Showing as part of Double Dutch on Friday night at Grimmfest 2024, AMSTERDAM ALERT is one of the most tense things ever filmed. If you had any fingernails left after watching it, well done!
I had the pleasure of talking with Loïs Dols de Jong, who was behind this 40-minute horror, the day after the screening.
Let’s dive in..
How would you sum up AMSTERDAM ALERT in one sentence?
Loïs: When a nuclear missile is heading towards Amsterdam, the citizens have 40 minutes to decide what to do.
How did the idea come about?
Loïs: I think it was probably a Vice article I read about 10 years ago, where I learned that there are in fact nuclear bunkers underneath the Metro station and that just sparked this daydream fantasy of what I would do if I were in that situation. I live in the West Side and these (bunkers) are in the East Side and I never really forgot about it. This was actually a talent development program and I was able to pitch a few ideas, this popped in my head again because something was always at the back of my mind.
The concept is so simple, so terrifying and you made it so very intense for the audience. In writing and directing this, did you have any influences in terms of how to make this as tense as possible for viewers and what methods did you use?
Loïs: I did a bit, mostly the camera style but not other thriller or disaster movies. I took it from… oh shit I’ve forgot the name of the series… about the media family in America.
SUCCESSION! I love that show. How did it feel to watch this last night with an audience?
Loïs: At first, I actully wasn’t sure if I wanted to watch it because I’ve seen it so many times and then Suzan (de Swaan, producer and fellow Grimm guest) said “just do it because it’s always different with an audience” and it was really nice. It was nice to see and hear people react to it and I got back into it again. You kind of lose that when you’re in an editing room. But now I was able to actually view it as a member of the audience myself, so that was great.
Fantastic, and we’re absolutely thrilled to be screening it at the festival. What have you thought of Grimmfest so far?
Loïs: I really like it, I really like the people here. People are super nice. Maybe that’s our culture in the Netherlands, we’re more direct. I can tell by just generally the public, not just the organisation. These are really film fanatics. People really just love cinema, and it’s great being around those people.
What’s up next for you?
Loïs: I’m not sure. I stopped for a little while because I couldn’t think of any new ideas for about 6 months, and now it’s coming again. But now I just need to find time to sit down and write, which I find very hard.
The blank page is terrifying isn’t it?
Loïs: Yeah, now the next step is submitting new plans to the film fund in the Netherlands or the public network. Hopefully I now have a few ideas and hopefully one of them goes through.
Keeping everything crossed for you Loïs, can’t wait to see what you do next!
