Willeke van Ammelrooy

Born as a human magnet, Lucien has a simple but harsh life. He secretly dreams of a life as an artist but his father doesn’t allow him to show off his magic talent. On the run and away from home, he meets a small traveling circus. There he grows up to be an artist and a man as he falls deeply in love with Gervaise, the daughter of the circus director. But when the old life calls him back, he returns home disappointed to notice that nothing is as before. He loses his talent and his taste for life. He no longer fits this world, as the world no longer fits him.

Documentary on the Dutch filmmaker Dick Maas.

When the elderly burlesque dancer Elvira wishes to see her deceased husband Jean one last time, it is the devil who comes to pick her up.

Life Is Wonderful is a feel-good movie about love and longing. Best friends Mees and Boelie are spending a beautiful spring day in Amsterdam's Vondelpark. It seems like just a normal day, until they meet the young and attractive Panda. While the heat rises in the park, it's nowhere to be found between the long-married couple Etta and Ernst-Jan. Ernst-Jan suspects Etta of cheating and has his own ideas of how to catch her in the act. We also meet Rosa and Kees, old lovers whose paths cross after decades of not seeing each other. On this spring day in Amsterdam, their love starts blooming again.

Everybody knew Marco Bakker as Holland’s most cherished operetta prince. Until that one moment in 1997. Everything changed. How do you keep going? In this intimate portrait, we get to know a completely different side of Bakker. For example, it turns out the singer has mastered not only the ‘light frivolous pieces’, but also the demanding classics, and together with his partner Willeke van Ammelrooij, he is forced to swap their fairy-tale castle for a humble terraced house in his native village Beverwijk.

Kevin is a young footballer who recently made a multimillion deal by transferring to FC Barcelona. He hardly realizes what is happening to him. Too young, too rich, too beautiful. His girlfriend Elza knows how Kevin should spend his millions. She is eagerly anticipating her birthday where Kevin will ask her the most important question of all. Kevin's grandmother Karla observes it all from the sidelines with concern. Fortunately there is the down-to-earth event planner Lizzy who shows Kevin the meaning of true love.

"Pim is more consummate," actress Willeke van Ammelrooy concluded upon seeing Pim de la Parra again in Suriname, at the presentation of the restored version of his film Wan Pipel. This marked the end of her disagreement with the director, which arose during the making of this film, some 35 years ago now. The charming director doesn't seem like the kind of man you can stay angry with for long. Wan Pipel turned out to be a watershed in the career of this headstrong filmmaker, who shook up the Dutch film world in the late 1960s. Although he went on to fight back with his so-called "minimal movies," he would never again get the opportunities his talent and inventiveness deserved. In Parradox In-Soo Radstake provides a personal portrait of De la Parra, now 70 years of age, who after many adventures in the Netherlands has returned to his native Suriname. He discusses the major themes of his life and work, which for a long time coexisted: too many women, too little money, too much ego.

Januari 1963. Ondanks het barre weer besluit het bestuur van het Friese Elfstedencomité, onder druk van de media, met de kleinst mogelijke meerderheid van stemmen, dat de Elfstedentocht doorgaat. Tussen de duizenden die een startbewijs veroveren bevinden zich soldaat Henk Buma (Cas Janssen), boerenzoon Sjoerd Lelkama (Lourens van den Akker), arbeider Kees Ferwerda (Chris Zegers) en verpleegkundige Annemiek (Chava voor in 't Holt). Alle vier hebben zo hun reden om deze tocht der tochten te rijden. Door de dramatische en heroïsche gebeurtenissen zal deze Elfstedentocht, ook voor Henk, Sjoerd, Kees en Annemiek, als een van de meest legendarische de geschiedenis ingaan.

A romantic drama that charts the lives of three women from different backgrounds, forever changed when they emigrate to New Zealand as war brides.

A personal documentary by Denise Janzee, made in an attempt to get closer to her mother Willeke van Ammelrooy. On movie sets and on screen, Denise saw her mother cry, laugh and fight. At home, however, Willeke shut herself off when she was sad. “I’ll only come back out once I’m smiling again. Such is my way,” she used to say. The only time Denise really saw her cry was at the funeral of her father Leendert Janzee. He committed suicide when Denise was six years old. His decision to do so wasn’t unexpected, but his death nevertheless meant the ultimate loss for Willeke. She had wanted to let him live through her love. She feels defeated and locks herself in until she is ready to face the world again. Meanwhile she expresses herself through her characters. In this compelling film mother and daughter look back on this deciding and emotional period in their lives, illustrated by home movies.

Comedy inspired by the true story of Dennis P, who became Holland's biggest diamond thief, when he walked away with the entire 20 million euros stock of an international diamond trader, using a microwave oven as a swagbag.

