Film Screening + Director Q&A: “The Propagandist”
Luuk Bouwman, director
Fri, 9/25 · 4:30 pm—7:00 pm · 010 East Pyne
Committee for Film Studies
Join the Committee for Film Studies for a screening of the 2024 documentary film by Luuk Bouwman, with a Q&A to follow.
Jan Teunissen (1898-1975) loved films. He loved them so much, he shot daily home movies of his children, became a professional director, and made the first Dutch film with sound. When the Nazis occupied Holland, he started making films for them too.
Was he a true believer? An anti-Semite? An opportunist?
“The Propagandist” tells Teunissen’s story through home movies, newsreels, propaganda films, and extensive interviews conducted decades after the war by two historians. Although he was head of the Dutch Nazi Party’s Film Department — overseeing films on everything from the genetic superiority of Dutch cows to celebrations of Nazi leadership — Teunissen always claimed he was just trying to build the local film industry and create opportunities for film crews.
In addition to interviews with Teunissen, “The Propagandist” also includes archival conversations from his fellow wartime filmmakers and cinematographers, some of whom worked hard to eradicate all traces of their Nazi past.
In an age of rising authoritarianism, “The Propagandist” is an engrossing study of how even those serving the most brutal regimes minimize their contributions and ultimately try to justify their actions
Director Luuk Bouwman (Oss, 1977) is a filmmaker and musician. He studied film at the Art Academy St. Joost in Breda and graduated with a film about the artificial art of computer scientist Remko Scha. In 2002, Luuk started the online video diary Tropisms.org, uploading video’s while traveling through Latin America and Africa. Tropisms is now considered one of the earliest examples of a vlog. Luuk’s documentaries have been acclaimed, “The New West” (2006) was nominated for the Prix Europa, “Dick Verdult – it is True but Not Here” (2017) was nominated for the Margaret Mead Filmmaker Award and awarded Best Documentary at DocFeed Festival. Together with Bastiaan Bosma, Luuk formed techno-punk band Aux Raus. He makes electronic music with artist Rafael Rozendaal, as Cold Void. And has a monthly radio show on Red Light Radio. He co-directed his latest film, “Gerlach” (2023), with Aliona van der Horst. His film “The Propagandist” (2024) has been selected at IDFA.
Running time 108 minutes / Color and B&W / Dutch with English subtitles.
