Finding Tom Bombadil
Finding Tom Bombadil is a detective documentary about a man on a quest to find his favourite fiction character in the real world. The film tracks the early stages of this worldwide search for Tolkien’s most mysterious fantasy figure. Coincidences and chance encounters lead Joost van de Loo – a holistic detective helped by a host of volunteers, field researchers and advisers - to investigate candidates in Shetland, Germany, England, New Zealand, South Korea, Tanzania, Finland and the United States. After years of searching he realises that the search is only just beginning.
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Joost van de LooDirector
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Joost van de LooWriter
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Joost van de LooProducer
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Professor David HandKey Cast
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Dr. Mark BeneckeKey Cast
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Liz MullaneKey Cast
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Mark Lee HunterKey Cast
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Bernward KochKey Cast
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Maarten WesterveenKey Cast
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Aidan 'King Rah' CollinsKey Cast
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Ryan Shelford HendriksKey Cast
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Thomas Bear BombadilKey Cast
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Joost van de LooKey Cast
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Auke HulstKey Cast
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Christopher NohrKey Cast
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Ines FischerKey Cast
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Stephanie BeneckeKey Cast
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Florian HebestreitKey Cast
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Corbinian BeitelsteinKey Cast
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Robert BeetsKey Cast
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Corey OlsenKey Cast
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Penelope WolffKey Cast
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Stan van de WeteringKey Cast
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Charlotte HeadrickKey Cast
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James 'Jimmy' SmithKey Cast
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Michiel HoogstedeKey Cast
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Meegan BombadilKey Cast
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Cooper BombadilKey Cast
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Jerry PaulKey Cast
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Sally HaererKey Cast
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Doug BarofskyKey Cast
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Andy StephenKey Cast
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Dave KokKey Cast
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Wilma IJzermanKey Cast
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Tommy ShinKey Cast
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James YooKey Cast
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Norbert LintoKey Cast
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Maurice WilliamsonKey Cast
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EspEspen 'Mzungu Kichaa' SørensenKey Cast
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Barry NisbetKey Cast
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David VanderwegeKey Cast
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Akim ReinhardtKey Cast
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Herman HeynKey Cast
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Jizelle St. FleurKey Cast
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Nick RozenbergEditor
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Renger KoningMusic Composer and Sound Designer
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Bobby WesselsAnimation
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Daniel LawsonNarrators
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Wendy IshiiNarrators
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Lynette DarleenColour Grading
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Joost van de LooCamera
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Maarten WesterveenResearch and Second Camera
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Gillian MurdochResearch and Second Camera
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Henriëtte PoelmanResearch and Second Camera
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Kai DiehoAdditional Camera
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Stephanie BeneckeField Detectives
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Bernward KochField Detectives
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Leon LintoField Detectives
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Norbert LintoField Detectives
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Tommy ShinField Detectives
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Jizelle St. FleurField Detectives
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Maurice WilliamsonField Detectives
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Herman HeynField Detectives
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Akim ReinhardtField Detectives
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Marc VeerkampTom Bombadil Profilers
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Rik PeelsTom Bombadil Profilers
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Auke HulstTom Bombadil Profilers
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Koen HogewoningCommunication and Title Design
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Ilona van de LaarschotCommunication and Title Design
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Martijn NieuwenhuisBillboard Design
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Bruno SellésInvestigation Room Concept
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Professor David HandInvestigation Advisers
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Dr. Mark BeneckeInvestigation Advisers
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Mark Lee HunterInvestigation Advisers
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Barbara MakkingaDocumentary Advisers
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Ben van HouterDocumentary Advisers
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Maarten van RossemDocumentary Advisers
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Marc SchmidtDocumentary Advisers
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Thomas SpijkermanDramaturgy Advisers
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Caszimir CleutjensDramaturgy Advisers
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Mary CrowPoetry Translation
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Project Type:Documentary, Experimental, Feature
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Runtime:45 minutes 52 seconds
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Completion Date:April 11, 2019
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Production Budget:60,000 EUR
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Country of Origin:Netherlands
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Language:English
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Shooting Format:Digital
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Aspect Ratio:16:9
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Film Color:Color
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First-time Filmmaker:Yes
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Student Project:No
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Imagine Film FestivalAmsterdam
Netherlands
April 19, 2019
World Premiere
Special Official Selection
Joost van de Loo is a holistic detective and film director who specialises in detective documentary; a cocktail of humour and serious investigation. He combines film with design, journalism and improbable research to create things that first make people laugh, and then think.
Currently, Joost is conducting a coincidence-powered quest to find Tom Bombadil, Tolkien's most mysterious fantasy figure, in the real world. Joost has also helped to launch a new programme for BBC Four television, created 'Castrato Superstar' (an Augmented Reality sculpture based on the true story of Paul Texel, a natural castrate opera singer with a soprano voice, who was discovered by Andy Warhol and then lost his voice) and interviewed contemporary hermits in the UK, India and The Netherlands.
Somehow Tom Bombadil always stood out for me. He’s so positive and unique; the oldest and maybe most powerful person in the universe, but power leaves him cold. My project assumes that he actually exists. We’re assuming that somewhere, Tom Bombadil is living and walking amongst us.