Abel (1986)

Abel is a 1986 Dutch film directed by Alex van Warmerdam who also scripted and played the lead character. Other lead roles were played by Henri Garcin, Annet Malherbe and Olga Zuiderhoek. Supporting roles were played by Loes Luca and Arend Jan Heerma van Voss among others. Its music was written by Vincent van Waterdam and the film was distributed by First Floor Features.

Abel was Van Warmerdam's directional debut. He at first planned to make the movie in black and white but others discouraged this and he chose colour instead. The vast majority of the movie is situated in a fictive kind of Dutch fifties.

Abel had over 300 000 visitors, and it received a Gouden Kalf for 'Best film' and a Gouden Kalf for 'Best director'. In 1990 the tragedic comedy was named Best Dutch Film of the eighties by the Kring van Nederlandse Journalisten. In 2000 Abel was released on DVD.

Abel was produced in collaboration with Orkater and the VPRO.

Synopsis

Abel is a 31-year-old boy who still lives at his parents home. He hasn't been out for over 10 years, much to the chagrin of his father Victor. On the other hand, he gets spoiled by his mother Duif. He spends most of his days spying on the neighbours, setting up his parents against each other and fruitlessly trying to cut flies in two with an enormous pair of scissors.

Actors