"The Great Magician" - A portrait of Frans Zwartjes (1927-2017), sometimes called 'the most important experimental filmmaker of his time' by the American essayist Susan Sontag.

A lonely doctor who once occupied an unusual lakeside home begins exchanging love letters with its former resident, a frustrated architect. They must try to unravel the mystery behind their extraordinary romance before it's too late.

Leon Mortier, a wealthy publisher, whilst driving through the forest one day, stops when he sees Lulu walking down the long narrow road. She gets into the car. Leon is amused and intrigued by her. When he pulls off, suddenly out of nowhere a man appears in front of the car and Leon accidentally hits him. He decides to take them both home to recover. Leon falls madly in love with Lulu. Both Lulu and the man stay on with him in the house. Lulu's behavior is unpredictable. Leon becomes suspicious and paranoid about her. As he begins to suspect that his friends are being unfaithful with Lulu, he decides to throw a dinner party with some of his closest friends. During the dinner he wants to confront them with their infidelity and expel them all from his life with Lulu. But when he discovers his son in the arms of Lulu, he decides also to get rid of her, a plan which backfires in a most unexpected way.

Two young boy twins receive a boat of their own by a stroke of luck. It turns out to be very fast and they use their boat to help out their friends.

A Flemish family comes together in their maternal home. Oscar, the grotesque patriarch, his bedridden wife Magda, his feeble son Johnny and his daughter Julia, who's married to a Moroccan soccer player. There's something wrong with Magda, who's not only plagued by her physical decay, but also by visions of her dead sister Marleen.

A family film, based on a well-known Dutch story from the Middle Ages. Mariken tells the compelling and poetic story of spirited young girl named Mariken. The orphan Mariken lives in a secluded forest with an eccentric old hermit. One day, she decides to leave her surroundings and sets off for town to buy a new goat. On her adventurous journey into the 'real' world, she finds out about the good and bad sides of people.

A family film, based on a well-known Dutch story from the Middle Ages. Mariken tells the compelling and poetic story of spirited young girl named Mariken. The orphan Mariken lives in a secluded forest with an eccentric old hermit. One day, she decides to leave her surroundings and sets off for town to buy a new goat. On her adventurous journey into the 'real' world, she finds out about the good and bad sides of people.

Story of two con men, Boorman and his younger assistant Laarmans, who are trying to sell companies their non-existing magazine.

After World War II, Antonia and her daughter, Danielle, go back to their Dutch hometown, where Antonia's late mother has bestowed a small farm upon her. There, Antonia settles down and joins a tightly-knit but unusual community. Those around her include quirky friend Crooked Finger, would-be suitor Bas and, eventually for Antonia, a granddaughter and great-granddaughter who help create a strong family of empowered women.

David Storm learned 10 years ago that he has MS. For this reason and without telling her he leaves his girlfriend, Linda. Now he lives alone and only his brother, Anton, has much contact with him.

Placide's dad tells him on his deathbed he'll haunt Placide if he doesn't find a wife soon. Placide cautiously agrees, but he only wants to settle for a very beautiful woman. That might be easier said than done, since he is a vagabond. When he accidentally enters a photo shoot, Placide meets Sarah. He falls in love, but she is way out of his reach.

Young Barend is worried about the safety of the sailing vessel he is on. The owner is an unscrupulous and stingy man who skimps on repairs and Barend becomes aware of this. Inevitably there is drama and tragedy. The film is set in an early 20th century Dutch fishing village with local period costume and colour.

Action comedy with Franco Nero

Lovable Amsterdam street urchin, 11 year old Ciske is nevertheless much in need of love as the Dutch 1984 title suggests. He is a scamp with a heart of gold. He causes havoc in the classroom pouring ink over his teacher yet when a polio-crippled boy joins the class Ciske is one of the only children to befriend him and is bullied as a result. His mother works in a bar and Ciske helps out often late into the night - his father is at sea and his mother supplements her income with prostitution. Ciske is also a very angry young man and he smoulders with rage at life's injustices.

Documentary exploring why Belgian television doesn't invest more money in Belgian cinema as is the case in e.g. the netherlands.

A lift technician finds himself drawn into a web of mystery and peril as he investigates the perplexing deadly accidents occurring in the elevators of a new office building.

A parody of anthropology, linguistics, and cultural imperialism. The film follows an unlikely team of linguists into the wilds of an ersatz Patagonia to study the last speakers of a dying language. That language apparently consists of a single word, which therefore means everything.

Maarten, a 34 year old cell biologist, works on cloning. One night he dreams he has only seven days left to live.

Detectives Grijpstra and De Gier are sent to investigate the case of a man who apparently hanged himself in a center for oriental meditation. It is ruled as suicide and the case seems to be closed, but the same night there is an attempted break in. The investigation hits a dead end and everyone involved is a suspect. Based on the book "The Corpse in the Haarlemmer Houttuinen” by Jan-Willem van de Wetering.

