Superjews

2013 Dutch film

November 24, 2013 (2013-11-24) (IDFA)

Running time

66 minutesCountryNetherlandsLanguagesDutch
Hebrew

Superjews (Dutch: Superjews: De Superjoden van Ajax) is a 2013 documentary film produced and directed by independent Israeli-Dutch filmmaker Nirit Peled.^[1]

The film premiered 24 November 2013 at the International Documentary Film Festival Amsterdam (IDFA). The film is entirely spoken in Dutch and Hebrew, but subtitles are shown.^[2]

On Thursday, 2 January 2014 the film premiered on national television, when it was broadcast by NTR on channel Nederland 3.^[3]

Synopsis

In the 2013 documentary "Superjews" director Nirit Peled sheds light on the supporters of the Dutch association football club AFC Ajax, who have often referred to themselves as super Jews. What makes the documentary unique however, is that she offers the perspective of both the supporters, as well as her own personal perspective as an Israeli immigrant living in Amsterdam searching to find her own identity.^[4]

Nirit Peled herself is the narrator of the documentary, which follows her into the world of Ajax, as well as back to Israel in search of her own Jewish identity, and sometimes critical view of Israel.^[5] The film is built around personal, mostly intimate and often revealing interviews, in which Peled is also in front of the camera amongst recordings from the Ajax home-stadium, the Amsterdam ArenA, archival footage from Ajax-supporters from before the Second World War, and unique footage of Ajax supporters visiting Israel in attendance of an away match against Maccabi Tel Aviv.^[6]

In the documentary Nirit speaks with the likes of Jeroen and Diana, hardcore Ajax-supporters, Ronald, one of the founders of F-side and creator of the fanzine De Davidster (The Star of David); longtime Ajax-archivist Mr. Schoevaart, former Ajax-chairman Uri Coronel; 11-year-old Ajax-fan Jodi and his single mother; Mrs. Visser, Holocaust survivor and resident of the Jewish retirement home Beth Shalom in Buitenveldert; Shalo Muller, former Jewish masseuse of Ajax; and Avi the owner of CaféTraffic.

As an obvious football outsider Peled offers a very personal view into the game, the lore of Ajax and its relation to Judaism.^[7]

References

^ "Interview: Superjews". IDFA.nl. Archived from the original on 2014-01-16. Retrieved 2014-01-16.
^ "Superjews: De Superjoden van Ajax". Documentairenet.nl. 3 January 2014. Retrieved 2014-01-16.
^ "IDFA 2013 Documentaire: geuzennaam 'Joden'". Ajax Totaal. Retrieved 2014-01-02.
^ "'Waar komt de geuzennaam 'Joden' toch vandaan?'". Parool. Retrieved 2014-01-16.
^ "IDFA, Patio & Super Jews". Het Ketelhuis. Retrieved 2014-01-16.
^ "Superjoden (2013)". Movie Meter. Retrieved 2014-01-16.
^ "26e editie IDFA vandaag van start". AT5. Retrieved 2014-01-16.