Tom Fassaert
Filmmaker Tom Fassaert (born 1979) spent his childhood between the Netherlands and South Africa. These contrasting environments undoubtedly shaped his view of the world. But it was primarily his father's obsession with making home videos that ignited Fassaert's passion for film.
A common thread throughout his films is the degree of intimacy between himself and his subjects. Within this intimacy, he investigates universal themes like bonding, intergenerational trauma and the desire for autonomy. His films are often characterized by his gentle observations of both the tragedy and the absurdity of the ever recalcitrant reality.
Tom Fassaert debuted with his feature length documentary An Angel in Doel about a Belgian village threatened with demolition. A tragicomic observation - filmed in black and white - of a community dealing with its own inevitable demise. The film premiered at the Berlinale, screened at +50 festivals worldwide and won several international awards.
Fassaert's second feature length documentary A Family Affair focusses on his flamboyant grandmother and depicts the destructive patterns that are handed down generation after generation. It was the Opening Film of IDFA 2015 where Fassaert also received the prestigious Prins Bernhard Cultuur Fonds Documentary Award and the Special Jury Award. It made a journey to many international festivals and received numerous awards. Amongst others the Gouden Kalf (Dutch Academy Award) for best long documentary, and a nomination for Best European Documentary on the European Film Awards 2016. The film was acquired by Netflix globally while Variety named Fassaert ‘One of the Ten Docu-makers to Watch'.
About to have its world premiere is his third feature doc Between Brothers. In this intimate family portrait, Tom observes the relationship between his father Rob (72) and his older brother René (75). What begins as a tragicomic film about their unusual dynamic – one was a psychologist for many years, the other a psychiatric patient – turns into a moving search for their unknown roots.
Parallel to working on his next feature length documentary In Your Shadow, Tom also works within the context of theatrical, experimental and other short film projects like HOME as a collaborating (co-)director, camera operator and editor. Additionally he also coaches young filmmakers and lectures at (international) film schools such as Nederlandse Filmacademie and workshops such as IDFA project space.