Downtown is the opening film of the Netherlands Film Festival 2026

16 June 2026

The 46th edition of the Netherlands Film Festival (NFF) opens with Downtown by Golden Calf-winning director Michiel van Erp. The film tells the story of three young friends who throw themselves wholeheartedly into Amsterdam’s hedonistic nightlife scene. Until the then-mysterious AIDS epidemic emerges and casts a shadow over their lives. Thirty-two years later, during the 2021 lockdown, they attempt to rekindle their friendship.

At the opening on Friday evening, September 25, the director and cast will be present on the NFF red carpet at the Stadsschouwburg in Utrecht, including lead actors Yorick van Wageningen, Hans Kesting, Roeland Fernhout, Daniel Cornelissen, Sebastián Mrkvicka and Thor Braun. On the same evening, there will be public screenings of Downtown at the festival in Utrecht, attended by cast and crew. In addition, the opening film will be shown across the Netherlands in many cinemas and film theatres. Tickets for the public screenings of the opening film have been available since June 11.

Director Michiel van Erp: ‘With Downtown, I mainly wanted to make a film about friendship and connection. The community I became part of in my early twenties felt almost unreal: warm, free, and full of life. I met people there who are still part of my life today. But the film is also about how innocence disappears. About losing friends. It’s important to know where you come from, not to dwell on the past, but to be able to carry the pain together and look ahead as one. I’m happy that Downtown is the opening film of NFF 2026!’

Managing Director Marjolijn Bronkhuyzen: ‘I am incredibly proud that we have this film, with such an important subject, as our opening film. The film is about love, loyalty, powerlessness and an intense friendship, in which Van Erp convincingly portrays two impactful periods. The film moves you and invites conversation. That is exactly what the NFF stands for. We achieve this with Downtown and the many other premieres and programmes the festival offers to audiences.

Synopsis

Amsterdam, 1986. In the flamboyant nightclub Downtown, Ronnie, Lennart and Bas seem untouchable. Their close friendship revolves around nights filled with freedom, desire and excess, set against the backdrop of a city in full transformation. But when the first rumors about AIDS begin to spread, the atmosphere in their world slowly changes. While Ronnie cautiously tries to look ahead, Lennart and Bas cling to a life that seems endless—until Bas suddenly disappears without a trace. Over thirty years later, during the COVID-19 pandemic, Ronnie unexpectedly runs into Bas on the metro. He decides to organize a dinner, which Lennart also attends—their first meeting in years.

Film Production

Downtown is directed by Michiel van Erp (A Remarkable Flaw, Nobody in the City) and written by Frank Houtappels (April, May and June, Gooische Vrouwen). The main cast includes Yorick van Wageningen, Hans Kesting, Roeland Fernhout, Daniel Cornelissen, Sebastián Mrkvicka and Thor Braun. Downtown is produced by Kaap Holland Film and Het Familiedrama. The film was made with support from the Netherlands Film Fund, the Netherlands Film Production Incentive, the Flanders Audiovisual Fund, the CoBO Fund and BNNVARA. It is a co-production with Eyeworks Film and will be released in cinemas on October 1 by distributor WW Entertainment.

Festival Programme

Ticket sales for the opening film Downtown have started for the first screenings in Utrecht. From Thursday, August 27, the full festival programme will be announced, and tickets for all events will then be available.

Be the first to order your tickets for the opening film

NFF 2026

For 46 years, the Netherlands Film Festival has been the place where Dutch film is presented and celebrated. From the latest feature films, series and documentaries to short films, school screenings, digital culture and engaging talks. The NFF brings audiences and creators together and creates space for dialogue, talent development and imagination. See you in Utrecht! The NFF runs from Friday, September 25 to Friday, October 2, 2026

NFF 2026

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