Zonder Zelda

This deceptively unassuming made for TV movie expertly captures the atmosphere, simultaneously stifling and liberating, of Holland in the late '60s without resorting to such time-honored cinematic shorthand like filling the soundtrack with a plethora of period tunes, though Shocking Blue's justly legendary "Venus" is exceptionally well used.

Aimless teens Wander (Damien Hope) and Zelda (Isabel Erisman), from different sides of the tracks, fall in love as they attend the same strict Calvinist school. The girl's increasingly erratic behavior alerts Wander to the possibility that all's not well on the home front. Years later, as an adult (and played by the formidable Jaap Spijkers of POOLSE BRUID fame), he catches sight of her on a TV show where she appears to be trying to re-establish contact with her father (who left soon after the episode we have just witnessed) and the terrible truth comes out.

To reveal more of the slender yet meticulously constructed storyline would be a shame as the film consists of subtle touches that gradually shed light on a painful secret, almost a thriller with its final sucker punch revelation. Acting by the two young leads is outstanding, especially pretty blonde Erisman who tackles the complex title character with tremendous passion and conviction uncanny in one so youthful. This miniature masterpiece deserves much wider exposure.