MILK
A film by Stefanie Kolk
Days after giving birth to a stillborn baby, Robin’s breasts start to produce milk. Unable to throw it away, Robin takes the unusual decision to donate her milk. As her quest for a place to donate becomes more difficult than anticipated, more and more milk starts to crowd her freezer, relationship, and life.
Status: Completed
Year: 2023
Genre: Drama
Country: Netherlands
Language: Dutch
Available subtitles: English, French, Spanish, German, Italian, Portuguese, Chinese
Runtime: 96 minutes
Original title: Melk
Stefanie Kolk studied biophysics and lived in Japan for two years before entering the Netherlands Film Academy. Her graduation short Clan and shorts Harbour and Eyes on the Road premiered at the Locarno International Film Festival’s Pardi di Domani International Competition in 2016, 2017, and 2019. Stefanie’s films have been shown at festivals around the world, in Dutch cinemas, and on Dutch national television. She was a participant at Berlinale Talents 2019 and a Talent en Route at the Netherlands Film Festival 2019. Her first feature film, “Melk”, was selected for Berlinale Script Station 2021 and for holding its World Premiere in the Giornata degli Autori 2023.
FILMOGRAPHY
2023 Melk
2019 Eyes on the Road (short)
2017 Harbour (short)
2016 Clan (short)
CAST
Frieda Barnhard
Aleksej Ovsiannikov
Ruth Sahertian
Jules Elting
Murat Toker
Arnoud Bos
Zineb Fallouk
Wimie Wilhelm
CREW
Director: Stefanie Kolk
Screenplay: Stefanie Kolk, Nena van Driel
Cinematography: Emo Weemhoff
Editing: Maarten Ernest
Sound: Jacob Oostra
Executive Producers: Erik Glijnis, Leontine Petit, Marina Blok
Production Company: Lemming Film, NTR
2023
Giornata degli Autori | Competition
Zurich Film Festival | Feature Film Competition
Warsaw Film Festival | Competition 1-2
Bordeaux International Independent FF | International Feature Competition · Erasmus + Award
São Paulo International Film Festival | New Filmmakers Competition
Thessaloniki International Film Festival | Film Forward Competition
Leeds IFF | Feature Film Competition
Zinebi | First Film International Competition
Tertio Millennio Film Fest | Official Competition
Mannheim-Heidelberg International Film Festival | On The Rise
Panorama of European Cinema Film Festival | International Competition
International Film Festival of Kerala | World Cinema
Les Arcs Film Festival | Hauter
2024
Rotterdam International Film Festival | Harbour
Pune International Film Festival | Global Cinema
Women International Film Festival Kerala | World Cinema
Luxembourg City Film Festival | Official Competition
Uruguay International Film Festival | Panorama
Beirut International Women Film Festival | Official Competition
Internationales Frauen Film Fest Dortmund + Köln | International Debut Feature Film Competition
Beijing International Film Festival | Tiantan Award Competition
Atlanta Film Festival | Narrative Feature Competition
Crossing Europe Film Festival | Competition Fiction · Best Fiction Film
Flying Broom International Women’s Film Festival
Dutch Film Festival – Brazil
Europe on Screen Festival
FEST – New Directors New Films Festival | Golden Lynx Competition
Beach Film Festival | Official Selection · Best Fiction Film for Best Film
New Horizons Film Festival | Let’s Go
Sarajevo Film Festival | Adriatic Audience Award
Herceg Novi FF Montenegro | Adriatic Audience Award
Five Lakes Film Festival | Main Competition
ICFF Manaki Brothers | Adriatic Audience Award
Tirana Film Fest | Adriatic Audience Award
Kyiv Critics’ Week | Focus: Ukraine – The Netherlands
Handled with confidence, maturity, and a lightness of touch.
Amber Wilkinson, Screen Daily
A fascinating film that will resonate not only with women (or men) who have gone through similar predicaments, but with parents in general.
Marc van de Klashorst, International Cinephile Society
A profoundly moving and thought-provoking cinematic experience that lingers in the viewer’s mind long after the credits roll.
Navid Nikkhah Azad, ZIZ