Elvy’s World: So Ibiza (2018)

Directed by: Erwin van den Eshof | 80 minutes | comedy | Actors: May Hollermann, Jill Schirnhofer, Kalvijn, Défano Holwijn, Irene Moors, Buddy Vedder, Stephanie van Eer, Sylvie Meis, Nienke Plas, Djamila, Rutger Vink, Claartje Rose, Femke Meines, Sarah Nauta, Bibi

Okay, movie quiz question. Which recent Dutch teen film revolves around a fashion design competition, in which the protagonist competes against a (totally untalented) classmate who presents a stolen design from the protagonist as hers in the final?
A. Fashion Chicks
B. 100% Coco
C. Elvy’s World: So Ibiza
The correct answer is… all three! It’s unbelievable, but this recipe that has since been chewed out still finds production money in our cold little country. Also ‘Elvy’s world: So Ibiza’ revolves around such a dreaming, but extremely creative, young lady, who “wants to make it in the fashion world”. The film is based on the books by Jill Schirnhofer, who also stars in the film.

Elvy is a humble teenager who uses every spare moment to draw (her drawing style is exactly that of creation queen Jill Schirnhofer, wildly popular among tinkering children). She has been designing clothes since she was six, but she really doesn’t think a drawing is good enough. That’s why no one has ever seen her before. But when the unkind Emma signs up for the Future Fashion Awards, the final of which will be held in Ibiza, her best friend urges her to participate. Elvy signs up and of course both she and her rival are invited to audition in Ibiza.

There’s one problem: Elvy actually has to go to her parents’ summer school during the summer holidays. But the resourceful girl has found something for that, with a little help she can pretend to be in the cold, bleak Netherlands instead of sunny Ibiza…

‘Elvy’s world: So Ibiza’ hardly has a surprising development, but that is not really disturbing. The actors believe in their role and clearly enjoy it. The film looks neat, with funny details, which are inspired by the work of Elvy’s creator Jill Schirnhofer – who here takes on the role of Elvy’s grown sister.

The message of the story is one that we have seen in countless other youth films – that you have to stay true to yourself. But ‘Elvy’s world: So Ibiza’ is based on extreme situations. What teen would go so far as to get on a plane alone and lie to family and friends for days on end? How many teens meet a celebrity on the beach, don’t recognize them at all and let them fall for them like a rock?

But actually ‘Elvy’s world: So Ibiza’ is a film for dreamers and doers alike. The dreamers can swoon over the romance and inevitable fame that awaits Elvy. That wise life lesson really doesn’t have to come from this movie. The doers will be inspired to do beautiful things with their lives themselves.