The First Cut

2011 0h 10m NL

Drama

Synopsis

Spoiler shield

Short fiction film about a decisive moment in the life and career of a young female surgeon. The operating theatre is ready, the lamps shine bright and the patient’s belly has been shaved and is ready to be operated on. The surgeon hesitates; the knife hovers above the skin. The moment brings back key scenes from her childhood that tell everything about her choice of profession and her hesitation to cut the patient’s skin.

“Some stories are better left unspoiled.”

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Cast

Nuria Tabak
Devika Strooker
Bert Geurkink
Yoka Verbeek

Credits

Behind the camera

Director: Tallulah Hazekamp Schwab
Writers: Cecilie Levy
Languages: Dutch
Countries: Netherlands

Want more? Switch to Cinephile mode in the header for DP, composer, budget, box office, production companies, keywords, and release history.

Did you know?

Fun facts 🍿

1 / 7

RUNTIME

Did you know

Tight 10-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.

MoodPlayr · trivia#01

2 / 7

ERA

Did you know

Released 15 years ago.

MoodPlayr · trivia#02

3 / 7

RUNTIME

Did you know

Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.

MoodPlayr · trivia#03

4 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Directed by Tallulah Hazekamp Schwab, shot by Menno Westendorp. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.

MoodPlayr · trivia#04

5 / 7

DIRECTOR

Did you know

Editor Job ter Burg shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.

MoodPlayr · trivia#05

6 / 7

CAST

Did you know

Nuria Tabak and Devika Strooker and Bert Geurkink carry the top of the cast.

MoodPlayr · trivia#06

7 / 7

WILD

Did you know

IMDB entry: tt2090481 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.

MoodPlayr · trivia#07

Cinephile deep dive

The take

Tallulah Hazekamp Schwab directs. Menno Westendorp behind the camera. Job ter Burg cuts. Runs lean at under 100 minutes. Produced in Netherlands. Dialogue in Dutch.

Trivia

Things worth knowing

1Tight 10-minute runtime — shorter than most television pilots.
2Released 15 years ago.
3Lean credit list — fewer than 30 people officially credited.
4Directed by Tallulah Hazekamp Schwab, shot by Menno Westendorp. Note their partnership — DPs and directors often return to each other across a career.
5Editor Job ter Burg shaped the rhythm. On an edit-heavy film, the editor does more to control your pulse than the director.
6Nuria Tabak and Devika Strooker and Bert Geurkink carry the top of the cast.
7IMDB entry: tt2090481 — still the authoritative cross-reference for credits and trivia.