The Phone

The Phone is a Dutch television reality show, which is created by Willem Brom, Beau van Erven Dorens and Marc Bennink. In each show two cell phones will be hidden at random places by the producers of the show. The phones will start ringing and the people answering the calls are from that moment participants in the game. These two people now have a chance of winning €25,000 by collaborating in the hunt for accomplishment of the given missions. The unique aspect of the show is that it's filmed as being a movie rather than a reality show. It was inspired by movies like Die Hard with a Vengeance. The first episode of The Phone was aired by Dutch public broadcaster AVRO on July 6, 2007. The show has already been sold to 52 different countries. It won the Best Reality prize at the 2008 Rose d'Or ceremony.

Directed by Beau van Erven Dorens, The Phone leans on a strong ensemble — Sipke Jan Bousema — to carry a story that balances spectacle with character.

The series landed with audiences for its craft and performances, and remains one of the most talked-about screen titles of 2007.