The graduation film Doodgewoon (While You're Here) has reached the semi-finals of the Student Academy Awards in the United States, in the category of Best Drama. The film is directed by Ronald Zuidinga.

In Doodgewoon, a heart attack suffered by grandfather Herman gets his granddaughter Yula thinking about death. Herman considers all the worrying a fuss: after all, everyone dies eventually…. But when Yula convinces her grandfather to rehearse his own funeral, Herman learns that his motto might have been a bit too simplistic.

Awards and recognition
Doodgewoon is a graduation film from the Netherlands Film Academy (class of 2024) and was produced by Noa Hoogterp, Roosmarijn Hopman, Robbin van Mechelen, and Bastiaan van de Poel. The film was made in collaboration with broadcaster EO.

Finalists to be announced in mid-August
Doodgewoon is competing alongside fourteen other productions from international film schools for a gold medal in the Best Drama category. The finalists will be announced in mid-August.

The last time the Netherlands Film Academy won a Student Academy Award was in 2021 with the documentary Waarom bleef je niet voor mij? by Milou Gevers. Earlier wins include the short films Alaska (1990) and Grijs is ook een kleur (2017).