Psychodrama. Black and white images of a mining area under the influence of a highly orthodox Catholicism in the 1930s are interspersed with color images of a protest action to save a small church.

The Mayor of a small Flemish town is determined at all costs to save a unique bird sanctuary from a ruthless businessman who advocates a housing development on the site. The main story, though, centres on a childhood trauma that unites the two men and a dark femme fatale whom one desires and the other attempts to manipulate.

De Mantel der Liefde is a bizarre, over the top and at times hilarious settling of scores with the Catholic Church, commercial movie culture and 1970's petit bourgeois Dutch culture in general.

The film tells the story of Freek Groenevelt and Simone Marijnissen whose lives are taken over by Joachim Stiller.

First full-length experimental feature by filmmaker Zwartjes about an actress, played by Willeke van Ammelrooy, who during the whole film, in continuously changes moods, is busy in her room. Eventually, she is made an offer by telephone. But what offer does the actress get?

A wealthy French couple unable to bear children but determined to start a family agree to use an anonymous surrogate . Upon seeking a professional opinion on the matter, the couple is advised to seek out an anonymous surrogate. Though the procedure is a success, Jean-Paul becomes entirely consumed in his quest to discover the identity of the young woman (Willeke van Ammelrooy) who is currently carrying his child. Upon coming face to face with the ravishing young beauty, Jean-Paul initiates a torrid affair that will profoundly affect the lives of all involved.

Back in his native Suriname to see his dying mother, an Afro-Surinamese student from the Netherlands’ former colony finds himself torn between his Amsterdam-based life with his white Dutch girlfriend and a future in his newly independent homeland when he falls for a local Hindostani nurse.

Well to do business man Pierre falls for the unpredictable and free spirited Toni. They begin a relationship, despite the fact that she's living with another man who is the father of her child.

Heirs to a family fortune are invited to a Corsican villa, where sex and murder are always lurking around the corner.

Susan has chosen a hermit's life on a dilapidated farm over the shallowness of her previous jet set modeling life. When Anton, a hunky courier, comes along to pick her up for an assignment on the French Riviera, he's so fascinated by Susan's odd assortment of house guests that he decides to stay with them for a couple of days.

'Alicia' is a Dutch erotic film directed by Wim Verstappen, based on an original screenplay by Wim Verstappen and Charles Gormley. Alicia, a bored hosewife, leaves her husband and children in search of adventure.

A Dutch pilot with a real passion for flying risks everything to keep his DC3/Dakota plane in the air. Excellent attention to detail and the beautiful backdrop of the Caribbean make this seldom seen much loved Dutch classic well worth watching.

A Nobel Prize winning professor tired with his life retreats to the woods and starts a colony for those looking to fulfill desires.

The attack of a bank turns into a massacre, leaving many dead. The bandits flee, taking two young women hostage. Unfortunately for them, one of them is none other than the girl of Burke Malloway, the famous trapper.

The story of a man who goes out looking for hamburgers, while he has a beautiful steak at home. Frank and Eva can't live together, but can't live without each other either. Frank has sex with every woman he can get, while Eva wants to start a family.

A woman whose husband was murdered five years previously, is stalked by his killer, who wants to eliminate her as a potential witness. What he doesn't know is that the shock of his murder caused her to have amnesia, and she doesn't remember anything.

Burgler and master safe-cracker Glimmie is asked to find a young woman called Fanny by her rich stepfather Van Borsen. However, Glimmie remains suspicious of the man and decides that Fanny has to be protected by him and his pal 'De Bonk'. He is soon proved correct and winds up a scapegoat in Van Borsen's scheme. After his release from prison, Glimmie plans his revenge with some help from a young cleaning girl called Slofje.

The young Isabelle escapes from the orphanage and she adopted by two chaps on a caravan. They then meet by chance the posh family of Louise- who runs away with the three adventurers when confronted with the reality of having to marry a Belgian with a large moustache and a bald head. They find a dog. Later Louisa degenerates into a minor moment of sexual hedonism and multiplexing with the two chaps before they are all overwhelmed by the Armageddon that was WWI.

The story of a small and conservative West-Flemish village opposing the construction of a bridge over the Scheldt.

Joop is sleeping in the apartment of his friend Bernard. He is waken up by a woman who is looking for Bernard. Later they babysit the neighbor's granddaughter. A little short film from the Scorpio period. Jan de Bont behind the camera.

Instructional film about the (former) biggest harbour in the world, with a hybrid format. Well known Ivens themes are revisited, like The Flying Dutchman in the fiction part of the film, who returns to the modern day Rotterdam, that has recovered very well after the devastating bombardments in the second world war.