''Kenau'' is a 2014 Dutch / Hungarian / Belgian action film directed by

Maarten Treurniet Maarten Treurniet (born 21 January 1959) is a Dutch film director. Biography Treurniet was born in Amsterdam, the Netherlands. He moved to Dwingeloo in 1959 and went to High school in Assen from 1971 until 1977. After high school he returned to ...

. The film is inspired by the legendary story of Kenau who led an army of women in the

siege of Haarlem The siege of Haarlem was an episode of the Eighty Years' War. From 11 December 1572 to 13 July 1573 an army of Philip II of Spain laid bloody siege to the city of Haarlem in the Netherlands, whose loyalties had begun wavering during the previou ...

by the Spaniards in 1573 during the

Eighty Years' War The Eighty Years' War or Dutch Revolt (; 1566/1568–1648) was an armed conflict in the Habsburg Netherlands between disparate groups of rebels and the Spanish Empire, Spanish government. The Origins of the Eighty Years' War, causes of the w ...

between the Netherlands and Spain. The filmmakers admitted that much of the story is fiction, such as the execution of her daughter, and the relationship with her youngest daughter. And in general there's isn't much known of the historical Kenau figure. In 1956, Haarlem archivist Gerda Kurtz demythologised the story of Kenau and her women's squabbles in his book ''Kenu Symonsdochter van Haerlem''. According to Kurtz, it was unusual for Dutch women to fight in wartime. It seems more likely that Kenau played an active role in wall repairs.

Cast

Monic Hendrickx Monic Hendrickx (born 3 December 1966 in Sint Anthonis) is a Dutch actress. She has won several awards during her career including four Golden Calf awards for Best Actress at the Nederlands Film Festival, the Jury Award at the 2001 Newport Be ...

Kenau Simonsdochter Hasselaer Kenau Simonsdochter Hasselaer (1526–1588) was a wood merchant of Haarlem, who became a legendary folk hero for her fearless defense of the city against the Spanish invaders during the siege of Haarlem in 1573. Biography She was the daughter ...

Barry Atsma Barry Atsma (born 29 December 1972) is a Dutch actor. He became known in the Netherlands through his role in the TV series ''Rozengeur & Wodka Lime'' (2001–2005) and the movie ''The Black Book''. He is a recipient of both a Golden Calf and a R ...

as Wigbold Ripperda *

Sallie Harmsen Sallie Harmsen (born May 2, 1989) is a Dutch actress having had roles in ''In Real Life (film), In Real Life'' for which she won Golden Calf for Best Actress at the Netherlands Film Festival 2008. Harmsen appeared in ''De Geheimen van Barslet'' Go ...

as Kathelijne * Lisa Smit as Gertruide *

Matthijs van de Sande Bakhuyzen Matthijs Nicolaas van de Sande Bakhuyzen (born 16 October 1988) is a Dutch movie and television actor and former child actor. Biography Matthijs van de Sande Bakhuyzen was born on 16 October 1988 in Amsterdam, the son of movie director Willem ...

as Pieter Ripperda * as Bertha * as Magdalena

References

External links

* 2014 action films 2014 films Dutch action films Dutch drama films Hungarian drama films Belgian action films Belgian drama films Films set in the 1570s 2010s Belgian films {{2010s-action-film-stub