Orange Cinema: The Most Impressive Dutch Films
If you're new to Dutch cinema, embark on a valuable exploration with our curated selection of films. These movies, showcasing the best of Dutch cinema, will take you on journeys to different worlds. Enjoy your viewing experience!
The Northerners, 1992
- IMDb: 7.3
Summary: A surreal dark comedy set in a rundown housing complex in the 1960s. Thomas, a young boy struggling to cope with his mother's cruelty and his father's disappointments, becomes obsessed with incidents reported in the news.
Cast: Jack Wouterse, Annet Malherbe, Rudolf Lucieer
Director: Alex van Warmerdam
Paradise Now, 2005
- IMDb: 7.4
Summary: Childhood friends Khaled and Said, young Palestinians, are tasked as suicide bombers in an attack planned for Tel Aviv. After spending a final night with their families, they are taken to the border with bombs strapped to their bodies. However, the operation doesn't go as planned, and they lose track of each other, facing their destinies alone. Filmed in Nablus, the movie portrays the ordinary days of people living in hopeless situations, seeking ways to resist occupation without condoning taking lives.
Cast: Kais Nashif, Ali Suliman, Lubna Azabal
Director: Hany Abu-Assad
Antonia’s Line, 1995
- IMDb: 7.4
Summary: In a small Dutch town, a strong woman who has inspired those around her throughout her life reflects on her past. She reviews the generations that have gathered at her table, the comrades in her cause, and the values she leaves behind.
Cast: Willeke van Ammelrooy, Jan Decleir, Veerle van Overloop
Director: Marleen Gorris
Amsterdam Global Village, 1996
- IMDb: 7.5
Summary: Filmmaker Johan van der Keuken remarks at the end of his four-hour portrait of Amsterdam, 'I am on a distant journey in my own city.' The film presents the city as a place where people from all corners of the world live, each leaving cultural imprints on city life. The central figure is a motorcycle courier who introduces the audience to different facets of the city, from various cultural expressions like a home scene, St. Nicholas' entry, to a funeral ritual in Ghana. The connecting theme in the film is the concept of 'travel,' representing Amsterdam as a global village. The camera moves in three ways throughout the film: on land, water, and air.
Cast: Julika Marijn
Director: Johan van der Keuken
Miss Kiet’s Children, 2016
- IMDb: 7.7
Summary: Kiet Engels is the kind of teacher every child would want. She is firm but never harsh, compassionate but never soft, and endlessly patient. Miss Kiet's students are newly arrived in the Netherlands, many of them refugees. Everything is new and confusing. Some are initially combative and stubborn, but Miss Kiet's firm yet loving hand soothes and engages them. She not only teaches them to read and write in Dutch but also helps them solve problems together and learn to respect each other. The children gradually gain skills and confidence.
Cast: Kiet Engel, Haya Khleif, Branche Jovanovski
Directors: Peter Lataster, Petra Lataster-Czisch
Character, 1997
- IMDb: 7.7
Summary: Winner of the 1998 Academy Award for Best Foreign Language Film, 'Character' delves into the dynamics between a father and son based on ambition, hatred, and revenge, while exploring the eternal silence between a mother and son. The film portrays Jacob's struggles to achieve his dream profession alongside the challenges he faces with his father and mother, set against a backdrop of cold, clear, and introverted characters dominating the atmosphere. The film captures the emotionless father and the mother who never shows her love, creating a compelling narrative that all cinephiles should not miss, making it one of the finest examples of European cinema.
Cast: Pavlik Jansen op de Haar, Jan Decleir, Fedja van Huêt
Director: Mike van Diem
The Vanishing, 1988
- IMDb: 7.7
Summary: The loving couple Saskia and Rex set out on a road trip, but their joy turns to horror when Saskia disappears mysteriously at a gas station. Despite Rex's relentless search, including confronting a suspect, Saskia remains missing. The film, directed by George Sluizer, masterfully builds tension and suspense as it explores the themes of love, loss, and the haunting mystery of Saskia's disappearance.
Cast: Bernard-Pierre Donnadieu, Gene Bervoets, Johanna ter Steege
Director: George Sluizer
Black Book, 2006
- IMDb: 7.7
Summary: In a time when living in Germany as a Jew is akin to a nightmare, Jewish singer Rachel Stein decides to leave the country to escape the oppressive regime. However, her escape attempt is thwarted, leading her to join the resistance under the alias Ellis de Vries. Directed by Paul Verhoeven, known for films like 'RoboCop' and 'Basic Instinct,' 'Black Book' is a gripping portrayal of real tragedies during World War II.
Cast: Carice van Houten, Sebastian Koch, Thom Hoffman
Director: Paul Verhoeven
Simon, 2004
- IMDb: 7.8
Summary: Simon, indifferent to life, accidentally hits a cyclist named Camiel, leading to an unexpected journey to Thailand. Although they part ways after an odd incident, life continues to unfold. Fourteen years later, Camiel is diagnosed with cancer, and their paths cross again, prompting a reflective exploration of life's complexities. The film handles the theme of death with poignant moments and occasional humor, inviting viewers to question the events unfolding.
Cast: Cees Geel, Marcel Hensema, Rifka Lodeizen
Director: Eddy Terstall
Metal and Melancholy, 1994
- IMDb: 7.9
Summary: This documentary follows renowned documentarian Heddy Honigmann as she travels with taxi drivers in Lima, discovering their stories in an extraordinary 'road film.' Amid Peru's inflationary economy and corruption during the early 1990s, many middle-class professionals used their cars as taxis to cope with financial crises. The film offers a glimpse into their lives and struggles during turbulent times, capturing the resilience and spirit of the human condition.
Cast: Víctor Talledo, Señor English, Mercedes Aguilar
Director: Heddy Honigmann
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