International premiere

The Pupil

Local title
Õpilane
Original title
De Pupil
Director
Karin Junger
Country
Netherlands, Belgium
Year
2025
Festival
25th Youth and Children's Film Festival
Programme
Children's Rights Programme, International Youth Competition Programme
Genre
Drama
Subject
abuse, children's rights

A topic that cannot be ignored.

Twelve-year-old Daan’s passion for football transforms into a nightmare when his trusted coach Ries (45) methodically manipulates him into a web of abuse and secrecy. Inside Daan’s turbulent emotional world, validation and special attention gradually intertwine with shame and secrecy. As Ries’s predatory behaviour escalates, Daan retreats into isolation, trapped between loyalty to his mentor and the crushing weight of his hidden trauma. When the unthinkable truth finally surfaces, Daan must navigate not only his own devastating shame but also face the community’s conflicted response.

Director
Karin Junger
Screenwriter
Karin Junger
Cast
Bart de Wilde, Gijs Naber, Hadewych Minis, Marcel Hensema, Joost Meuwsen
Producer
Ineke Kanters, Lisette Kelder
Cinematographer
Martijn van Broekhuizen
Production Design
Ben Zuydwijk
Editing
David Verdurme
Music
Frederik Van de Moortel
Sound
Mark Glynne, Jac Vleeshouwers
Production
The Film Kitchen
World sales
Pluto Film Distribution Network GmbH
Runtime
Language
Dutch
Subtitles
Estonian
Director
Karin Junger

Karin Junger (1957) started out her career as a documentary filmmaker with the prestigious Joris Ivens Award at IDFA for her film “Birthplace Unknown” (1988). Karin went on to make multiple documentaries, many of them for Dutch broadcasters, and fiction films. Her short film “Great!” (2003) won the Silver Bear at Berlinale. Her first feature “Bolletjes blues!” (2006) was shown at New York Film Festival, Netherlands Film Festival and Cairo Filmfestival. Her fiction film, “10 Songs for Charity” (2021), had its world premiere at Giffoni Film Festival. Her work has a strong sense of urgency and social commitment and inventiveness in style and themes. Her latest documentary, “Free Space”, released in 2024, is about cancel culture in the arts. “The Pupil” is her third feature film.

Just Film is presented by

Screenings

7th Hall Apollo Kino Coca-Cola Plaza
Screening120717 / Õpilane
SubtitlesEnglish, Estonian
Q&A duration
Screening duration
1st Saku hall Apollo Kino Solaris
Screening141112 / Õpilane
SubtitlesEnglish, Estonian
Screening duration
7th Hall Apollo Kino Coca-Cola Plaza
Screening170714 / Õpilane
SubtitlesEnglish, Estonian
Screening duration
Trailer