Amsterdam Weekly_Issue43_2 November 2006

Volume 3, Issue 43

WEEKOF 2 NOVEMBER TO 8 NOVEMBER 2006 Inside: Music, Film, Art and Events

FREE EVERY WEDNESDAY

ART versus NATURE

Plug into our Museumnacht pull-out

PEACE VERSUS PEACE PAGE 4 / INUIT THROAT SINGING BINGO BONANZA PAGE 4 SMART TOILETS OF THE FUTURE PAGE 5 / CRAZY CARTOON WORLD PAGE 8 GOING, GONG AND BACK AGAIN PAGE 13 / CRAZY JAPANESE WORLD PAGE 22

YVO SPREY

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2-8 November 2006

Amsterdam Weekly

ATTACHMENTS Contents: On the cover Bite me. I’m naughty by nature. Illustration by Yvo Sprey.

Features War ’n’ peace . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Native bingo . . . . . . . . . . . . 4 Smartest House . . . . . . . . . 5 Windowatch . . . . . . . . . . . . 5 Natural habitat . . . . . . . . . . 6 HAFF . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 8 Museum n8 pull-out

Going out Short List . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 9 Music . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 11 Gong weekend . . . . . . . . . 13 Clubs. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 13 Gay & Lesbian . . . . . . . . . . 14 Stage . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 14 Art . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 15 Election photos. . . . . . . . . 16 Lekker Bezig . . . . . . . . . . . 18 Events. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Addresses . . . . . . . . . . . . . 19 Film . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 20 Dejima Film Festival . . . . 22 Nick Broomfield. . . . . . . . 23 Film Times. . . . . . . . . . . . . 24

Plus The Glutton . . . . . . . . . . . . 25 Classifieds . . . . . . . . . . . . . 26 Eefje Wentelteefje . . . . . . 27

Amsterdam Weekly is a free cultural paper distributed every Wednesday in Amsterdam. Paid subscriptions are available on request. For details, write to info@amsterdamweekly.nl. Contents of Amsterdam Weekly are copyright 2006 Amsterdam Weekly BV. All rights reserved.

Winner of 3 European Newspaper Awards Amsterdam Weekly BV De Ruyterkade 106, 1011 AB Amsterdam Tel: 020 522 5200 Fax: 020 620 1666 www.amsterdamweekly.nl General info: info@amsterdamweekly.nl Agenda listings: agenda@amsterdamweekly.nl Advertising: sales@amsterdamweekly.nl PUBLISHER Todd Savage EDITOR Steve Korver ASSISTANT EDITOR Kim Renfrew AGENDA EDITOR Steven McCarron FILM EDITOR Julie Phillips PROOFREADER Karina Hof EDITORIAL INTERN Sarah Gehrke ART DIRECTOR Bas Morsch PRODUCTION MANAGER Aquil Copier PRODUCTION DESIGNER Rogier Charles PRODUCTION INTERN Mattijs Arts SALES ASSOCIATES Haitske van Asten, Alexander Gan, Simon Poole, Justin Rink, Carolina Salazar OPERATIONS MANAGER Monique Gruter OPERATIONS ASSISTANT Desislava Pentcheva DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR Patrick van der Klugt DISTRIBUTION INTERN Chris Tian FINANCIAL ADVISER Kurt Schmidt, Veresis Consulting PRINTER Het Volk Printing ISSN 1872-3268 THIS WEEK’S CONTRIBUTORS Kelly Atkinson, Anuschka Blommers, Dara Colwell, Angela Dress, Sarah Gehrke, Matt Groening, Arnoud Holleman, Luuk van Huët, Sophia Kornienko, Steve Korver, Anna Leeman, Jeroen de Leijer, Nick Leslie, Marie-Claire Melzer, Sharida Mohamedjoesoef, Monica Ragazzini, Marinus de Ruiter, Suzanne Schreve, Niels Schumm, Shain Shapiro, Yvo Sprey, Nanci Tangeman, Simon Wald-Lasowski and Mark Wedin.

IVY by Arnoud Holleman

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2-8 November 2006

AROUND TOWN Politics of fear and control Conference on war and peace: all talk?

Jahjah enjoys an easy crowd.

fear and politics of control: two sides of the same coin, and now a complete generation is growing up with the notion that all this surveillance is totally normal.’ Both Hayes and Jahjah feel that Muslim-Arab migrants in particular are bearing the brunt of antiterror measures after 9/11. The end is nowhere near in sight, Hayes points out, as ‘the UK police model is gradually being rolled out in the rest of Europe.’

