Kees is a lonely garbage man with a hoarding disorder. When a garbage bag comes to life in his room, they embark on a spiritual adventure together.




'Asman' is an old term for the profession of garbage collector. In the past, garbage collectors not only collected waste but also the ashes from the fireplace. Garbage collectors are an essential part of society's backbone: if no one were to perform this thankless job, our society would fall apart. Even to this day, this group of hardworking individuals is often looked down upon. Garbage collectors even receive compensation for their low position on the social ladder.

That's why I give this profession a central role in the film. The overarching theme of the movie is holding on and letting go. We, as fearful individuals, cling to various aspects of life to avoid the feeling of losing control, both physically and mentally. I find people with hoarding disorders particularly interesting in this context. I believe that everyone accumulates a certain amount of clutter that should be discarded, but 'hoarders' take this to such an extreme that it becomes problematic. Their environment becomes so cluttered that it severely restricts their lives and has a negative impact on their social interactions.

The garbage collector in 'Asman' is one such individual with a hoarding disorder. He's an atypical garbage collector who, during his workdays, is actually on the lookout for discarded items. He can't bear to let go of these objects, feeling as though they still have a purpose. Various psychological factors come into play here, including traumatic events, learned behaviors from their parents, and a fear of change. We aimed to depict this issue in an empathetic but absurdist manner.

CAST: 

Onno Aerts
Karel Konings
Edwin Penning
Tieme Stoffels
Dion Vincken
Floris de Groot
Sietske Brockhoff
Daniëlle Rijkmans

CREW:

Script: Florian Damen, Floris de Groot
Script Consultant: Ad van Gaalen

Director: Florian Damen
First AD & Script-Continuity: Floris de Groot
2nd AD: Maud Bolwerk

Director of Photography: Joren Pelsma

Producer: Florian Damen
Producer Assistent: Maud Bolwerk
Runners: Tiander Damen, Jacqueline van Rosmalen, Christie Wiersma

Camera: Joren Pelsma
Steadicam Operator: Jesse Soepnel
1st AC: Sietse Kesselaar
2nd AC: Tom van Zutphen

Gaffer: Jesse Soepnel
Best Girl: Paula Hankes
Best Boy: Gijs van Bijlen

Sound on set: Don Wei, Sietske Brockhoff, Floris de Groot

Production Design: Judith Haan, Don Wei
Garbagetruck Driver: Ed van der Tol
Garbage Tunnel Team: Noah Masengi, Floris de Groot, Nico Strik, Hicham Dassa, Shahab Albahasar, Abel Andel, Flo Versteegh, Nico Ayala Rivera

Catering: Jacqueline van Rosmalen, Anne-Marie Gieske, Christie Wiersma

Location scout: Joren Pelsma, Jesse Soepnel, Florian Damen

Costumes: HKU Kostuum Uitleen, Haagse Milieu Service
Costume Assistant: Christie Wiersma, Tiander Damen

Casting: Florian Damen, Floris de Groot

Edit: Florian Damen

Color Grading: Luke Osborne

Foley: Loran Keuning
Foley Artist: Onne Roncken
ADR: Loran Keuning

Sound Design & Sound Mixing: Loran Keuning
Music: Zhe van Dam

Graphic Design: Nils Dijkstra
Poster Design: Danée Anthonijsz

Supervising Teachers HKU: Nina Spiering, Cyrille Bloemers