FIGHTING SPIRIT
THE STORY.
Because Amsterdam Pride was cancelled in 2020 due to Covid, the question arose within the LGBTI+ community and their allies: how do we remain visible in our fight for equality and acceptance? For many, this fight continued tirelessly. This time not on a decked-out boat full of glitter and glamour or a speech in front of a large audience, but in a different form.
The six-part series Strijdlust (translated to Fighting Spirit) portrays six Amsterdam LGBTQI+ people who are committed to fight for the community in a unique way. Stripped of the boas and flags, we return to the essence of pride in this series. Showing our solidarity seems more important than ever.
THE PRODUCTION.
When Pride celebrations in the Netherlands (and around the world) were cancelled due to the Covid-19 pandemic, it felt as though an essential lifeline for the LGBTQ+ community had been quietly severed. In a moment when isolation and invisibility were closing in, I was moved by the courage of six remarkable individuals who chose to step forward — to speak, to act, and to represent. This series is their story. In times when being seen becomes harder, the need to be visible becomes more urgent. Pride is not a parade; it is a declaration. And these frontrunners declared it boldly, when it mattered most. This work is a tribute to them — and a reminder that even in silence, we can be loud. Even in isolation, we can be seen.
My role
Director, scenarist, camera operator and editor
Release
July 2020
Length
6 x 4 minutes
Film location
Amsterdam
Year of production
2020
Commissioner
Municipality of Amsterdam
Production & casting by
Sander Roks
More info on
www.youtube.com
