAM: TRACES OF SUGAR

The documentary film tracks down the (many) traces of the enslavement of Africans, in present day Amsterdam/The Netherlands and digs deep into the genealogy of two well know persons in The Netherlands and Surinam: journalist Noraly Beyer-Oostvriesland and Glenn de Randamie aka rapper Typhoon. Artist and cultural activist Patricia Kaersenhout shares some of her work dealing with the history of the enslavement of Africans.

The film explores the way present day education in The Netherlands deals with Dutch enslavement and the multicultural society, while stressing that, often avoided or denied, the history of the enslavement of Africans, is a shared history between The Netherlands and Surinam and other Dutch Caribbean islands.

The film is a powerful plea to reclaim history and dignity for the people of African descent.

by IDA DOES
Independent director and producer Ida Does is a native of Surinam (South America) and has worked in Europe and the Caribbean for the past thirty years as a teacher, journalist and filmmaker. Ida’s work addresses (colonial) history, art, (Caribbean) pioneers and social justice. ‘Amsterdam, traces of sugar’ is her ninth film project as director/producer.
Her film ‘Poetry is an Island, Derek Walcott’ (2013, 80 min) with Nobel Laureate Derek Walcott has been screened in more than 40 festivals and theaters around the world. It has won 4 awards for best documentary on International Film Festivals. Her previous films on freedomfighter Anton de Kom and the national poet of Surinam Trefossa, also received awards.

THE NETHERLANDS || 2017 || 53 MINS