Martin Bril (1959–2009) was for many years one of the most successful columnists in the Netherlands. In 1996, he began writing pieces for Het Parool about the trial of De Hakkelaar. These were no ordinary court reports: Bril described the crease in De Hakkelaar's trousers and the signet ring on his finger. These pieces grew into a regular column, in which he reported on the world around him in a completely unique way. Director Coen Verbraak portrays the columnist five years after his passing.
