In this heartwarming story, Dikke Dik loses his favorite cuddle toy. Together with his friend Poes Muis, he embarks on an exciting adventure to find it. The screenplay for this beautifully hand-drawn film was written by the late Burny Bos, who also serves as the narrator of the story.

The Golden Film Award was presented by filmmaker Tim Oliehoek to Linda Snoep, producer at BosBros and widow of Burny Bos, along with directors Erik Verkerk and Joost van den Bosch, at Pathé De Munt in Amsterdam.

This prestigious award, an initiative of the Netherlands Film Festival in collaboration with the Netherlands Film Fund and the Abraham Tuschinski Fund, is a wonderful recognition for the film.

Bos, who started as a primary school teacher, developed into a writer of children’s books and as an idiosyncratic radio, television and filmmaker for youth. His mission was to make quality programs and films for children and their parents.

In the 1970s, Burny Bos started youth radio for the AVRO. In addition to the Radio Lawaaipapegaai program, he created the Ko de Boswachter show, which for years attracted more than a million listeners on Sunday mornings at seven in the morning.
In the 1980s he launched youth television on Sunday mornings at VPRO. He started the controversial program Villa Achterwerk in which young makers were given the freedom to make idiosyncratic programs such as Theo and Thea and Rembo and Rembo.

In 1989, Burny Bos founded production company BosBros. Bos and his team made many successful films and television programs that won numerous international prizes all over the world. He initiated youth series such as The Penknife, Children of Waterland and Class Dismissed, inspiring countless makers at home and abroad to make youth films and series that children take seriously. Convinced that Dutch audiences deserve home-grown films, he started filming the books by Annie M.G. in the 1990s. Schmidt. The Flying Liftboy was followed by classics such as Otje, Miss Minoes, Pluk and his Tow Truck and The Amazing Wiplala, which Bos developed with his daughter Tamara, who wrote the screenplays. The films based on original scripts, such as Winky’s Horse, Fidgety Bram and Romy’s Salon, also received numerous prizes and won several Golden Calves. Bos himself received several personal awards, including the Jantje Beton Prize in 1996 for his contribution to Dutch youth culture and a special Golden Calf in 2014 for his special services to Dutch film culture. In 1999 Bos was elected Broadcaster of the Year.

A year ago, in 2022, Bos and his oeuvre were honored at Cinekid. Burny Bos said at the time: ‘I am happy and proud that the rich oeuvre of production house BosBros, to which so many talented makers have contributed, can now be seen by a new generation thanks to Cinekid.’

Burny’s most recent scenarios for two animated films about the ginger tomcat Tummy Tom, for which Bos provided the voiceovers, are currently in production.

In addition to an awe-inspiring oeuvre, Burny Bos leaves behind his wife, two daughters, three sons and seven grandchildren.

The idiosyncratic creator of the Ko de Boswachtershow, start-up of Villa Achterwerk and founder of production company BosBros is ill and does not get better. Reason enough for Cinekid to celebrate his work with him during the 36th edition of the festival. On Sunday, October 16, 2022, Cinekid will kick off with a special screening of Pluk and his Towtruck. A number of props from the films and series will be exhibited during the festival in Pathé Amsterdam Noord. Each day one of BosBros’ classics can be seen: Knofje, Fidgety Bram, The Penknife and Minoes. Pluk and his Towtruck will be shown at all Cinekid festival locations throughout the Netherlands during the autumn holidays.

Burny Bos: “I am happy and proud that the rich oeuvre of production house BosBros, to which so many talented makers have contributed, can now be seen for a new generation, thanks to Cinekid.”

