JACKPOT

As a filmmaker, I see it as my mission — and my responsibility — to shine a light on unseen communities and their unsung heroes. In JACKPOT, the focus is on undocumented people, a group of tens of thousands living in the Netherlands, with a significant number in Rotterdam. People who migrate in search of a better life are often called "fortune seekers”. But isn't everyone seeking fortune, in some way? They are forced into anonymous lives, surviving by doing the jobs no one else wants, keeping the wheels of our society turning. It's painful to see how we deny their existence. No papers? Then you have no rights. Sadly, this is not just a Dutch issue, it is mirrored in situations all around the world.

With JACKPOT, my hope is that the audience will feel Benʼs resilience and humanity, even though he is a man who has lost hope and, more importantly, his trust in others. To convey this, we framed him alone in wide anamorphic single-shots that emphasize his isolation, contrasting them with intimate close-ups, while color, locations, production design, and costume choices all reinforce and support the way Ben sees the world around him. I want the audience to see Ben as a person with dreams, just like anyone else, and for this film to counteract the dehumanization that undocumented people often experience in politics and the media. Ultimately, I want to leave them with one question: why do we place so much value on a piece of paper? This film is a plea for human connection, wrapped in an accessible, slightly absurd, darkly comedic buddy film, carrying the message that hope is often found in the most unexpected friendships.