WILLEMSTAD - The film Double play also known as ‘Changá’ looks at the lives of a few Antilleans/ Dutch Caribbeans in the Netherlands. Viewers get an insight into how they use the philosophy of dominoes to find their way in the Netherlands.
The film leads the viewer into the rhythm of the philosophy behind the game of dominoes: how do people react to the cards they are dealt with in this life? Which moves do they make based on the possibilities they have? What steps do they take and where does that lead them? “Everybody comes to the game of life, gets a hand and has to play it.” That is the recurring message relayed in Changá.
Music and art as the driving force
In the film we meet rapper and artist from Curaçao Juny Martina, artist and content creator Amy Miyú, she has roots in Curaçao and Saint Martin, Ray Fuego, poet, lead singer in the punk band "Ploegendienst", and member of the famous brassband from Rotterdam Earthquake. They all perform different forms of art. In these performances, the viewer gets a reflection of the philosofy of domino on ‘belonging’ in the Netherlands.
Antropology
Changá is an initiative of Francio Guadeloupe a professor holding the academic chair of ‘public anthropology of kingdom affairs’ which is tied to KITLV-KNAW and to the University of Amsterdam. The academic chair has been established in 2024 by the Ministry of the Interior and Kingdom Relations to promote deepening and broadening of knowledge. The film is made by Manpreet Brar, Francio Guadeloupe and Ian Bodo (Big Dawg Productions).
For Francio it is important that this film is made so that it can deepen the understanding of his written academic research: Through Changá we discuss the sense of belonging of Antilleans in the Netherlands, and thus to what extent the Netherlands (is also) their home.
For artist Ray Fuego that grew up in Amsterdam SouthEast it is a different experience than for Juny and the language, so the Papiamentu/o plays a role in that. All three reflect on the complexities of identity. Ray shares his views on how the very act of thinking in separate identities can be regarded as destructive. “People should realize that they are everything”.