In the new TV series ‘Sisters’ from broadcaster Max, everything revolves around family secrets. Lead actor Huub Stapel: “Every village has its mysteries.”
All certainties disappear for farmer’s daughter Rolinde. First her father dies suddenly, but when she thinks she will inherit the farm, two half-sisters appear out of nowhere. They count on their share of the inheritance. It is the prelude to all kinds of secrets.
The 8-part TV series Sisters from broadcaster Max takes the viewer to a farm where livestock farmer Johan (Huub Stapel) lives with his daughter Rolinde (Joy Delima) and his mother Saar (Olga Zuiderhoek). Images of their flock of sheep around a monumental bell jar in the green on the Veluwe paint a romantic picture of rural life. The background is less romantic, because when father dies in an accident, all kinds of frailties from his past come to light.
Was his death accidental?
His daughter Rolinde thinks she will inherit the farm, but the notary reveals that her father has two more daughters, who also inherit a share. The story takes the viewer into the mysterious past of the family in retrospect. Enough riddles. Because what kind of life did father actually have? Does grandma know more about that than she lets on? And was the farmer’s death an accident?
Huub Stapel can be seen as the mysterious livestock farmer. “He is an interesting man to play because he has always hidden his emotions,” says the actor. “That makes him a wandering soul who postpones his feelings. But in the end he is confronted with everything he has caused in his life.”
The series gradually reveals how things work. The sisters have to get used to the idea that their family history is different than they thought and the viewer sees how the next mystery is solved in each episode. Then you will understand better why the painful aspects of the past had to remain hidden.
Life in the countryside
In addition to Huub Stapel as livestock farmer Johan, the audience sees Assen-born Olga Zuiderhoek as his mother Saar. “Olga and I have known each other for 42 years, but never before have we been in front of the camera together.” The roles of the sisters are played by Joy Delima (daughter Rolinde), Melody Klaver (daughter Faya) and Fockeline Ouwerkerk (daughter Nienke).
The colleagues, the direction and the screenplay were all reasons for Huub Stapel to say ‘yes’ to this role. “I am happy that there is finally a drama series that shows life in the countryside with ordinary flesh and blood people. Because I come from a Limburg village myself, I am attached to stories about village life. And by the way: urban vicissitudes are often highlighted on TV.”
The pace also matters Sisters according to Stapel, different from other TV series. “The screenplay offers every opportunity to tell the story in peace. That’s nice, because in my opinion it is a mistake that everything has to go faster and faster. You shouldn’t rattle off a story like that at a fast pace, because then it won’t get across. Fortunately, Hilversum now seems to realize that you have to tell a story in peace in order for it to sink in properly with the viewer. I hope that’s why we… Sisters could herald a new trend. A trend of slow and meaningful.”
Zussen can be seen on Wednesdays on NPO1 around 8:35 PM.
Tags: Village secrets unraveled series Sisters Omroep Max people flesh blood
