Kilkenny Cross

I don't know who I am - that's what it is', the seventeen-year-old curly redhead Jordi grumbles to his tough girlfriend. Under mother's wing, Jordi spends all his time on the Internet. His only adventure is a ride on the back of his girlfriend's motorbike. One day, a coincidental but shocking discovery on the Net forces him to start searching for his identity, away from his familiar environment. It takes him to a confrontation with his biological father who was supposed dead, but appears to live in Ireland and does not immediately press his lost son in his arms. Kilkenny Cross is a coming-of-age drama, in which the Dutch urban water landscape contrasts with the green hills of Ireland and the impassiveness of modern means of communication with the longing for human intimacy. A chat session between mother and son leads to an emotional climax. In a cameo role, female novelist Manon Uphoff explains what true love means.

Directed by Eric Oosthoek, Kilkenny Cross leans on a strong ensemble — Sjoerd Dragtsma, Mariëlle Woltring, Ariane Schluter — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The film landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about drama titles of 2006.