Documentary Short AFIN 364
In My Body
Directed by Annelien Nijland
AFIN 2026 Nominee
- 2026
- 29m
-
Netherlands - English, German, Swiss German
- MA 15+
Stills
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Credits
Produced by
Starring
- Cindy
- Marina
- Alex
Synopsis
Cindy (34) calls herself a peaceful person who can switch to “psycho.” By day, she trains for an underground German fight club, where she will be one of the first women to fight. At night, she works in a nightclub.
She believes women should toughen up and learn to fight back. In rare moments of rest, usually while smoking outside the club, a softer side appears.
Director's Statement
I’ve always questioned what is considered “normal.” We’re raised with rules about how to live, but I’m more interested in the people who move outside of them. Rather than showing extreme violence, I chose to focus on her as a person. With my camera, I step into those worlds. For this film, I kept the process small and intimate.
What makes this one special
- Australian PremiereThe filmmaker tells us this is where it happens
- 2 awards at other festivalsGhent International Film Week · The French Duck Film Festival
- Programmed at 6 other festivalsAcross 4 countries
- Nominated for Best Documentary Short Subject
- One of just 3 films from Netherlands across eight seasons
- A first-time filmmaker
From the Judges
From the Judges
Handheld camerawork keeps the film close to its subject, raw and intimate without ever intruding, and the sound design builds real tension inside a short runtime. Stripped of sit-down interviews and voiceover, it stays in the moment and lets a character study emerge on its own terms. The panel found it compelling and wanted more of the world it opens up.
Also selected at
2 awards, 4 official selections across 6 other festivals
- WinnerGhent International Film Week
- WinnerThe French Duck Film Festival
- SelectionAmsterdam Independent Film Festival
- SelectionGo Short 2025
- SelectionRotterdams Open Doek Festival 2025
- SelectionYoFiFest, The Yonkers Film Festival
Recorded by the filmmaker on their entry.
Director's Biography
Annelien Nijland Director
Annelien Nijland (1988) graduated as a fiction director from the Utrecht School of the Arts. Her work has since focused on documentary photography, exploring people and the worlds they move in. With In My Body, she returns to film, bringing that same direct and character-driven approach to the screen.
Official laurels
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In My Body was an official Nominee for Best Documentary Short Subject at the AFIN International Film Festival 2026, a Top 100 Best Reviewed and IMDb-qualifying festival.
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