‘Don’t expect the Dutch government to turn the tide,’ says MP Anja Meulenbelt, with disappointment. She is one of the few politicians present and is not afraid of apportioning blame to all left-wing political parties, including her own Socialist Party.

‘We have failed to stand up against the victimisation of fellow Muslim citizens.’

‘What on earth can we do to bring about a change?’ is a frequently heard question in the audience. Few, if any, clear-cut answers are given. Jahjah firmly believes that grassroots activism should do the trick, while Meijer stresses the importance of exercising maximum pressure on ‘our American puppet government’. Although their statements are sounding off to an overall sympathetic audience, some dissonant chords are also heard: ‘all talk, no action’ and ‘no opposing views from the right-wing camp’. Whether this was due to unwillingness on the part of the organisers to invite them or ‘typical ostrich behaviour on the right,’ as some claimed, remained unclear. Yet, while some speakers did not seem to mind the absence of the right, others like Tariq Shadid did, Shadid even quoted US President Roosevelt: ‘We have to face the fact that all of us are going to die together, or we are going to live together.

And if we are going to live together, we have to talk.’

Of bingo and throat singing Exhibition has it all: deep throats, big balls, nice natives.

Have throat. Will travel.

By Mark Wedin Last weekend. For a solid six minutes and 14 seconds, Inuk throat singer Tanya Tagaq captivated a small group of onlookers at a newly opened gallery at De Clercqstraat 55. Sure, the performance was far from lengthy, but sometimes it doesn’t take long to say all the right things.

Tagaq was here for a quick stop in the middle of one of her many world tours. As a throat singer, she’s reached a level of popularity that’s uncommon for performers in her tradition. Friends of Björk heard her deep intonations in her native Canada, and she was quickly snatched up to perform on the famous Icelander’s last two albums. Soon, Tagaq will embark on yet another tour with the Kronos Quartet.

Though she grew up in a small native community in Canada, Tagaq didn’t take the ancient singing style seriously until later, as a student. Her mother had sent her a tape to remind her of home. She was instantly touched by the deep, throaty sounds, and began developing her own style, blending con-

SIMON WALD-LASOWSKI

‘You’re either with us or against us.’ In these unequivocal terms, US President George W Bush made it quite clear in September 2001 that he expected full support in his so-called War on Terror. Five years on: fierce fighting in Afghanistan, a full-out civil war in Iraq, an upsurge of violence in Israel and the Occupied Territories, not to mention the piles of smoking rubble in Lebanon after the drums of war between Israel and Hezbollah. Only three weeks ago, General Richard Dannett, head of British forces, sparked a row by saying that UK troops were making matters worse in Iraq and should withdraw.

Would the same be valid for Dutch troops in Afghanistan fighting off the Taliban instead of rebuilding the country? The question is reason enough for organisations like Stop the War Coalition and political party GroenLinks to initiate the national conference War & Peace, which was held at Felix Meritis last Sunday.

The circular neo-classical hall is packed with some 150 people who have come to listen to a great number of speeches by, for instance, Hajo Meijer, Auschwitz survivor and secretary of A Different Jewish Voice, and Tariq Shadid, Dutch-Palestinian representative of the Palestinian Community Netherlands.

The main crowd-puller, however, is Dyab Abou Jahjah, the charismatic, articulate Lebanese-born president of the Arab European League (AEL). Jahjah is known for his fierce defence of Muslim migrant interests in both Belgium and the Netherlands. This time, he’s decided to take his captive audience for a stroll through history, illustrating recurrent patterns when it comes to the erosion of civil liberties in favour of the so-called ‘greater good’.

Jahjah intones: ‘During the Red Scare, communists and their sympathisers were victimised in a way that is comparable to the criminalisation of Muslims now. And let’s not forget about one of Europe’s most notorious terror groups: the Baader-Meinhof Gruppe. The German government felt compelled to adopt a series of anti-terror laws that seemed to clash with the democratic principles of post-war Germany in the same way as the anti-war measures are imposed now. The Red Scare has swapped places with the Muslim Threat.’

‘Quite right,’ says Ben Hayes of Statewatch, a British organisation that has been documenting UK laws on policing since 1991. According to Hayes, the British government is taking all kinds of measures under the pretext of security, varying from phone taps to fingerprinting pupils at 5,000 schools throughout the country: ‘Politics of

SHARIDA MOHAMEDJOESOEF

By Sharida Mohamedjoesoef

temporary singing practices with traditional ones. The rest, as they say, is history.

