Experiencing Interruptions?

One Way to Paris

Meike was supposed to go to Paris.
Instead, she’s stuck in the Ardennes, forced into team-building games and "learning moments." When she fails to write a love letter to herself — an assignment meant to build confidence — she makes a deal with her best friend: let’s write them for each other. Meike opens her heart. Jill doesn’t write back.
The next morning, Meike is gone.
Now Jill must find her — before it’s too late.

"One Way to Paris" is a tense, tender coming-of-age story about the fear of rejection, the courage to be seen, and the wild, quiet love between friends.

  • Kees-Jan Mulder
    Director
    NUDES, Silent Tears, Dos Santos, Gods Lam
  • Kees-Jan Mulder
    Writer
    NUDES, SIlent Tears, Gods Lam
  • Wicher Schuurman
    Writer
    The Devil's Avocado
  • Robert Pruis
    Producer
    NUDES
  • Benjamin de Vries
    Key Cast
  • David Favier
    Key Cast
  • Davita Borger
    Key Cast
  • Elena Merkus
    Key Cast
  • Elise van Kolthoorn
    Key Cast
  • Julia Fraanje
    Key Cast
  • Kirsten Looman
    Key Cast
  • Annemarie Koopman
    Key Cast
  • Victor Löw
    Key Cast
    Oscar winning films Antonia (1995), Karakter (1997)
  • Anton de Bies
    Key Cast
    Dos Santos, Black Lotus, Rampvlucht
  • Jeroen van Arkel
    Key Cast
    Odysseus: Odysseus
  • Jennifer Pruis
    Key Cast
    NUDES
  • Gerbert Floor
    Director of Photography
    Nudes, The Devil's Avocado
  • Gerrit Jan Ten Hove
    Editor
  • Remco den Hollander
    Music
    The Devil's Avocado, Nudes, Silent Tears
  • Wietse Veen
    SFX Artist
  • Project Title (Original Language):
    Enkeltje Parijs
  • Project Type:
    Short
  • Genres:
    Teen drama, coming of age, LHBTQI, Road Movie
  • Runtime:
    33 minutes 42 seconds
  • Completion Date:
    May 13, 2025
  • Production Budget:
    130,000 EUR
  • Country of Origin:
    Netherlands
  • Country of Filming:
    Belgium, France, Netherlands
  • Language:
    Dutch
  • Shooting Format:
    Digital 4K
  • Aspect Ratio:
    16:9
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
  • Digital Cinema Package:
    Unavailable
Director Biography - Kees-Jan Mulder

Kees-Jan Mulder studied Theology in Utrecht and Amsterdam before earning a cum laude distinction in Directing Fiction at the Utrecht Art Academy.

His graduation film, “Gods Lam” (2013), received the HKU Award, won the Youth Award at the ZUBROFFKA Film Festival, gained international recognition at various film festivals, and was exhibited in museums, including the MAXXI National Museum of 21st Century Arts in Rome.

With “Dos Santos” (2015), selected by the Dutch Academy for Film, Mulder once again explored the profound cost of complete surrender.

“Nudes” (2022) competed at the International Children's Film Festival in Chicago, premiered at Cinekid Amsterdam and was nominated for Best Film there, as well as for Best Director at Shortcutz. The film, which follows the disappearance of a group of boys, has been translated into four languages and is currently used in secondary schools across the Netherlands, Germany, Greece, the U.S., and Russia to spark discussions about sexting and online bullying.

In the satirical short “The Devil’s Avocado” (2023), featuring Ilse Warringa and Jan Terlouw, he played with absurdism and social themes, earning multiple festival awards.

Throughout his career, Mulder has created numerous films in Africa and Asia, seamlessly shifting between documentary-style filmmaking, fiction, and participatory video while experimenting with hybrid cinematic forms. Several of his found-footage video essays for Dag6 and Nieuwlicht gained significant popularity in the Netherlands.

With “Het Wonder van Oirsbeek” (2023, Thessaloniki Int. Doc Fest, winner of Best Film at LFF, co-directed with Jaap van Heusden) and the upcoming “Enkeltje Parijs” (2025), Mulder continues to push the boundaries of hybrid filmmaking. His work blends improvisation, found footage, and a sharp eye for social dynamics with fast and inventive editing.

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Director Statement

One Way to Paris was created to confront the quiet, often invisible struggle of teenagers who measure their worth against others, and lose themselves in the process.

The film uses mystery as an emotional engine to draw young audiences into a deeper reflection on self-esteem, friendship, and the pressures that shape them.

At its core, it aims to give teenagers (and the adults around them) language for experiences they rarely articulate but deeply feel.