Youth film and series on the international map
Burny Bos started youth radio in the 1970s. In addition to the Radio Lawaaipapagaai program, he made the Ko de Boswachtershow, which for years attracted more than a million listeners on Sunday mornings at seven o’clock. In the eighties he started working for the VPRO to make youth television. He started the Villa Achterwerk program in which various makers were given the freedom to create idiosyncratic programs such as Theo and Thea and Rembo and Rembo. He also initiated youth series such as The Penknife, Childrens of Waterland, Class Dismissed. As a producer, writer and founder of BosBros, Burny and his team have made many successful films and television programs that have won multiple international awards. With this he inspired countless makers at home and abroad to make youth films and series that take children seriously.

In the fight against American blockbusters, Burny started filming the books by Annie M.G. Schmidt in the 1990s. After Abeltje, the Flying Liftboy, classics such as Otje, Minoes and Pluk and his Towtruck followed. The films The Penknife, Winky’s Horse and Fidgety Bram are still popular with young and old. In 2014 Bos received the Golden Calf for the Culture Prize for his special contributions to Dutch film culture. Burny’s most recent screenplay for an animated film by Tummy Tom will go into production soon.

Heleen Rouw, Cinekid director: “Youth films and series of quality with a certain individuality and originality are so incredibly important for children. Burny inspires many makers with his vision, in the Netherlands but also far beyond.”

About Cinekid Festival

Cinekid Festival takes place from 15 to 30 October across the country, during the autumn break. Premieres of (inter)national films and series are shown in Amsterdam and there are daily masterclasses, workshops, and numerous activities such as meet & greets with actors. Cinekid opens on Wednesday 12 October with the world premiere of the Dutch film Totem by director Sander Burger at the main location in Amsterdam North. The program will be online from September 29, 2022. Ticket sales will also start via cinekid.nl. Follow the latest Cinekid news on Facebook, Instagram and via the Cinekid newsletter.

The screenplay was written by Burny Bos, who, as a producer and scriptwriter, has managed to put the Dutch children’s film and series (MINOES, HUGGLEBOO, WINKY’s HORSE, MR. FROG) on the map in Europe. Joost van den Bosch & Erik Verkerk of animation studio Ka-Ching Cartoons (GEORGE & PAUL) will direct the animation film.

film TUMMY TOM AND THE LOST TEDDY BEAR will be an active do-and-sing-along film for the youngest target group and their (grand)parents, where the audience does not have to sit still, but Dikkie Dik can help with the search for his dearest Hug. The songs are composed by Mike Boddé and Johan Hoogeboom. The film is expected to be shown in Dutch cinemas in mid-2024.

Synopsis

Tummy Tom discovers to his dismay that his dearest cuddly toy Bear has disappeared. He searches for Bear everywhere, but to his sorrow Bear cannot be found. When his girlfriend Cat Mouse comes to help him, the search becomes fun. Together they embark on a quest that takes them further and further away from home, as far as the farm, the forest and the beach where they meet all kinds of animals. It will be a journey of discovery with a happy ending and many new friends.

Cinescoop focuses specifically on ambitious Dutch feature films and long animation films, which are so distinctive within the total film offer that they have the potential to reach a large Dutch cinema audience and/or to appeal to an international audience.

A domesticated cat gets lost during a holiday and must find her way back home through Europe with the help of the most despicable creatures a cat can imagine: A dog and a bird. During this journey, she broadens her outlook on life and discovers the true meaning of friendship.

MIPJunior is the leading market for children’s programming, and part of MIPCOM, the world’s largest entertainment market, which is held annually in Cannes.

The temperamental princess Arabella was chosen by the MIPJunior jury as the winning pitch from 119 applications from 41 countries. This unique pitch opportunity offers the winner the chance to showcase their project to the key global kids content decision makers who gather in Cannes every year.

The series shows how a little princess breaks the rules with her cheerful, royal boots and because of that makes surprising situations and solutions possible, both for herself and for the adults around her. Because whoever follows his heart instead of his head will gain new insights.

PRINCESS ARABELLA is directed by Patrick Chin (DR. PANDA), written by Maureen Versprille (WHEN MY FATHER BECAME A BUSH) and Esther Duysker (BULADÓ) and jointly developed and produced by Phanta Animation and BosBros.