Filmhuis Cavia unearths a true masterpiece of Dutch cinema. Arguably Johan van der Keuken’s most important piece of work, the Amsterdam-born director here takes on the near-impossible task of developing a picture of Amsterdam in all of its different communities and identities. What results from it is nothing short of a long love letter to the city in all of its 180 nationalities.
In typical van der Keuken’s style, he strings together many different stories, from attending a Ghanian funeral to dancing at the Roxy club, and from a traditional fishmonger in the Jordaan to the living room of a Chechen refugee. The tour guide on this journey through the city is Khalid, a courier crossing the city on a moped, carrying film rolls and prints.
The film was published in 1996, just a few years before the emergence of an increasingly harsh public debate against migration in the Netherlands, eventually leading to the affirmation of far-right and racist politicians such as Geert Wilders.

To put the film in perspective with the development of Amsterdam since then, the screening will be followed by a talk where the current situation of the city will be explored. The talk will be centered around the question: What is the role of free spaces in creating and/or maintaining a diverse, inspiring and affordable global village?

Program:
15:00-19:00 hrs: Film screening
19:00-20:00 hrs: Food and drinks
20:00-21:00 hrs: Talk
21:00-22:30 hrs: Music

Filmhuis Cavia  
Times: 15:00-22:30 uur
Address: Van Hallstraat 52-I (upstairs)
Entrance: €5 or Cineville.