Organising creative, artistic activities in regards to children’s films is the main mission of Dutch ECFA member De Taartrovers. Recently, they got allocated a permanent place of their own.
In the Bijlmerbajes, an asylum centre in a former prison in the Amsterdam suburbs, they opened a crew wagon by the name of ‘Taartrovers Keet’. This (for two years) guarantees shelter and opens opportunities for more permanent socio-cultural initiatives, mainly aimed at the asylum centre’s inhabitants.
Remke Oosterhuis and Tessa van Grafhorst: “We wanted to offer this audience more than just film screenings and we wanted the children to be a vital part of all activities. An old crew wagon on the Bijlmerbajes patio was renovated into a fun place. Two afternoons per week we have an open café there, welcoming children from the centre and the neighbourhood, so they get to know each other. We bake cakes together, make our own flower-tea and we might even develop a Taartrovers Recipe Book (designed by the kids). While a colleague is teaching women to make their own bread, we organise activities for the children. The inhabitants of the centre are not allowed to do paid work, but we’re happy to appeal to their expertise. Children helping us in the café can earn special coins which they can spend in Taartrovers Keet on cakes and tea.
Tessa and Remke have gathered around them a network of people to work in close cooperation with them and give shape to all their plans. But how is the link with children’s film kept alive? “There’s a weekly children’s film lab: we’re showing a short film as the basis for creative activities, and we regularly program children’s films for a big audience.”
More info: www.taartrovers.nl