Wan Pipel — Wan Pipel(Blu Ray)

Wan Pipel comes wrapped in a slipcase, with no booklet and a few extras on the disc; in that regard, it’s not any kind of deluxe edition, but the extras are interesting enough. The film, shot in Suriname, was released in 1976, and was the first Surinamese film after the country achieved independence from the Netherlands; in that regard, it’s historically important, and the themes of nationalism and patriotism, and the relationship between the two countries, are loudly present in Wan Pipel (One People).

Without ruining the film, it follows Roy Ferrol, a Surinamese man, who returns to his home country from the Netherlands upon hearing of his mother’s severe illness. He leaves his studies and girlfriend behind to visit his mother, who dies just after proudly seeing him. The rest of the film depicts Roy falling in love with Suriname and its culture, and more pertinently falling in love with Rubia, a Hindustani woman. Suriname was, and is, a very varied multicultural country, and this mix of peoples and cultures forms the backdrop and narrative device of the film: Roy is Afro-Suriname and Rubia is Hindustani, and neither’s family or community approves of their love. This is most loudly expressed by their respective fathers. The film explores these issues and tensions, and then throws Karin, Roy’s Dutch girlfriend, into the mix, as she flies to Suriname. I won’t ruin the ending, but it’s not a simple ‘happy ever after’, for which the film’s director, Pim de la Parra, should be praised. It’s a very worthy film with a vital social message, though also a clear and strident patriotism, which examines the generational and cultural conflicts, and issues of race and tradition, that arise from a taboo love. In that regard, it operates as a small audiovisual tour of the cultures of the country, often expressed through music, with group singing, an Afro-Surinamese disco, and a gamelan-esque ensemble; there are also extended scenes from a hindustani wedding, and Afro-Surinamese home life. This is perhaps the film’s strongest point, combined with its scenes shot in public spaces - also featuring some excellent 70s fashions. There are some excellent lines of dialogue, and some comedy - the great running joke where the studying Roy is constantly introduced as ‘Roy Ferrol, MA’ - but on the whole I didn’t find myself overly invested in it: it is an interesting film, and a fascinating glimpse into a country I knew absolutely nothing about, but the socio-cultural aspects are more engaging than the narrative itself. It’s perhaps a little preachy and ladled on, but then at the time that may well have been what was necessary.

In terms of extras, the disc features an introduction from De la Parra where he explains that the film bankrupted him and lead to his divorce, only for the film to be a flop initially; however, around 2000 Wan Pipel had a reassessment, much to his joy. There is also a somewhat plodding commentary on Wan Pipel recorded by film historian Lex Veerkamp and Bodil de la Parra, Pim de la Parra’s daughter, which walks you through the film. It reveals that the film had been conceived of about 15 years before, and also details its reception, not least in the Netherlands where it was watched mainly by Surinamese people. They discuss the concrete cultural realities behind certain set-piece scenes, like the death of Roy’s mother, or the Hindustani wedding, and also highlight the role of amateur actors in the film - Roy’s father is surprisingly played by an amateur, Emanuel van Gonter, an impressive performance with genuine presence. On that topic, the commentary discusses how Diana Gangaram Panday, who played Rubia, received harassment after the film was released, especially from the Hindustani community, and this lead to drinking and a tragic early death. There is a short ‘Making of’ film, recorded at the time, which shows scenes being planned, discussed, and performed, as well as an interview with De la Parra and Willeke van Ammelrooy, who plays Karin, where they discuss the production and their hopes for the film. The interviewer explains that De la Parra set out to use a love story as a vehicle to explore the relationship between Suriname and the Netherlands, and also dissect race relations in Suriname. Willeke van Ammelrooy also features in a lengthy 2025 interview detailing her long career in acting from stage to screen. She met De la Parra, and his artistic partner Wim Verstappen, very early in her career and performed in several of their films before Wan Pipel - some of these being the erotic films De la Parra was known for before Wan Pipel. The interview discusses her film performances and her acting methods but it’s perhaps best viewed by those who know her work. There is also a short, early film from De la Parra: Aah... Tamara (1965). It’s a quirky little new wave film following Tamara, a tour guide on Amsterdam boats who is endlessly attractive to men - much to her boyfriend’s annoyance. All things considered, it perhaps doesn’t amount to much, and even reads as a standard filmic portrayal of 1960’s hipster youth - except that everyone in it is indeed very cool. The main actor, Kittie Courbois, is effortlessly charming, and the film features lots of public shots of Amsterdam, and I’m always a sucker for historical footage like that. So, it’s perhaps a bit thin, but it's definitely sweet and charming. The disc is finished with a gallery and several trailers for Scorpio Filks productions, which I think De la Parra ran with Verstappen.

So, all told, Wan Pipel presents quite a varied package of content. Wan Pipel is historically significant, and fascinating in terms of Surinamese culture, but maybe less exciting as a film in itself, despite its worthy message. The extras are perhaps a little slim, but Aah... Tamara is a nice addition and makes me want to see more of Pim de la Parra’s early works. Like Furious, which I reviewed recently, this is another nice glimpse into aspects of film I know very little about.