She was brought here for a very short stay by friend Ravyn Godwin— another actively indigenous North American. Godwin works for the Netherlands Center for Indigenous Peoples, championing the culture, language and environment of natives everywhere. (Ethnically Dutch: you too are indigenous. Add this to your list of grant applications.) The exhibition, which she co-hosted with artist Jaap Simonis at the (as yet unnamed, but anti-squatted) gallery on De Clercqstraat, displays a number of native American artworks, fables, and installations, along with paintings by Simonis.

They’ve also got non-stop bingo.

‘The idea of gambling was not new to native [American] culture,’ explains Godwin. ‘Before the white man came, it was regularly used as a social activity.’

But then, along with European ‘civilisation’ also came regulation. Many forms of gambling were made illegal. ‘And bingo was one of the only games they were allowed to play anymore.’

Thus, with the help of a small gong (which has nothing to do with Native Americans), a loud microphone and a plastic ball shuffler, numbers are called, bingo cards are marked, and every hour or so someone yells: ‘Bingo. Bingo! I’ve got Bingo! Ahhhhh!’

Prizes range from actual Native American artworks to jars of doperwten. If you can round up enough friends to attend the exhibition (open all month), a fresh bingo game will be started and you could walk away with something nice.

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Ageing hipster paradise?

Domestic bliss at the push of a button.

Smart homes for easier times.

If Austin Powers hadn’t been frozen in 1967 and had aged at a normal pace, today he’d be swinging in Slotervaart, living in a pushbutton pensioner’s pad on Pieter Calandlaan. Tucked behind a giant statue of a squatting dog, on the grounds of an assisted living centre, lies what is probably the most eco-friendly, flexible and accessible house in the country. It’s most definitely the Slimste Woning [‘smartest home’] in the Netherlands. The sign outside says so.

This 150-square-metre home is the showcase of the Smart Homes Foundation, a knowledge centre for ‘domotics’ (the marriage of households and robotics). But this home doesn’t have apron-wearing electronic butlers buzzing across the floor; its technology is serious. Everything in the house is designed to make life easier: remote-controlled curtains, appliances that operate only at non-peak hours, lights that automatically illuminate your way to the loo at 3 a.m., even a hands-free toilet that wipes your butt.

Coach potato paradise? Maybe. More likely a paradise for people with a range of mobility problems. Consider the boost to a person suffering from multiple sclerosis who no longer has to summon a family member to clean up after using the toilet.

Or the power regained by people with neuromuscular problems who can control their environment using voice recognition or even a blowpipe.

There are big ideas, like using passive

SIMON WALD-LASOWSKI

By Nanci Tangeman

solar energy and eliminating hallways to conserve space. There are smaller ideas, like a control panel that gives the right combination of lighting for TV viewing—or an intimate evening—with one touch of a button. And there are surprising ideas, like a waterbed with a thermostat that’s activated by thumping on the mattress.

The Smart Homes Foundation isn’t selling anything but information about how technology can help people with special needs. This is not Tomorrowland. Every-

Windowatch

Jan Hanzenstraat 32

Parting the curtains on Moses

SIMON WALD-LASOWSKI

By Suzanne Schreve

thing found in the house is available now. If there is a feature that visitors like, the vendor information is close at hand. The Foundation works with around 120 different companies in domotics, health care, social housing, energy and component installations.

From the 300-DVD changer (accessible from every room and laptop throughout the home) to the air-quality monitoring system (if the air quality deteriorates, the ventilation system kicks in), to the accessi-

When you love art, why not display it behind your window for everyone to see instead of keeping it behind closed doors on one of your walls?

That’s what Robbie thinks and has so been doing for quite some time.

Robbie lives on the corner of Jan Hanzenstraat and Ten Katestraat above his own lunchroom. The lunchroom is usually closed, as Robbie has opened up another one where he spends most of his time. But if you look through the windows you will see several paintings hung up throughout the café.

More noticeable, when you take a step back, are the paintings displayed behind the window just above the café.

‘I moved here from Suriname in 1970. I am a Buddhist and the freedom of thinking and expression characteristic of the Seventies are also at the core of why I publicly display these paintings. I believe it is important that different views be shared, but I also

ble shower stall with a simple seat and handrail built into the design (no more ugly medical supply shower chairs)—the ‘smarts’ of the home are mostly in the bells and whistles installed inside.

