Tussen Wal en Schip – Geruisloos Indisch
In this documentary, three grandchildren accompany their Indo grandparents to the place where they first set foot on Dutch soil. Will they succeed in uncovering a family history that has been hushed up for years?
For many Indo families, the colonial past remains a painful subject. After Indonesia’s independence, thousands were forced to migrate and their stories were buried in silence. Jip, Kyron, and Benjamin attempt to break that silence. With patience, love, and curiosity, they engage their grandparents in conversations about a past that has long remained unspoken. How does this hidden history continue to shape their identities today?
Directors Sven Peetoom and Juliette Dominicus are third-generation Dutch-Indonesian filmmakers. Their grandparents made the journey from the Dutch East Indies to the Netherlands around 75 years ago, arriving in a country that did not always receive them with open arms. In Tussen Wal En Schip, the filmmakers weave together the stories of several Indo grandparents and grandchildren into a broader narrative about colonialism, migration, and intergenerational trauma.