Miami, Florida – October 10, 2026 – Curaçaoan short film KI T’E PLAN, directed by Rovendley Welvaart, celebrated its Dutch premiere at the Netherlands Film Festival (NFF) in Utrecht on Saturday, 26 September 2026.
The film screened as part of the festival programme Korte Filmblok: Het Grote Ongemak at Kinepolis Jaarbeurs. The screening had already sold out approximately two weeks in advance, filling the 450-seat cinema for an evening of Dutch and Caribbean short films.
The premiere marked a special moment for the cast and filmmakers of KI T’E PLAN. The full cast was present in Utrecht, including Anton de Bies, Julien, Julliard “Hef” Frans, Chanel de Lau, Guillaume van Eijker, Steve Marta and Peter Polsvoet.
Two members of the cast travelled from Curaçao especially for the occasion, while the remaining cast members are currently based in the Netherlands.
It was also the first time the complete cast had the opportunity to experience the finished film together on the big screen.
For director Rovendley Welvaart, the evening represented much more than a festival screening. It was an opportunity to bring a story deeply rooted in Curaçaoan culture, performed in Papiamentu, to one of the Netherlands’ leading national film festivals.
“Seeing the entire cast together and watching the film with a full audience in Utrecht was something very special,” Welvaart said. “We created this film in Curaçao, in Papiamentu, with our own stories, actors and cultural references. To see that story now become part of the Netherlands Film Festival means a lot to us.”
Papiamentu on the national stage
KI T’E PLAN draws inspiration from Nanzi, the well-known trickster figure whose stories have been passed down through generations across Curaçao and the wider Caribbean.
Using this cultural foundation within a contemporary cinematic story, the film explores themes of power, survival, morality and the choices people make when circumstances begin to turn against them.
The presentation at NFF also represents an important moment for the visibility of Papiamentu-language cinema within the Dutch film landscape.
For the filmmakers, bringing Papiamentu to a major festival stage is an important part of ensuring that Curaçaoan stories can travel internationally while maintaining their language and cultural identity.
The premiere was warmly received by the audience and gave the cast an opportunity to experience the film alongside Dutch productions and filmmakers from across the Kingdom.
Welvaart hopes the selection will contribute to greater recognition for filmmakers from Curaçao, Aruba and the wider Dutch Caribbean.
“Our stories do not have to lose their identity in order to reach audiences outside Curaçao,” Welvaart said. “Papiamentu can be heard in a cinema in Utrecht, and a story coming directly from our culture can stand alongside films from the Netherlands. That is an important part of what this moment represents.”
About KI T’E PLAN
KI T’E PLAN is a Curaçaoan short film directed by Rovendley Welvaart and produced in Curaçao. The approximately 35-minute film is performed in Papiamentu with English subtitles and combines contemporary storytelling with elements inspired by Curaçao’s Nanzi tradition.
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