Aaron Rookus
Directing
Biography
Aaron Rookus (1983, Netherlands) is a Dutch filmmaker and lecturer who studied at the Utrecht School of the Arts, followed by Film Science at the University of Amsterdam. His graduation short film I Wish I Could Share the Happiness of Being Alone with Someone Else (2008) and his short film Wednesdays (2011) won several awards, including Best Short Film and Best Director at CinEuphoria Awards for the latter. His directorial feature debut, Goodbye Stranger, was screened in the Limelight section at IFFR 2023. De Idylle/Idyllic (2024) is his second feature-length film and his writer’s debut.
Known For
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Godforsaken True Killers
Recently graduated law student Sabia is doing everything she can to secure a spot at one of the best law firms. As a young, ambitious lawyer, Sabia faces an unprecedented power game in this status-sensitive world.
Zuidas
Helen suddenly finds herself penniless and without a home after the death of her well to do husband who has overdrawn his credit account. She rents a room with a common area for all the tenants living in that place. There she met Joeri, an adorable and cute gay rent boy who also resides in that apartment. They bond a special friendship but a one night stand might ruin it all. Is there any chance Helen might be happy again?
A Good Life
When a Dutch family drives back home from a holiday in Germany and stops at a rest area, it is already clear this is probably their last trip together. But then a marital crisis, the heat, restless hormones and suppressed frustrations unexpectedly interlock.
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Los
Tragicomedy about sixty year old housewife Joanna who shows her true colors for the first time in her life when she is confronted by her daughter Isabel with her shortcomings as a person and a mother.
Old Wounds
A day in the life of Paul who has everything going for him. He has a dream job, a wonderful house and a girlfriend. But when, to his horror, he sees his dream foreign promotion at the world's biggest music streamer in jeopardy, his carefree summer day turns into a day he has to consider his choices. An unexpected encounter with his ex-boyfriend upsets Paul’s reality further. Has he given up his old life and ideals too soon?
Goodbye Stranger
Victor wonders if he’s too late to join dating games in his 40s. His sister Annika, an opera singer, wonders how different life could have been after receiving a surprising medical diagnosis. Their grandmother wonders if she should end her life right away. These are people who embark on a heartfelt quest for the perfect fulfillment of life, which proves to be a near impossible task.
Idyllic
Every Wednesday, 8 year old Kris accompanies 28 year old Willem to the swimming pool. They swim, go down the slide and have a lot of fun. But one Wednesday Willem confronts Kris with a frightening request...
Wednesdays
Two people, whose lives are accidentally intertwined, have completely different experiences of power in sexual relationships. The sexual life of prosecutor Sabine (28) resembles some of Kris' (21) case about sexual abuse she is working on, while Kris forces himself into a sexual act with a prostitute.