In ‘Return To Planet Underground,’ director Gideon Homes presents audiences with an enthralling glimpse into the Dutch underground techno scene, delivering a gripping dark milieu drama filled with intense moments and poignant human tragedies.
The narrative revolves around a former underground techno DJ navigating the labyrinth of a prestigious law firm, only to spiral down into the shadows of a society already at war. Caught in moral gray areas, he confronts the past while glimpsing an uncertain future, stirring amidst the remnants of the real underground.
This film is not merely a visual feast; it’s a compelling exploration that immerses viewers in the lives of its protagonists. Set against the backdrop of driving techno beats, ‘Return To Planet Underground’ takes audiences on a rollercoaster ride through the highs and lows of human desires, drug-fueled escapades, social pressures and the pursuit of perfectionism. It’s a cinematic intoxication that lingers.
Drawing inspiration from iconic films such as Trainspotting, Berlin Calling, and Human Traffic, Gideon Homes’ work stands out with its unique stylistic devices and unconventional storylines. The film touches the soul in ways distinct from its influences, promising an unforgettable experience.
Grounded in true events and personal experiences, ‘Return To Planet Underground’ faced numerous legal challenges before finally breaking free to captivate audiences worldwide. Prepare for an immersive dive into a world where music, morality, and the human spirit collide.
PREMIERE
Return To Planet Underground’ is set to make its worldwide premiere on February 2, 2024.
TRAILER
Get an exclusive sneak peek with the official trailer, available at this link: https://vimeo.com/ondemand/returntoplanet
Synopsis x Return To Planet Underground
A former underground techno DJ working at a big, famous law firm gets into the dark side of society, where the war has already begun, and finds himself in moral gray areas. With one eye on the past and one eye on the future, he stirs in the ashes of the real underground. Social interweavings with the past and obligations in the future form dramatic forces that affect the protagonist. Society’s demand to function superficially and to deliver top performances increasingly collides with the protagonist’s questioning of his own life reality and the values from his past.
After being employed for almost six years and being a respected employee, Tyrel gets sick. Besides this, he was a witness to fraud taking place within the company and asks to leave. But being sick creates a complex situation in which his employer starts playing a chess game with Tyrel. Tyrel’s four best friends (Inne, Mike, Floor, and XL) leave him when Tyrel is starting to slip away.
His friends do not take his situation seriously and spin the problem on Tyrel. This results in disconnection from his friends he has known for 25 years. This leads him to decline his friends’ invitation to one of their regular party nights they space out together. This night, he takes a different road going to a party from his cousin where he meets Lu Lu. Lu Lu, a creative and wild creature, connects with Tyrel, having had her own share of social injustice. Lu Lu gets pregnant. But the different cultural backgrounds and mindsets create a new problem for Tyrel, putting more pressure on his already complex and unwinnable situation.
Another friend Tyrel knows from the underground scene is called Fictor. Fictor sees himself as the king of the local underground scene as he has been ruling the scene with his illegal parties for decades. After meeting up with Tyrel after years, Fictor seems to reconnect with Tyrel but leaves him stranded like his other friend. But Tyrel now sees that what Fictor was talking about, looking back at their conversations more than a decade back. Tyrel sees what has become of Fictor’s Anticlub organization, which is spreading all around.
After the protagonist loses his job while having serious health problems, he tries to fight back against the injustice that was put on him. Being in need of help, Tyrel sees that he is pretty much alone in this fight. The complex entanglement between different kinds of laws and government agencies is so complex that Tyrel as prey will always be on the losing side. But with help from an old friend called the Philosopher, Tyrel gets on a somewhat spiritual way in solving the problems he has gotten into. After his father’s death and the previous deaths in his family, he sees his future more clearly. Skylar gives Tyrel direction as everything comes falling down. Through this relationship, Tyrel has a glimmer of hope while trying to help Skylar with music.
With all the pressures on Tyrel, he has to make hard decisions, balancing the good and evil around him and choosing his battles wisely, while getting back the name he has lost. How deep the rabbit hole goes is the question, but for Tyrel, there is no way back.
Director’s Note – Gideon Homes
The concept of this movie was to create a film with an underground feeling at its core, aiming to elaborate on what constitutes “underground,” all within the framework of electronic music.
The idea for the film was to place a techno/electro DJ set at the heart of the storytelling, giving it a non- linear storytelling DNA, much like the tracks of a DJ set, which are almost never produced in a chronological fashion. Additionally, a true DJ creates his set live on the spot, thereby creating a unique moment in time. The challenge in making a film lies in its somewhat predetermined nature, so incorporating this aspect into the mix presented a challenge.
Most movies or documentaries are about well-known artists, with some exceptions. Therefore, most main characters in this genre have a somewhat predictable lifestyle—artists who rebel against society, freak out, and often engage in self-destructive struggles within themselves. Destruction can sometimes be seen as a form of creation. This film features a less conventional protagonist whose character differs from other artists typically portrayed in movies. His surroundings create the chaos and destruction as he tries to survive, facing an ironic parabola in life regarding the meaning of what is considered underground.
Creating a world where the storyline would take place was challenging because visually, it should exist somewhere between ordinary life and something more surrealistic. A depiction of ordinary life would not reflect the underground feel of the movie. The complex laws the character encounters would be boring but still necessary to tell the story.
The main character of the movie is somewhat of an unconventional hero; the word “loser” might be more fitting. Because the story is based on true events, the trade-off between scripting the main character’s reactions to a more conflict model, as is often used in movies, could create an unreal path compared to the true events. However, not scripting the main character’s reactions to the traditional conflict model within scenes could diminish the expected suspense in the movie.
As an analogy for an electronic musician, it is akin to deciding whether to keep “Night Of The Jaguar” by Rolando as it is or to insert an EDM-like break in the middle of the track to make the drop/theme of the record more effective/stand out. Due to the many themes in the movie, the choice was made to keep it as close to reality as possible.
The musician’s struggle for survival is always related to the context of the time in which he is living. Since the usual focal point is rebellion against society, in this story, the main character is not rebelling and has integrated into society at what seems to be a high level of compliance. However, due to the approach towards him when trying to leave because of his illness, this triggers the rebellion still left in him.
Technical information The Netherlands, 2023
35 mm 1:1, 85, Color, 93 Min, Stereo
Release 02 Feb 2024 worldwide
Cast
Tyrel Coen Van den Aardweg
Skylar Skylar Mills
Klaas Ray Van Zuijlen
Lu Lu Dorien Rose Duinker
Fictor Bjorn Van der Doelen
Filosoof Bas Van de Oever
Broer Lu Lu Grad Waesenbeek
Chanelly Delphin Metsers
Inne Susan Arcidiacono
Mike Elroy Lemmens
XL Leon Van Waas
Floor Judith Kotigaro
Crew
Scriptwriter & Director Gideon Homes
Casting Susan Arcidiacono
Cinematography Jahyro Adonis
Set Designer Valentina Bonaldo & Matteo Pani
Set Decorator Diana Heijman
Line Producer and Kimberly Homes Production manager
Editor RTPU editing
Music Skylar Mills & Alexis Tyrel
Producers Homes & Homes Shooting Locations
Eindhoven, The Netherlands Pullman Hotel Eindhoven Effenaar, Eindhoven
Arendonk, Belgium Best, The Netherlands
Lieshout, The Netherlands Amsterdam, The Netherlands Duiven, The Netherlands
