''Just Friends'' () is a 2018 Dutch

romantic comedy Romantic comedy (also known as romcom or rom-com) is a sub-genre of comedy and Romance novel, romance fiction, focusing on lighthearted, humorous plot lines centered on romantic ideas, such as how true love is able to surmount all obstacles. Ro ...

television film A television film, alternatively known as a television movie, made-for-TV film/movie, telefilm, telemovie or TV film/movie, is a film with a running time similar to a feature film that is produced and originally distributed by or to a Terrestr ...

directed by Ellen Smit, starring Majd Mardo and

Josha Stradowski Josha Stradowski (born 7 August 1995) is a Dutch actor known for portraying Rand al'Thor in the Amazon Prime Video fantasy series ''The Wheel of Time'' since 2021, and racing car driver Nicholas Capa in the 2023 film '' Gran Turismo''. Career S ...

. The film was shown on opening night of the Perth International Queer Film Festival and won the Audience Award after showing at the MIX Milano International Lesbian and Gay Film Festival. It premiered on

BNNVARA BNNVARA () is a broadcasting association and network within the Dutch public broadcasting system. History BNNVARA was founded on 1 January 2014 through a merger of the BNN (founded 1997) and VARA (founded 1925) associations. These continued ...

on 7 March 2018.

Synopsis

Joris is a 21-year-old ''

nouveau riche ; ), new rich, or new money (in contrast to old money; ) is a social class of the rich whose wealth has been acquired within their own generation, rather than by familial inheritance. These people previously had belonged to a lower social cla ...

'' Dutch man trying to come to terms with loss of his father 10 years earlier. His strong-willed, conservative, Islamophobic and racist mother is no help. Simone is caught up in her own emotions over her philandering late husband. Meanwhile, Yad, a 26-year-old Syrian refugee whose family settled in the Netherlands is employed to do chores for Joris' grandmother Ans. He has returned from Amsterdam after "Amsterdam was too fun. My studies too boring" to live with his family "temporarily". Yad has his own issues with his traditional upbringing and his dream to be a surfing instructor. Running his own business goes against the expectation that he continue his studies in medicine. Despite different ages, backgrounds, and lifestyles there is an instant spark between the two. Drawn together through music and sports, mainly surfing, their feelings for each other grow, and they become more than "just friends". Their mothers, Simone and Maryam, threaten to jeopardize their relationship. Due to the pressure Yad and Joris have a falling-out. Things turn better after; their mothers realize "you do not control love, love controls you", Joris reconciles with the loss of his father, and Yad finds the courage to embrace what he loves.

Cast

* Majd Mardo as Yad *

as Joris ** Stan Gobel as young Joris * Jenny Arean as Ans * Tanja Jess as Simone * Melody Klaver as Moon ** Renske Hettinga as young Moon * Mohamad Alahmad as Elias * Nazmiye Oral as Maryam * Elène Zuidmeer as Fientje * Roscoe Leijen as Gerlof * Sjoerd Dragtsma as Mitch * Younes Badrane as Trainer * Anne Prakke as Bart * Sonia Eijken as Lely * Malcolm Hugo Glenn as Erwin * Tessa du Mee as Crematory clerk * Justin Mooijer as Yad's friend

References

External links

* {{IMDb title 2018 films 2018 LGBTQ-related films 2018 romantic comedy films 2018 television films 2010s Dutch-language films Comedy television films Dutch LGBTQ-related films Dutch romantic comedy films Dutch television films Films shot in the Netherlands Gay-related films LGBTQ-related romantic comedy films LGBTQ-related television films Romance television films