Take the wide range of medical analysis equipment on display, the cornerstone of telecare. Most of the equipment is designed to send information directly to a medical professional to help with monitoring and analysis. This cuts down on trips to the doctor’s office. Check closely next to the toilet in the guest bathroom. There’s an internet connection there that’s sure to give ‘download’ a whole new meaning.

Although not on display in Slotervaart’s Smartest Home, there is a Japanese device that will analyse urine and stool samples via the internet—straight from the toilet bowl. Strange gadgets, yes, but they translate into more freedom for the people who need them.

There are pressure mats that monitor activity (or inactivity) and personal alarms that signal rescue workers if a person falls.

Attendants outside the home could even confirm that the stove was turned off in the middle of the night, if an occupant was suffering from dementia. Everything is designed to increase the independence of people with special needs—and everything is on display.

The Smartest Home is making its way around the country. It’s already spent time in Tilburg, Almere, Duiven, Limburg and Friesland. The entire residence takes only one day to take down, move and reassemble. The installations and systems take another four weeks. Then there is the inevitable wait for cable and internet (try getting those installed without a permanent address!). But for now, the Smartest Home is open for viewing, right here in Slotervaart, ready to educate the growing population of ageing technophiles. www.smart-homes.nl

like to see the world decorated. And it’s the colours used in the paintings that catch my attention, because colours represent different feelings.

They can lift you from one mood into the other.’

The paintings continually change because Robbie is dedicated to exhibiting as many artists of Surinamese backgrounds as possible. He even has some artwork from Erwin de Vries—Suriname’s most famous painter. But he also takes paintings from friends, and some people actually come up to him and request that their work be put up behind the glass. One of them is Moses.

Currently, Robbie is exhibiting two portraits of rapper Tupac Shakur by Moses. ‘Many Moroccan children live here and I thought that they might relate to Tupac. If they notice [the paintings] it could perhaps inspire them—to what, I don’t know. But I figure it would make them smile.’

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2-8 November 2006

When art is nature A new exhibition highlights the blurring lines between nature, culture and technology.

BY KELLY ATKINSON

A

lthough Amsterdam has 28 parks within the greater city area, it’s often easy to feel disconnected from nature as you go about your daily life. Even in some of the greenest parts of our city—the Vondelpark, Oosterpark, Rembrandtpark, Park Frankendael—the plants grow on land that has been cultivated for centuries. As trees are felled on streets like Singel and—perhaps—Bilderdijkstraat in the name of widening roads, and as increasingly efficient building techniques mean that indigenous birds lose their traditional nesting places in open gutters and crumbling walls, even the smallest signs of the natural world are being removed from the city landscape and pushed within the boundaries of the parks. This has produced a strange series of cultivated nature reserves to which city-dwellers can go to experience the ‘natural’ environment. This modern paradox of the borders, boundaries and overlaps of nature, culture and technology is the subject of Natural Habitat, the newest exhibition at the Netherlands media arts institute Montevideo/Time Based Arts.

Set to launch just a few hours before the official beginning of Museumn8, the exhibition gathers together works from more than 10 different artists and art groups, from countries as varied as Russia, Iceland, the UK, France and the Netherlands. The wide variety of works all have one thing in common: they examine nature. But the question, of course, is how do we define ‘nature’? Artist, scientist and

mastermind behind nextnature.net Koert van Mensvoort explains how he began thinking about the topic. ‘[It] started with a story about a young girl who grew up in the city. She washed her hair regularly with pine-scented shampoo. Then one day, when she went for a walk in the woods with her father, she said, “Daddy, the woods smell of shampoo!”’

The Next Nature movement is based on the idea that nature need not be something that is pre-formed and static; instead, like culture, it can also be something that develops and changes along with society.

Van Mensvoort continues: ‘Nowadays the average child recognises more logos and brands than bird or tree species. In the Netherlands, prehistoric woods are being laid out at locations designated by politicians; our image of nature is being carefully constructed as a recreational simulation. I started wondering: do we still have genuine experiences of nature? Or are we living in a picture of it?’ These thoughts led Van Mensvoort and Mieke Gerritzen to launch the ‘Biggest Visual Power Show’ at Paradiso last year, with various artists and other creative types giving presentations on ‘culturally emerged nature’ and the increasingly blurred lines between nature and culture. The Next Nature movement organise events, make movies and write texts examining the topic.

