Dutch & Belgian Cinema
Like New Zealand, Belgium and the Netherlands have small populations and consequently small film budgets that rely heavily on government funding. As a result film makers from these countries, like our own, have a reputation for innovative methods and a roll-your-sleeves-up attitude. When Dutch director Paul Verhoeven first moved to Hollywood he was stunned by the excess of the industry there; his second U.S. film, 'Robocop', contains many digs at the ultimate consumerist society that were not in the original script he was given. In 1992 three Belgian film students released their daring and controversial film, 'Man Bites Dog'; made on a shoe-string this film proves the point that it doesn't take great amounts of money to make great films - just plenty of imagination, dedication and a fair amount elbow grease.
Pictured: A scene from castrato Farinelli's colourful and eventful life
The Child ( L'Enfant ) (2005)
4.2/10
Director: Luc Dardenne, Jean-Pierre Dardenne
Starring: Jeremie Renier, Deborah Francois, Jeremie Segard, Fabrizio Rongione, Olivier Gou...
Sofia and her boyfriend Bruno are two irresponsible teens living on the bottom rung of the social ladder. When Sofia falls pregnant and gives birth t... Read more
The Fourth Man (1984)
7.3/10
Director: Paul Verhoeven
Starring: Jeroen Krabbe, Renee Soutendijk, Thom Hoffman
Paul Verhoeven's surprise hit is a roller-coaster ride through forbidden sensual pleasure in the context of a kinky thriller. The three men in Christi... Read more
The Giants (2011)
6.7/10
Director: Bouli Lanners
Starring: Marthe Keller, Zacharie Chasseriaud, Martin Nissen
When two brothers are left by their parents for the summer at their dead grandfather's house in rural Belgium, they take to the surrounding countrysid... Read more
The House of Magic (2013)
6.3/10
Director: Ben Stassen, Jeremie Degruson
An utterly charming and marvellously realised effort across the board, this action-packed fantasy adventure comes from the Belgian animation studio re... Read more
The House of Magic ( Blu-ray ) (2013)
6.3/10
Director: Ben Stassen, Jeremie Degruson
An utterly charming and marvellously realised effort across the board, this action-packed fantasy adventure comes from the Belgian animation studio re... Read more
The Human Centipede (First Sequence) (2009)
4.4/10
Director: Tom Six
Starring: Akihiro Kitamura, Dieter Laser, Andreas Leupold, Ashley C Williams, Ashlynn Yenn...
Advertised as being 100% medically accurate, this outrageous horror film finds two stranded American tourists and a Japanese businessman held captive... Read more
The Human Centipede (First Sequence) (Blu-ray) (2009)
4.4/10
Director: Tom Six
Starring: Akihiro Kitamura, Dieter Laser, Andreas Leupold, Ashley C Williams, Ashlynn Yenn...
Advertised as being 100% medically accurate, this outrageous horror film finds two stranded American tourists and a Japanese businessman held captive... Read more
The Kid with a Bike (2011)
7.4/10
Director: Luc Dardenne, Jean-Pierre Dardenne
Starring: Fabrizio Rongione, Jeremie Renier, Olivier Gourmet, Cecile De France, Thomas Dor...
Cyril (Thomas Doret), almost 12, has only one plan: to find the father who left him temporarily in a children's home. By chance he meets Samantha (Cec... Read more
The Ordeal ( aka Calvaire ) (2004)
Director: Fabrice Du Welz
Starring: Laurent Lucas, Jackie Berroyer, Philippe Nahon
This demented Belgian slasher thriller starts innocently enough with cabaret singer Marc (Laurent Lucas) having van trouble in the middle of nowhere.... Read more
The Salvation (2014)
6.7/10
Director: Kristian Levring
Starring: Eva Green, Mads Mikkelsen, Jeffrey Dean Morgan, Eric Cantona, Mikael Persbrandt
1870, America. Danish immigrant Jon (Mads Mikkelsen) has been waiting for years to bring his wife and son to the United States. When he finally succee... Read more