A film that I expected would make its world premiere at the Sundance Film Festival next month has instead opted, interestingly, for an international world premiere, at the International Film Festival Rotterdam (IFFR).

We’ve just learned that on Friday January 27, 2017, the festival will host the world premiere of director Ernest Dickerson’s much anticipated next feature film, “Double Play,” with the cast and crew in attendance.

Based on the the internationally lauded novel of the same name by Curaçaoan author Frank Martinus Arion, the film stars Lennie James, Colin Salmon, Alexander Karim, Isaach De Bankolé, and Mustafa Shakir.

Louis Gossett Jr., Melanie Liburd, Saycon Sengbloh, Bronson Pinchot and newcomer Dani Dare round out the cast.




Considered to be author Arion’s magnum opus, the story is set in 1973 and 2010, and follows Ostrik (Salmon)’s return to his childhood home, and the memory of a fateful day more than 40 years prior. Over the course of that day, and a long-standing game of dominoes, the fates of four men (James, Karim, De Bankolé, and Shakir) are revealed through a journey of love, loss and deadly betrayal.

Shot on location in Curacao, the film utilized its surroundings by emphasizing the beauty of the landscape, the music and the people.

Dickerson directs from a screenplay written by Evan Jones and Alaric Alexander Smeets.

Lisa Cortés and Gregory Elias produced.

“It was a great privilege to work with an incredible international cast and crew to bring this classic novel to the screen,” says Cortés. “It’s now especially important to tell inspiring stories that uncover unique and diverse voices that speak to following one’s dreams even amidst the most challenging of circumstances.”

Producer Gregory Elias (producer of both the Curaçao International Film Festival Rotterdam and the Curaçao North Sea Jazz Festival) adds: “We are very happy to launch Double Play onto the global stage at IFFR, a place that feels as much home as it feels international. We hope the themes of the film and of the Curacao society will strike a chord with the Rotterdam and international audiences.”

“With Double Play, Ernest Dickerson has portrayed an idiosyncratic, joyous and humane society thereby not only creating a terrifically enjoyable film, but also a welcome reminder that Curaçao is part of the Kingdom of the Netherlands. He underlines the fact that we perhaps have much more in common than the Atlantic between us might suggest,” says festival director Bero Beyer.




Jay Wadley composed the “Double Play” score. The film also includes a stellar performance of classic songs performed by Aymee Nuviola.

It’s Dicketson’s first theater-bound feature film directing effort since “Never Die Alone” in 2004, so it’s been quite a while, and we’re all glad to see him back at that level. Since then, he’s been directing mostly TV shows (and at least one TV movie).

No trailer for “Double Play” yet; but the images within this post (above and below) came with the press release announcement.

The 46th International Film Festival Rotterdam runs from January 25 – February 5, 2017.