De Eerste Zone

In this dystopian science fiction film, shot in Friesland and Groningen, much of The Netherlands lies submerged after a devastating climate catastrophe. The hardened Fenna (Hadewych Minis) has managed to survive on her own inside an abandoned wind turbine, but a heavy storm abruptly separates her from her familiar home base. What follows is a solitary journey across the endless expanse of water. Fenna’s path crosses with those of other survivors, and long-suppressed memories from before the disaster—of warmth, connection, and human contact—resurface, forcing her to shed her emotional defenses. Does she truly want to be alone? Through enchanting visuals of recognizable water and Wadden landscapes, De Eerste Zone paints a unique picture of the future, exposing not only the fragility of our planet but also the inescapable, deep-rooted traits of human nature.

De Eerste Zone marks the feature film debut of director Thom Lunshof, a native of Leeuwarden, who co-wrote the film with Sam Dijkstra. The film premiered this summer at the 79th Edinburgh International Film Festival and had its Dutch premiere as part of the First Feature Competition at the Leiden International Film Festival in October. The screening at the Noordelijk Film Festival marks its Frisian premiere.

After the screening on Friday, director Thom Lunshof and writer Sam Dijkstra will be present for a Q&A (in Dutch).