The Chosen Ones

Young men signing up for the Dutch Marine Corps - the amphibious infantry unit of the Royal Netherlands Navy - have to show that they've got what it takes before they can wear the coveted Marines beret. During a training program that lasts nearly nine months, they must prove that they have the physical and mental wherewithal to withstand great hardships, and that they are ready to defend their comrades and their country in war. Their instructors do everything possible to test their capabilities to the limits. Things can get very rough, and at times the boundary between educationally necessary and downright humiliating and inhuman treatment seems very thin. Director and cinematographer Geertjan Lassche followed a batch of new recruits throughout the training process. There are short interviews, but most of the film consists of exercises: nocturnal marches in full kit, putting up a bivouac, and so on. As time passes, exhaustion takes hold and an increasing number of the young men are unable to take the pressure. Over two-thirds of the recruits leave the course without completing it. Are there enough tough young men around these days to keep the armed forces up to par?