Discoveries from Netherlands World Cinema

A special coverage, by two dutch journalists, of Ukraine’s very first Gay Pride (during the Euro 2012 Championship) that never happened due to extremist threats. The secret route had been leaked and hundreds of members of dangerous anti-gay groups chased gays who were on their way to the Pride. Two of the organizers were hospitalized. With the world’s gaze fixed upon Ukraine, gays – who have no rights there - felt encouraged to stand up for their rights. It might get even worse when a law against ‘gay propaganda’ passes: (positive) media coverage, support and education of homosexuality will be punishable.

A filmmaker decides to examine the fitgirl label by becoming one herself. In the age of social media where the individual comes first, being fit is the trend and exhibiting yourself online is paramount, it seems hard to stay satisfied with yourself. So the documentary filmmaker decides to go to the gym three times a week, adhere to strict diets and garner due Instagram fame. What does this change do to her mentally and does it change her view of the fitgirl phenomenon?

The documentary closely portrays three patients who are being treated with Electro Convulsion Therapy (ECT) for their depression or psychosis.

...But I Was a Girl: The Story of Frieda Belinfante tells the story of Frieda Belinfante (1905–1995), a remarkable woman who was the first female conductor to have her own symphony orchestra, first in Holland and later in OrangeCounty, California. Controversial, because of her sexuality, she showed a remarkably strong and positive will in everything she did. Born in a family of musicians in Amsterdam, she joined the resistance during World War II, then later fled to Switzerland. After the war she moved to the US where she resumed her musical career in the Hollywood studios, and formed her own symphony orchestra with Hollywood musicians. The story of Frieda’s lifeis told by herself, her older sister Renee, old students and friends, and illustrated by the places she lived, archive materials of her orchestras and some of her music.

Director Tamara Miranda returns to the VERHULST, an institute for young girls. Together with the current girls, the directors tries to answer the question if it is possible to feel at home in such a place.

Messing with fireworks, ring and run and a lot of football practice. This makes Ky really happy, but she has also been unhappy for years because she has a girl's body. Last summer Ky finally managed to tell her parents she wants to become a boy, and would like to have a different name: Niels. Together with her friend Sterre, who used to be called Tibor and therefore has a boy's body, they tell their new secondary school class that they are transgender children. It is the beginning of a new life as Niels. 'How Ky turned into Niels': the search to find out who you are and the right to be yourself, about boys and girls stuff, hormones and more of those confusing things.

Inspired by his ideals, architect Han van Loghem travelled to Siberia in the mid 1920s. The Soviet Union was in need of specialists to help design and construct completely new cities and mining and metallurgical centres in the Urals and Siberia. And socially engaged architects from Western Europe headed to the first workers’ state in the world so that they could bring their new architectural ideas to life. Builders Of The Future shows how for van Loghem, the journey to Siberia was also a quest for personal and professional fulfilment, which he was lacking in the Netherlands. Van Loghem's personal journey had its repercussions his relationship with his wife, Berthe Neumeijer, who had initially planned to stay in the Netherlands but then followed him to Siberia in an attempt to save their marriage.

Live on stage, that’s where Europe’s premiere blues-guitarist Julian Sas is at his very best. Loud and aggressive but equally sensitive and intense. Live this bluesman to the backbone is always an event. His guitar playing is full of passion and spectacular. His voice soulful. The rhythm section, Tenny Tahamata on bass and Rob Heijne on drums, is solid, swinging and pushing Sas to great heights.‘Wandering Between Worlds’ is the first live CD (and the first live DVD) on which Heijne can be heard. The DVD ‘Wandering Between Worlds’ features a registration of the show that Julian Sas and his comrades performed for a frantically enthusiastic audience at De Boerderij, a large venue in Zoetermeer, The Netherlands. The best Julian Sas gig ever, according to connoisseurs. This, almost 2 hours long, recording includes, highlights from Julian Sas’ repertoire as well as 4 brand-new songs

A bombardment of fish and other underwater creatures accompanied by music from the Egyptian singer Abdel Basset Hamouda. A hallucinatory trip where visual illusion battles with the real world of the Red Sea.

