The Preacher
Rating MA15+ (vs)
Synopsis
Based on Bart Middelburg’s biography of real-life drug lord Klaas Bruinsma, Gerrard Verhage’s Dutch thriller garnered several awards in 2004 and attracted controversy in Bruinsma’s native Holland due to the film’s detailed exploration of Amsterdam’s most famous underground crime syndicate.
Known as "De Lange" ("the tall one") and "De Dominee" ("the minister") because of his black clothing and his tendency to lecture those he worked with, Bruinsma remains today one of the most notorious drug lords in Holland’s history. The Preacher follows Bruinsma’s life of trafficking, gambling and prostitution from the 70s when he was little more than a rebellious teen to the late 80s, when he became known as one of the greatest drug lords in Europe, up until his violent death in front of the Amsterdam Hilton at 4 am one morning in 1991.
Klaas Bruinsma’s name is changed to Klaas Donkers in the film, rumoured to be the result of pressure from Amsterdam crime figures to protect the identities of some underworld figures due to ongoing violent clashes, which continued after Bruinsma’s death. Peter Paul Muller plays Donkers and Frank Lammers gives an intense performance as his bodyguard, earning him a Golden Calf nomination for Best Actor at the 2004 Netherlands Film Festival.
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