Ons Wereldrijk (Our World Empire)

Hotel Modern shows the colonial history of the Netherlands in Indonesia with ingenious animation and puppetry.

A gigantic mock-up of Indonesia fills the stage that is inhabited by hundreds of dolls about eight centimeters high. The players roam with mini cameras through jungles and rice paddies, past temples, villages, and mosques. The images are projected onto a large screen, bringing the island and its inhabitants to life. The story begins in the 17th century. We see Javanese princesses perform age-old court dances, and markets where cloves, nutmeg, and pepper are sold. We follow the trail of the enterprising Dutch who arrive at the islands with mighty sailing ships in search of valuable spices. To secure their commerce, they take strong mercenaries along and manage to take over more and more islands. We see how cannons roar, ships sink, villages go up in smoke, and how princes not only sell their spices to the Dutch, but also their souls.