2016 recording of the show by Dutch comedian Paulien Cornelisse. In this performance Cornelisse is concerned with all things that seem and may be unimportant, the unnoticed things. She takes a close look at them and subjects them to a thorough analysis. Social issues such as the treatment of a right-cylindrical garbage can are discussed, but there is also an eye for the emotional life of a yellow parakeet.

An documentary on the freedom of art in the Netherlands by Gerard Reves. Reve sets out to defend the freedom of art against angry constituents.

Nasser is about a 13-year old Dutch girl from Moroccan descent named Nassira. Nassira's friends call her Nasser because she feels different than other girls. Nassira acts like a boy and she dislikes girl stuff. When Nassira has her first period, her mother thinks it is time to behave like a young woman but does Nassira feel the same way?

Alex Agnew talks about recent things bothering him and once again gives humor a whole new meaning by crossing the line as much as possible.

The Timblies are colourfull charecters who can break apart and be put together

Frans Timmermans, the first vice chairman of the European Commission, is followed during a trying time for Europe. The refugee crisis is always present, and the possible Brexit looms over Europe as well

The dramatic and compelling story of a lonely samurai and the government agency that wants to eliminate him.

In her search for the meaning behind a recurring nightmare, Janne almost completely shuts herself off from the outside world. Who is that man across the street at night?

While his depressed mother has been lying on the couch for some time and his father has disappeared, a clever boy of almost nine builds a time machine. In the voice-over, Markus tells what he has learned about time travel. He takes the viewer along to the past and the future, and what would you know? It is all far less complicated than you think, and at the same time much less is possible than you would like to. To be honest, after a while it is mainly boring, the precocious kid explains. But who is he actually talking to all this time?

Documentary about two resilient twenty-somethings who reached adulthood in a strange world. Mariwan is standing still, but wants to get a move on, whereas Bushra can finally get started, but clings to her past. Both arrived in the Netherlands alone when they were seventeen. The tough circumstances and absence of their family forced them, earlier than expected, to stand on their own two feet. Bushra and Mariwan candidly talk about their future dreams and memories. Now that they can stay in the Netherlands, they wonder: Who am I, what do I want and what am I going to do?

Producer Oscar Holleman (Within Temptation an Krezip) instantly recognizes 21 year old Sharon Kovacs as a talented singer. Even comparing her voice to Amy Winehouse. The movie is a documentation of them recording during two very hectic years.

Because of his extreme provocations at school, the fifteen-year-old Julius is sent to a special program for behavioral change. In crafty dialogue, Julius fights the hypocrisy of 'being free to be yourself, but within the limits', preached by his supervisors and his recently divorced parents. But when Julius finds the physical limits of his rebellion, the situation explodes and he needs to get back in control. Is he able to stay true to his ideals and to be released from the program altogether?

Brrr, put on a thick sweater. Bumba and his friends are traveling to the land of snow. Grab your friend Bumba and slide along on the sled, yay!

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This documentary shows a rare and intimate portrait of Hockney's private passion –- designing for the opera stage.

Filmmaker Walter Grotenhuis remembers how he used to look forward to Sundays when he was a boy. That was the day that his family would eat meat for lunch. But several decades later, this is no longer the special occasion it was back then. On the contrary: thanks to globalization, we can eat whatever we want whenever we want, regardless of the season, and for the lowest prices imaginable. But what are the consequences? While a single delicious meal is prepared in a Dutch kitchen over the course of the film, Grotenhuis traces its ingredients, showing the effects of the production of the food on its environment. Following in the footsteps of films like Food Inc., We Feed the World, and Our Daily Bread, Enjoy Your Meal questions the modern-day food industry without condemning it outright.

Film in three parts. A man and a woman, Trix Zwartjes and Lodewijk de Boer (Zwartjes’s regular actors) circle around each other in a house and outside at the water side. They attract and reject each other.