Movies

" The Netherlands' official submission to 82nd Academy Award's Foreign Language in 2010"We saw this recently at the Academy screenings, and thought it one of the better foreign films we have seen this year. Hope it gets a nomination at least, and thus a US release! Contrary to some of the reviews here, we thought the acting was excellent. It's not Saving Private Ryan, but nevertheless quietly intense. More psychological than a battlefield story, it plays beautifully with the woven story of coming of age and into responsibility. As actors and as frequent voters for the foreign film category, definitely recommending this. -- Stephen and Ann Tobolowsky

Oorlogswinter is a very, very special movie around the themes war, love, trust, friendship from the point of view of a 14-year old Dutch teenager in the last winter of World War 2. beautiful cold winter-setting with lots of snow and original landscapes; - fantastic music from Pino Donaggio; - lots of close shots on excellent actors; - shows both the adventure and the drama of a war.The 14-year old actor playing the main role is an amazing natural talent in a very realistic story which could happen to every teener in a war-situation.This is a movie everyone must see between 10 and 110.Watch out for Oorlogswinter!

Michiel is the son of the major of a small dutch town. It's 1944, the infamous hunger-winter. Michiel is not too impressed with his father's behavior, he thinks his father is too friendly to the German occupiers. Than one evening an English plane crashes. A couple of days later Michiel finds the hideout of the surviving English pilot. This sets in motion a series of dramatic events. I really liked this movie. The atmosphere was sombre, the acting fine. All actors ( with the exception of Tygo Gernandt in a needless cameo-appearance) were completely believable. It's not as flashy as Black Book for instance, but this is a terrific dutch movie. True some of the twists in the story are predictable but still highly recommended.