Sunny Side 2026 interview: Harald House CEO, Kristian Van der Heyden

Flemish production house Harald House arrives in La Rochelle with a diverse slate of documentary projects, ranging from The Consciousness of David Lynch (by Marco Spagnoli and Rüdiger Sturm, in development), which will take audiences on a journey into the mind of the late, great auteur, to Gaza Sunbirds (by Flavia Cappellini, in post-production), a feature doc about team of para-cyclists who chase their dream of competing on the world stage, even as bombs descend on their home city of Gaza.

“We look for projects that we think are important, interesting, and valuable in some way,” CEO Kristian Van der Heyden tells Business Doc Europe. “We don’t really distinguish between genres. Looking back at our slate, we do notice a recurring attraction to people resisting the homogenisation of society: artists, activists, journalists, outsiders, and devoted underdogs with a mission.”

“The David Lynch project is an example of that,” he adds. “Lynch is one of the most influential filmmakers of the last fifty years, but beyond the icon there is a fascinating artistic philosophy and body of work that continues to influence generations of filmmakers. The project combines a subject with a built-in international audience and strong cultural relevance.”

Read the full interview by Nick Cunningham, Business Doc Europe