Holy Houses

Motivation of the jury:
A great initiative of tolerance and solidarity among difference communities, aiming at overcoming divisions and establishing a common ground of values, re-defining the spatial identity of an extended public space through a network of building of worship.

In 2021, the Municipality of Rotterdam and De Kerkvernieuwers found each other in a shared mission: to open up places of worship for the city’s inhabitants through cultural and social activities during 'Heilige Huisjes Rotterdam'. With this program, they wanted to offer citizens a chance to (re)discover these unique buildings as potential public spaces for the city. What started with exploratory conversations between De Kerkvernieuwers, the municipality, and several religious communities eventually evolved into a city-wide festival with more than 80 events in 40 different places of worship, held over nine days in May and June 2022. This short film offers various perspectives of organisers and participants on this unique project through interviews.

Annefleur Schut

She is a new, self-taught filmmaker from Utrecht, The Netherlands. With a background in multimedia- and immersive design, she often uses film as a research method within social design projects. In her work, she focuses on social issues such as gender inequality, mental health and inclusive cities. With the short documentary Holy Houses, Schut has officially debuted as a (short-doc) filmmaker. Her dream is to elevate her skills to make a positive impact on today's society by crafting stories that stimulate people to see the world in a different way.