HUMAN

In a world where sex has become powerful leverage, Tessa takes on a job as high-class escort and calls herself Aimée. The secret life that comes with the job and the denial of her true feelings detaches her from herself and the people who love her most.

It takes courage to be a queer teenager at an LGBTQIA+ youth summer camp. Along with 65 other queer youngsters, Faas, Fano, Jeroen, and Finley are on their first summer camp, spending five intensive days of workshops that teach them how they can love themselves more. For the first time in their lives, the youths are surrounded by peers, all struggling with the same problems and feelings. As different as they are, they all share one thing: the need for contact and understanding. Mutual recognition of each other’s childhood or coming-out stories stirs up more emotions than they may have thought. Will this help them get closer to each other and eventually themselves?

When the Polish au pair Karina goes grocery shopping with the family's children, she notices that the mother does not trust her with her PIN code. A small rift appears in the bond of trust between Karina and the family, with all its consequences.

When Lidija Zelović fled the war in Bosnia-Herzegovina at the age of 22, she didn’t realize that she would henceforth be defined as a “refugee”. Nor that her life would then be spent shuttling between her birthplace and Amsterdam, between the past and the present, between being Lidija and being a foreigner.

In 2023, there were an estimated 30.6 thousand homeless people. This number continues to rise at an alarming rate. One of them is the headstrong Ruurdt. He has difficulty getting help and cannot adapt well to our society. He is now also in danger of losing the houseboat that was assigned to him. 'Ruurdt' is an intimate portrait of a man on the fringes of our society.

There are more refugees in the world today than at any point in history. And half of them are children. Let Me In is a cinematic experience which reimagines the refugee crisis as if it was happening on America’s shores. Written and directed by Jonathan Olinger, this tale of survival and the remarkable power of the human spirit is inspired by the stories of real refugees. Starring Alicia Keys, the film follows her and her family's quest to survive after they experience unimaginable violence and embark on a journey that will forever change them. Along with thousands of Americans fleeing the conflict in Los Angeles, they must seek safety by attempting to cross the border into Mexico. Guided by their resolute love for each other and utter determination, the refugee family must navigate oceans and desserts in their unrelenting pursuit to find refuge and reunite.

What if your father murdered your mother? Maeve, Roser, and sisters Perla and Aurora each lost their mother, their father, and their safe home in a single day. Director Sara Kolster, in collaboration with expert Perla Joy, tells their stories about that single day, about how it could happen, but especially about what came afterward. Using tape, they reconstruct the contours of their childhood home, as it was before it became a crime scene, even though it served as a blueprint of their childhood.

The working-class Tuindorp Nieuwendam neighborhood in Amsterdam-Noord is like a village within the city. Many natives of the Northern Netherlands still live in the characteristically built houses, a unique variation on the Amsterdam School. With humor and Amsterdam directness, they share their stories about what's happening in their lives and in the neighborhood. Recently, a new generation of residents has also discovered the Noord district. How do residents view these changes and the neighborhood's transformation? Was everything better in the past, or are new connections emerging between residents, old and new?

Rapper and breakdancer Teekay from Eindhoven is known for his somersaults and vlogs that are causing a stir. During the corona riots in 2021, he not only gained national fame as a vlog reporter, but also ended up briefly in jail. After his junior year, Teekay wants to change course and, above all, be an example for other young people. In the film he takes us into his life and talks about his childhood in foster homes, the mistakes he made and about his dreams. What is Teekay looking for?

Documentary about loneliness in the elderly.

Pirate radio stations are unprecedentedly popular, even in the age of the internet and Spotify. What does this music say about identity, about our desire for stability in a changing world?

Foreign truck drivers spend their weekend in a deserted parking lot near Moerdijk, waiting for companies to reopen on Monday. Far from home, they keep our economy running.

The 14-year-old David is a talented breakdancer; his mother Mery supports him unconditionally in his ambition to reach the top. As a teenager, she fled her native Armenia, but the situation in her country still plays a major role in the family life. David wants nothing more than make up for what his mother lost. But he is also getting to an age where he starts to have doubts. Dancing and twisting, he looks for a way to make contact with his emotions.

The Birds Shall Return is a documentary narrated by grandmothers and third-generation Palestinians from Jordan and the Netherlands. Their intimate testimonies show how passing on stories is an act of resistance; From memories of a paradise within arm’s reach, to the harsh reality of resisting the occupation of their homeland.

In recent years, the number of people living in a bus or camper has increased significantly. But for this growing group, there are fewer and fewer places where you can legally park. The Kardinge car park in Groningen, a popular refuge for people staying in their campers, is also under pressure. Does the Netherlands actually have room for nomads and what drives people to want to live off the beaten track? Filmmaker Tom Tieman temporarily goes into hiding at the Kardinge car park and meets the current residents. Read more

In a world where everyone seems to be glued to their screen, filmmaker Milou Gevers follows a rare group: people without a smartphone. What do they miss, what do they gain and how do they navigate life offline? Gevers investigates their habits, challenges and advantages. Through intimate conversations and sharp observations, we are challenged to question our own digital habits. Is a life without a smartphone still possible? And if so, what does it look like?