More than fifty years ago, our country had a professional film studio specializing in puppet films: the Geesink Studio of Joop Geesink, known to the general public as the creator of Loeki the Lion. He is one of the great animation pioneers of the Netherlands, and it is not without reason that the HAFF has named the prize for the Commissioned Film Competition after this grandmaster.

The Geesink Studio produced commercials for markets in Europe, but also far beyond in Asia, South and North America. Between the 1940s and 1970s, this studio made hundreds of puppet films. Puppet films that stand out due to professional animation techniques, colorful sets, cheerful characters, and funny stories.

This large collection is housed in the archive of the EYE Film Institute Netherlands, and this heritage is currently being secured for the future as part of the conservation project Images for the Future.

Especially for HAFF, EYE lifts the veil on preservation in the special program Geesink Restored, featuring no fewer than 62 commercials for, among others, Campari, the British beer brand Mackeson, and Maggi.

Geesink Restored can be seen at the HAFF in 2 programs.
Friday, November 5 - Filmtheater 't Hoogt
14:30 Geesink Restored 1; 16:30 Geesink Restored 2.
Saturday, November 6, Filmtheater 't Hoogt, 10:30 AM Geesink Restored 1.
Sunday, November 7, Filmtheater 't Hoogt, 10:30 AM Geesink Restored 2.

Leenke Ripmeester is responsible for making the collection accessible at EYE. She explains her work at the HAFF.



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