The new sport of Quidditch, known from the Harry Potter films, comes to life in the documentary Off Broom. It is the first film in the Netherlands dedicated to this sport. Filmmakers Jerona van der Gevel and Roald Zom are currently shooting and following the Dutch team during their participation in the European Quidditch Cup in Italy. The lead role in the film is played by young transgender Rein Anspach. Van der Gevel and Zom's crowdfunding campaign recently launched on the crowdfunding platform Indiegogo.

Open arms
In 2012, Van der Gevel first came into contact with the sport during an exchange in England. She enjoyed it so much that, upon returning to the Netherlands, she reached out to other enthusiasts, where she was welcomed with open arms by the European quidditch community. Supported by a group of Belgian players, she took the lead in putting the sport on the map in the Netherlands. She has since founded Muggle Quidditch Netherlands and participates in the European Games with a selection of players. She is making this film together with Roald Zom, a young filmmaker who was moved by Jerona's story.

Filmmaker Jerona van der Gevel.
For me, this documentary is an opportunity to offer viewers an intimate glimpse into this close-knit community, which is sometimes perceived as strange from the outside.

Transgender
The Quidditch community is a close-knit group where acceptance plays a major role. Acceptance of the sport, but also of oneself. Many players struggle with their own identity and their 'otherness'. Rein Anspach (19) is the goalkeeper for the Dutch team and is transgender. Acceptance is also an important theme in his life. He is committed to the lesbian, gay, bisexual, and transgender (LGBT) community by serving as secretary for the LGBT youth magazine Expreszo.

Indiegogo
Van der Gevel and Zom have already started the first shooting of the film and want to finance the project with a crowdfunding campaign. Their target amount is 15,000 dollars. In addition to funding the film, they also hope to generate more attention for the sport in the Netherlands in this way.



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