CUSTOMER JOURNEY – WELCOME TO THE NETHERLANDS

CUSTOMER JOURNEY follows recognized refugees and the people guiding them through the Dutch integration system, a world as complex as it is absurd, where rules, forms, and good intentions collide, revealing the tensions and challenges at the heart of Dutch society and holding up a mirror to it. Read here how you can contribute.

director & cinematography: Ton van Zantvoort
producer: NEWTON film / Annerose Langeveld
language: Dutch, English, Arabic
duration: 83 minutes
expected: April 23, 2026
ISAN: 0000-0007-0431-0000-1-0000-0000-Y
maccsbox filmnumber: 99153352
age classification: ALL

The documentary and impact campaign are made possible by VSBfonds, Province of North Brabant, vfonds, Fund for Special Journalistic Projects, the Cultural Fund, Municipality of Breda and EO.

Logline
CUSTOMER JOURNEY follows recognized refugees and the people guiding them through the Dutch integration system, a world as complex as it is absurd, where rules, forms, and good intentions collide, revealing the tensions and challenges at the heart of Dutch society and holding up a mirror to it.

Since the new Civic Integration Act came into effect in the Netherlands, the responsibility for integration no longer lies with the refugees themselves but with the individual municipalities. To manage this process, the city of Breda developed the Customer Journey Integration framework.

CUSTOMER JOURNEY follows a large Syrian family and two Somali sisters as they navigate this integration system. The film shows the difficulties faced not only by the refugees but also by the professionals trying to support them. From housing, financial assistance, language and cultural courses, and local buddy programs, to social services and employment guidance, the film offers an unique and personal view of how institutions attempt to help people build a new life.

CUSTOMER JOURNEY reveals how recognized refugees move from one desk to the next in a system where policies, institutions and good intentions often collide with daily reality and cultural differences. Through the lens of integration, the film reveals how complex and fragmented Dutch society can be. The challenges of civic integration become tangible, and the audience is confronted with a mirror: a system that is efficient and client-focused in design, yet increasingly disconnected from human reality.

After its premiere in April 2026, CUSTOMER JOURNEY will be screened in various cinemas across the country. Let us know in which city you would like to see the film, and we will do our best to organize a screening there as well. We’ll keep you updated as soon as the film is showing near you.

The documentary CUSTOMER JOURNEY  offers a sharp and human insight into what integration means today for recognized refugees and the professionals supporting them. The film invites dialogue on integration, policy, and society.

Your organization can arrange an exclusive screening, for example with a Q&A with the director or involved parties.

Join, share, and reflect on how society can become more understandable and accessible for everyone.

Easily share CUSTOMER JOURNEY: send this email to someone, copy the sample text below and share it with one click via the social buttons.

Want to organize a screening? Get in touch.

With thanks to all the organizations that made this film possible:
Gemeente Breda, Stichting Vluchtelingenwerk, Hello Breda, Status Go, Buddy tot Buddy, Tilburg University, Krediet Bank, COA, Taal Ideaal, NCB Breda, Tulp Training, basisschool De Fontein, Zorg voor elkaar, IMW, Arriva, Digi-Taalhuis Nieuwe Veste, woningcorporatie Laurentius en Wonenbreburg.

The documentary and impact campaign are made possible by VSBfonds, Province of North Brabant, vfonds, Fund for Special Journalistic Projects, the Cultural Fund, Municipality of Breda and EO.