Private Project

Piece of My Heart

Irma Roeters leads a lonely and disciplined life at the ballet academy, where she is the best ballerina and teacher’s favourite. Until Olga wanders into the studio: the antithesis of a classical ballerina with vulgar looks and excessively large thighs. Olga’s loud mouth belies an immense lyrical talent and a tiny heart. Despite their differences, the two girls become friends and are both accepted at the Dutch Royal Ballet after they graduate. Inside the classical ballet rehearsal studios, Olga and Irma dedicate themselves to their work. Outside in the nightlife of Amsterdam, Olga teaches Irma how to make fun, how to live.

Initially, Irma and Olga are each other’s equals at the Royal Ballet, but soon Olga’s exceptional talent and presence push her ahead of Irma. Olga is promoted to soloist and before she turns twenty she is already a star. It pains Irma to see her friend increasingly burdened by the strain that comes along with success. Olga begins to have panic attacks, develops anorexia nervosa and tries to find solace in booze and angel dust, that dulls her pain. She refuses to talk about her insecurities, even with Irma, the only person she still trusts. Irma manages to accept that she will never become a prima ballerina and tries to support her friend as best she can, now that the entire world wants a piece of Olga. But she seems powerless to stop Olga’s domineering father and the ballet management pushing her down the brink and also away from her. Eventually, Irma feels forced to break off contact with Olga and also resigns from the Royal Ballet.

However, Irma soon realises she can’t live without Olga. Bolstered by Olga’s love for her, Irma ultimately chooses to help Olga, in her own un-conventional and uncompromising way, to bid farewell to the art she loved so intensely. The ultimate act of love.

  • Dana Nechushtan
    Director
  • Roos Ouwehand
    Writer
  • Frans van Gestel
    Producer
  • Arnold Heslenfeld
    Producer
  • Laurette Schillings
    Producer
  • Peter Bouckaert
    Producer
  • Nathalie van Schelvergem
    Producer
  • Bracha van Doesburgh
    Producer
  • Daan Schuurmans
    Producer
  • Elaine Meijerink
    Key Cast
  • Roos Englebert
    Key Cast
  • Katelijne Damen
    Key Cast
  • Peter Paul Muller
    Key Cast
  • Daniël Boissevain
    Key Cast
  • Yannick Jozefzoon
    Key Cast
  • Gijs Scholten van Aschat
    Key Cast
  • Jan Kooijman
    Key Cast
  • Tina de Bruin
    Key Cast
  • Project Type:
    Feature
  • Runtime:
    1 hour 54 minutes
  • Country of Origin:
    Netherlands
  • Country of Filming:
    Netherlands
  • Language:
    Dutch
  • Film Color:
    Color
  • First-time Filmmaker:
    No
  • Student Project:
    No
Director Biography - Dana Nechushtan

Dana Nechushtan graduated in 1994 from the Netherlands Film and Television Academy in Amsterdam.

With her graduation film DJINN she won several awards and is also nominated for the Oscar for Best Student Film. With Joop van den Ende she immediately can start working on a new youth television series: 20PLUS. Due to the striking approach of this series, Dana was noticed by the Dutch broadcasters VPRO, VARA and NPS and asked to co-direct the tv series LABYRINT, directly followed by the projects IVOREN WACHTERS and NOVELLEN: DE DAG, DE NACHT EN HET DUISTER.

In 2000 Dana directed her first feature film TOTAL LOSS, followed by several television films that have won awards in The Netherlands and abroad such as DE BELAGER, NECROCAM and the TV series DUNYA EN DESIE. DUNYA AND DESIE was nominated twice for an International Emmy Award. For the political film OFFERS, lead actress Maryam Hassouni was rewarded with an International Emmy Award for Best Actress the following year.

In 2006 and 2007 Dana made two feature films back to back. NACHTRIT and DUNYA & DESIE – THE FILM, have both been awarded several times and are shown all over the world.

In 2008 she directed the big seven-part television series ANNIE MG, full of song and dance. This series has also won several prizes and was welcomed at many festivals.

In 2012, Dana directs her first theatre play, DON JUAN, which is very well reviewed and even invited to the Dutch Theatre Festival.
In 2013, the 8-part television series HOLLANDS HOOP follows, a crime comedy set in the Dutch countryside. HOLLANDS HOOP has won several awards and is sold all over the world. This results in Dana making 24 episodes of this hit series in eight years.

In 2022 the feature film PIECE OF MY HEART will be released, Dana’s biggest challenge to date: a gripping, visual film about a blossoming friendship between two talented ballet dancers, set against the background of the colorful but also relentless 1970s.

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