De hel van '63

Based on true events during the notorious 1963 Elfstedentocht (11-city skating marathon in Friesland), this adventure film by the Frisian-Dutch director Steven de Jong depicts how the skaters defy extreme weather conditions to complete the mother of all skating marathons. The thousands of skaters securing a starting permit include soldier Henk, farmer's son Sjoerd, workman Kees and nurse Annemiek. All four have individual, strong motivations to reach the finishing line. The stories of these stayers are alternated with the insanity among the press and the tension in the ice masters' meeting room. They have to decide whether the event can take place under these extreme conditions, with a north-northeast gale and some two degrees below zero, scores of treacherous cracks in the ice and snow dunes. The television sets display flashes from the actual newsreels from the day, including the smoking anchorman Koos Postema and Queen Juliana arriving by helicopter.