The Amsterdam film director Lourens Blok is in trouble with the inhabitants of the Wadden island of Terschelling where his latest film, the thriller Sunny Side Up, is set and which was broadcast on tv on Saturday, the Parool reports on Monday.

Comments on social media range from ‘an insult to Terschelling’ and ‘too awful for words’ to ‘could only watch for 15 minutes’.

Sunny Side Up sees the Amsterdam couple Daan (Egbert Jan Weeber) and Judith (Hannah Hoekstra) take the boat to the island, only to find they are not welcome because the islanders are celebrating Sunderum.

Sunderum is a real tradition and takes place on the island every December 6. The island’s menfolk dress up as what looks like haystacks and wear other frightening ghost-chasing garb. Women and children must stay indoors while this is happening or they will be chased. At the end of the evening there is a dance where everyone is welcome.

Blok uses this yearly tradition in his film to create a threatening atmosphere which creates tensions between Daan and Judith and leads to a grim ending.

Some of the islanders are cross because not all the film was shot on Terschelling. Some scenes were filmed in Edam and Amerongen. This led to comments on Twitter such as ‘How nice, spot places on our island, but not the case, what a travesty’.

Blok is on holiday and not available for comment, the Parool says.