The Embassy of the Kingdom of The Netherlands

is pleased to announce the

screening of the Netherlands contribution to the

XXIIst European Union Film Festival

OBER (Waiter)

(English subtitles)

a film by Alex van Warmerdam

on

Saturday, 1 December 2023

at 7.00 p.m. in the

Auditorium of the Library and Archives Canada

395 Wellington Street, Ottawa

The film will be followed by a vin d‘honneur

Tickets can be bought at the door for $9.00 per ticket.

For seniors and students: $6.50, for Members of the “Canadian Film Institute”

and “Friends of the National Archives”: $6.00 at the door

Synopsis

The fictitious fifty-year-old Edgar works as a waiter in “The West”, a rather run-down restaurant.. His wife Ilse is chronically ill. An extramarital relationship with Helena offers him little more than sexual gratification. Edgar is being terrorised by asocial neighbours and his job is unfulfilling. Edgar has had enough of this miserable existence and, he goes to complain to the man who is “writing/creating” him, Herman. He doesn’t want any more difficult customers. He’s had enough of his wife. He wants a new girlfriend, new neighbours. Simply, he wants a new life…..

Director’s Statement

“Ober is a stylised comedy with strong, amusing dialogues and an unpredictable ending. Every good comedy has a darker undertone, and this is also true of this film. Even so, humour, the laughable, continually surfaces. The struggle between Herman and Edgar forces the former to interventions which put Edgar in extreme, grotesque situations. This in turn results in a capricious structure, so the viewer never knows what is going to happen next”.

OBER (2006):

Official Selection International Film Festival Toronto, Canada

Official Selection International Film Festival Antalya, Turkey

Official Selection International Film Festival Pusan, Korea

Golden Calf, best scenario, Dutch Film Festival

Golden Calf, best art-direction, Dutch Film Festival

Nominations Golden Calf, best film, best director, best music, Dutch Film Festival

Nomination Dutch film Critics Award