Mevrouw de Minister
“With Richard van Oosterhout operating the camera, the narrow minded political landscape of the Netherlands suddenly becomes a grand and thrilling world.” – NLFilmdoek
Shot in black-and-white, and with a lot of close-ups, this three-episode tv-series tells the turbulent story of the young female Minster of Social Affairs & Employment, Dirkje Holman, who’s first steps in male politics of The Hague causes a lot of commotion. When the Health Care sector is in state of crisis, cuts have to be made somewhere. The plan rises to oblige all who take welfare to volunteer in the Health Care sector. This against all Dirkje’s socialist principles. When the gouvernement decides the solutions must be found within Dirkje’s budget, all hell breaks loose. In her battle against oligarchy and backroom politics, she refuses to execute this plan, but under great pressure of the Prime Minister, she finally submits. A wave of protests blows through the Netherlands, and Dirkje becomes the national scapegoat. Obstinate as she is, she perseveres, even at the cost of her career, and her personal life.