26 Golden Calves awarded at Netherlands Film Festival 2025

At the closing ceremony of the 45th Netherlands Film Festival on Friday, October 3rd, twenty-six Golden Calves were awarded in 25 categories, honoring achievements in film, documentaries, series, and digital culture. Two new awards were introduced this year in Utrecht: the Golden Calf for Best Hair & Make-up Design and the Golden Calf for the Producer of Best Feature Documentary (in addition to the director). The ceremony was hosted by Dutch presenter Stijn de Vries. Recordings of the award presentations and acceptance speeches are available at filmfestival.nl/golden-calves. The next edition of the Netherlands Film Festival will take place from Friday, September 25th to Friday, October 2nd, 2026.

Winners Golden Calves 2025

Best Digital Culture
Ancestors - Steye Hallema (production: The Smartphone Orchestra)

Best Documentary Short Film
De Wolkenfietsers - Erfenis van een droom - Gülsah Dogan (production: 9Stories)

Best Short Film
Close Your Eyes Hind - Amir Zaza (screenplay: Amir Zaza, production: MATTAR)

Best Leading Role Short Film
Joes Brauers - Fuck-a-Fan

Best Leading Role Drama Series
Ahlaam Teghadouini - Sihame 2

Best Supporting Role Drama Series
Bianca Krijgsman - Day & Night 2

Best Screenplay Drama Series
Karen van Holst Pellekaan and Alexander de Bruijn - Bennie

Best Director Drama Series
Eva Crutzen - Messed Up 2

Best Drama Series
Vipers Nest 6 - Rogier Visser, ITV Studios Netherlands Drama (screenplay: Roos Ouwehand and Lex Passchier, director: Will Koopman)

Best Sound Design
Vincent Sinceretti - The Garden of Earthly Delights

Best Music
Ella van der Woude - Alpha.

Best Cinematopgraphy
Frank van den Eeden - The Garden of Earthly Delights

Best Editing
Xander Nijsten - The Garden of Earthly Delights

Best Production Design
Bram Doyer - Fabula

Best Costume Design
Manon Blom - Three Days of Fish

Best Hair & Make-up Design
Renee Wijnhoven - Idyllic

Best Documentary Feature Film
Neshoma - Sandra Beerends and Floor Onrust, Family Affair Films

Best Leading Role Feature Film
Thekla Reuten - Our Girls

Best Supporting Role Feature Film
Neidi dos Santos Livramento - Three Days of Fish

Best Screenplay Feature Film
Mike van Diem - Our Girls

Best Director Feature Film
Morgan Knibbe - The Garden of Earthly Delights

Best Feature Film
Our Girls - Derk-Jan Warrink, Koji Nelissen, Keplerfilm and Marijn Wigman, Nuts & Bolts Film Company (screenplay and director: Mike van Diem)

Audience Award Feature Film
Loverboy: Emotions Off - Cyriel Guds, Never Boring Films (screenplay and director: Cyriel Guds)

Audience Award Documentary
North Sea - Klaudie Bartelink, Dutch Maritime Productions and Ignas van Schaick, EMS FILMS (screenplay and director: Mark Verkerk)

Film Culture Award
Marina Blok

Academy system and juries
The nominations and winners of the Golden Calves for feature films and feature documentaries are determined according by the Academy system of the Dutch Academy For Film (DAFF).

26 Golden Calves awarded at Netherlands Film Festival 2025

More news