Beyond Silence

By accident, Luc discovers the whereabouts of his brother Ad, who mysteriously disappeared fifteen years before. As it turns out, he is living with Els, secluded from the rest of the world, on a farm. Luc decides to stay a few days, even though he and his wife Mieke are not welcome at first. After a while, Mieke heads home. Also, Luc hears strange sounds coming from a barn at the farm. He decides to investigate the matter. He discovers a secret that Ad and Els have been hiding for years.

In the TV film Polonaise, traffic jams have grown into a phenomenon in which traffic jam call girls, hairdressers and photographers enliven the endless delays. The film follows a number of people in a jam on the A5. The central character is a Pole in an expensive Saab Convertible, who is wanted by the police. A red Panda carries the heavily pregnant Hilde and her cynical sister. Hilde is worried because she has not seen her friend anymore after a quarrel. In an old Saab, a young couple is bickering. She is a `yuppie cunt' who stakes her marriage for a parking licence and is tired of her husband smoking dope. Charlie the music promoter is driving his son's car. He likes traffic jams, because they allow him to settle his deals undisturbed and meet his secret love, the traffic jam call girl Nena. While the characters are confronted with each other and themselves more and more, tension rises to a peak. A radio pirate connects the story lines with his chatter.

Cardiac surgeon Monqiue has centered her life around her work. When extraverted gay artist Max moves in next door they develop a friendship which makes her realise there is more to life than work.

A story on the trials and tribulations of a mother-and-son relationship, which goes downhill after son Damiaan passes his school exams and almost immediately moves into a squat, while his widowed mother Aleid falls for the charms of a skipper and moves in with him just as soon.

History teacher Jurre and public prosecutor Sarah each battle the criminal world in their own way. Although the two have been married for years, they keep their double life a secret from each other in order to protect each other and their family. The situation is getting more and more dangerous and their children are no longer safe either.

The Iranian refugee Amir finds two golden retrievers while jogging on the beach. They have slipped their leash in the hands of Marijke, a middle-aged woman who takes out her daughter Emma's dogs every day and does her housekeeping. Marijke is not capable of keeping her selfish daughter in line and has no authority over the dogs. Amir wants to help her. When Emma hears she has subcontracted the dogs to a refugee, mother and daughter come into conflict. Emma looks for a replacement, but is eventually forced to ask Amir. When they meet, they get on at once, until his residence permit runs out.

A group of holidaymakers descends on the West Frision Island Vlieland, where each of them is confronted with relational problems. Loneliness, surfacing secrets or a crisis; everyone gets their share.