Everyone in employment inevitably has to deal with it: the performance review. During this meeting, which takes place behind closed doors, the employee is assessed by their line manager, who seeks to provide guidance on the employee’s work performance. During these meetings, participants must strike a balance between criticism, understanding and a great deal of discomfort. This is often no easy task.

In her new documentary De manager (The Manager), filmmaker Maartje Bakers shows what goes on during these meetings, and she does so with plenty of humour and a keen eye for detail. Managers must provide feedback whilst striving to be gentle and humane, as there is a great need for genuine connection. But it is often a difficult task to combine empathy with authority, because ultimately it is all about performance and results. The film is a revealing portrait of modern workplace culture.

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