About ten Years ago when there was a Bert Haanstra special on the Dutch TV, I was only interested in the short film "Glas" because it was one of the first Dutch products to win an Academy award. "De Fanfare" was also shown, and besides I really hated fanfare-like music at that time (while being a member of a harmony myself), this was a must see. The story looks simple but effective. In a small village there is a fanfare preparing for a contest. A new director (a great performance by Albert Mol) wants to help them, but the fanfare of 25 men fall apart in two groups of twelve, leaving the triangle player in despair. As two groups on their own they rehearse for the contest, but the mayor of the small village only supports the biggest fanfare. That is why the leaders of the two groups constantly try to bribe the triangle player. He is the one who makes the difference between support or not. A lot of confusion takes place and when the contest is there at last, two groups go to the contest playing two different parts which, after all, sounds quite nice together. The fanfare(s) wins the contest, and the two rivals join together. What makes this movie really funny is the fact that the man with the triangle (the tiniest instrument of the all) plays the crucial part. He is the one what it's all about, even while you can't hear him at all. But after all: this is a movie which only could be made in The Netherlands. With "Karakter", "Turks fruit", "Abel" and "All Stars" one of the best Dutch pictures of all time.
