Nationale Filmfabriek Bloemendaal

history

The Nationale Filmfabriek Bloemendaal was founded in 1919 by G. Vunderink, for the purpose of making corporate and promotional films for Dutch industries. General manager Vunderink, who also worked for the firm Commercieele en Industrieele Film, also took on the role of producer for the Nationale Filmfabriek.

The company made several advertising films, but was best known for its film expedition to the Dutch East Indies in 1921. The expedition was led by H.B. Robbers, who hired the cameraman H.W. Metman. Metman had previously worked for Filmfabriek Hollandia and Haghe Film.

The first nine Dutch East Indies films made by the company were screened in September of 1921 at the Scheveningen Kurhaus. Not long afterwards, the Nationale Filmfabriek was out of money, and was declared bankrupt in 1923.

The Bandung-based 'Syndicaat voor filmopnamen in Nederlandsch Oost-Indië' was the co-producer of Robbers' Dutch East Indies movies. It is unclear whether the Syndicaaat was an independent company, or merely the Dutch East Indies branch of the Nationale Filmfabriek.