Netherlands

An industrial film which shows the operations inside the Philips Radio plant: In a mêlée of activity, glassblowers make delicate glass bulbs. Machinery assists the bulb manufacture. A virtuoso glassblower begins a more complex tube used in radio broadcasting; it is then turned, fired, and sculpted. Conveyors carry partially completed units. Workers perform their various specific assembly-line tasks. Cases are manufactured and machined, wire harnesses are assembled, loudspeakers are produced. As radios near completion, they are run through a series of tests. Engineers and draughtsmen define future developments. In a closing stop-motion sequence, in a style reminiscent of Norman McLaren, a group of loudspeakers performs a playful dance. The film overall is a poetic depiction of an industrial process.Read More »

Het Witte Kasteel (1973)

Part of Johan van der Keuken’s North/South series, The White Castle focuses on the impact of the West on the underclass: on the concrete realities of their daily life and on the way their existence is isolated and frustrated. Interweaving images of the Spanish tourist mecca of Formentera, a community center in Columbus, Ohio, and factories in the Netherlands, the film vividly illustrates the fragmented, alienated lives that the market economy produces and chillingly portrays what van der Keuken saw as “a conveyor belt [that] runs across the world.”Read More »

Selection of 14 experimental films of Paul (& Menno) de Nooijer

De Nooijer’s first attempt at filmmaking was in collaboration with his former teacher Frans Zwartjes.From then on he made short experimental films and photos and combined the two.

Paul and Menno (his son) have collaborated on numerous projects to produce video clips, commercials and short films. The autonomous work and the commercial work look similar, and elements used in the first return in the second and vice versa. But the commercial works are more straightforward, less layered in their meaning. Some deal with social (AIDS) or environmental issues (global warming).Read More »

*** contain spoilers ***
During World War II in the Netherlands, resistance leader Arie is shot by Dutch SS man Niels. Arie’s comrades swear they’ll avenge his death.
35 years later one of them, Ab, is confronted with Niels again. He decides to round up his old friends to kill him.
However, they don’t want to do it or they’re not capable of doing it anymore. Only former communist Wout hasn’t forgotten his pledge and takes part in the execution.Read More »

IMDB:
This is not only the best dutch movie that I have ever seen, but one of the most moving movies that I have ever seen. Great picture of dutch society, on extraordinarily interesting people, full of great humor and sadness, and most importantly on life and death (parallel to the last two). This film is FULL in every way that a film should and can be. It is the heart-filling and heart-wrenching story of one of the most extraordinarily human lives (beautifully acted) ever put on film. It is about Simon, his fast life, his loved ones, and his chosen death. It is also about the truly free society, where all can choose their life and their death for themselves. It is a portrait of a culture of personal responsibility, love, and life that is so needed everywhere. It will make you think, laugh and cry. When and if you can, see this picture, you won’t be disappointed. It’s one of the greats.Read More »

Feature film about love and relationships in Amsterdam, consisting of an ingeniously interwoven plot of several stories and characters. Together with the feature SIMON (2004) this one is part of Terstall’s trilogy about the liberties of the present Dutch society.Read More »

Diana Serra Cary, a well-conserved lady of ninety, is one of the last living legends of the silent movie era. She was not even two when she endeared herself to the public as cute Baby Peggy. In Hollywood, she worked long days as an infant, earned millions and provided for the family. When she was six, the fairytale abruptly ended when her father, a stunt man and ex-cowboy, quarrelled with a producer and the saved fortune turned out to be squandered. In this documentary, with abundant historic footage, Diana looks back on her bizarre childhood and explains to her granddaughter she really does not know what it is like to be a child. As a teenager, she started loathing Baby Peggy and ran away from home to start a new life. She wrote a book about child stars and eventually became reconciled with Baby Peggy. Nowadays, she visits festivals that screen her films and enjoys the attention from often young fans..Read More »

“This highly acclaimed Dutch film is about politics. A dangerous subject, because it is too easy to (seemingly) take sides. “Vox Populi” (“the voice of the people”) is a sharp view on the Dutch politics of today. A populist rightwing makes a high flight in the polls and we follow a “red/green” politician whose party makes a drop. When he comes in contact with a real Amsterdam family who says exactly what they think, the politician starts to copy harsch statements about Muslims, pocket-filling politicians, etc. much to the dislike of his fellow party members, but all the fuss does raise the party in the polls. “Vox Populi” is a real Dutch film with nudity, sex and strong language, but also with a nice magnifying glass on politics, society and the gap between these two. Read More »

Synopsis:
Doctor Kees Pulder is unexpectedly visited by his old study pal Hans van Inge Liedaerd. They recall youth memories until they’re totally boogaloo. The next morning, Pulder discovers that Hans left quietly and stole his medicines, including a bulk of morphine. In the evening a brick is thrown through the window with a note from Hans. Not long after, Hans dies from an overdosis. Following his funeral, Pulder gets under the spell of Hans’ past. He meets one of his old lovers, Mies, who tells him they were planning on committing suicide together. Pulder starts visiting Mies regularly. In the end they sow poppies in her backyard, with the juice of which Mies wanted to kill herself. For Kees, it’s still not too late.Read More »