Alongside a collection of Next Nature images, the artistic team of Erwin Driessens and Maria Verstappen will present two contrasting works. Frankendael is a collection of nine short films, each

composing a dreamy merging of photographs taken in the park of the same name. Driessens and Verstappen took one photo each week for 12 months, taking care to place their camera in exactly the same position each time at the various locations they chose around the park. Later, using self-designed software, they merged the pictures to give a slowly changing view of the transformation of the landscape throughout the year. The result is a subtle, barely perceptible journey through the seasons. Just as in nature, if you stare closely it doesn’t seem like anything much is happening—but look away to look back later and the changes are obvious and dramatic.

Driessens and Verstappen say that one of the big problems they had with making the Frankendael works was that the landscape changed so much in some of their chosen locations that they turned out to be inappropriate for the films. ‘We started in winter,’ Verstappen says, ‘so the trees were quite bare and the grass was brown.’ But by the time summer came, some of the areas were so overgrown that the camera saw nothing but green. The changes had been so striking that they rendered this reproduction of the supposedly ‘gentle’ changes in nature implausible.

I make my own trip to Park Frankendael in Watergraafsmeer, along with agricultural engineer Willem Van haecke, to see the city’s ‘nature’ for myself. In the 18th century, this was a remote area where the wealthy built country houses and got away from the hustle and bustle of town. But

E-volver. Breeding natural images?

that was more than 200 years ago. Today, the park mostly seems to consist of rich green lawns, as smooth and flat as only reclaimed Dutch land can be. If we could somehow turn the sound off perhaps it would be relaxing, but the noise of the traffic seems to be even louder against the peaceful appearance of the surroundings.

Over the treetops, the unmistakable shapes of the RAI and the Delta Lloyd building are visible in the distance. On the far edge of the park, the Klein Dantzig volkstuinen provide locals with a little piece of nature to call their own, as long as they follow the rules: all paths must be kept clean and tidy, about 20% of the garden space must be used for ornamental plants and shrubs, the rest must be kept free of weeds. Through the window of one of the little allotment houses I catch sight of a man pouring a cup of tea. Getting back to nature, city style.

On the other side of the volkstuinen we see the Insectenkring, a series of small curved brick walls nestled between two larger semi-circles. It turns out that not all bees are social insects—who’d have thought it?—according to Van haecke; instead, many of them live alone and raise only their own young rather than taking care of a hive. These solitary insects used to live in the rough places on tree bark or brickwork.

But trees are getting few and far between in town, and the nooks and crannies in mortar are not nearly as common as they used to be, due to the modern building products.

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and nature is art

‘There are some kinds of flowers that are only pollinated by solitary bees, not by social bees,’ Van haecke tells me, ‘so when the solitary bees disappear from the urban environment, so do some of the plants we have as well.’ Artist Agnes van Genderen designed the piece to serve the purpose of artwork and environmental aid in one.

As we head back through the main park we approach the former stadskwekerij, a building left over from the days the property was owned by Gemeente Amsterdam and used as the breeding ground for all the seedlings needed for the city’s parks and gardens.

Van haecke says that there is nothing new about human growing and harvesting of plants. ‘People have been cultivating the earth for thousands of years. It’s hardly something you could call “unnatural.”’

Truly nature repurposed as culture now, the enormous glasshouse has become the acclaimed high-end restaurant De Kas, with its own herb garden and vegetables growing outside. The stadskwekerij has moved elsewhere, as we city-dwellers need this park for ‘nature’. I can’t see any birds apart from pigeons, but the park benches are decorated with enormous white swans on each side.

But a different kind of kwekerij has been developed by Driessens and Verstappen.

The E-volver is a beeldkwekerij, or ‘imagecultivating machine’, which takes inspiration from the methods of evolutionary biology to produce colourful, ever-changing images. ‘We did a lot of different experiments, also with physical

algorithms and processes, and we used the computer to create virtual processes,’ explains Verstappen. Tiny creatures on the screen travel around interacting with the pixels, which are each pre-programmed to react in various ways according to their surroundings. The viewer selects a number of variables, such as colour and basic pattern, and the result is an unpredictable, uncontrollable image that is constantly and rapidly changing.

When the work is in action, it’s uncanny how much some of the resulting images resemble patterns that occur in nature.

One output looks exactly like spores of mould, growing so fast it’s as though they are seen under time-lapse photography.

Another of the images could at one point be mistaken for an aerial view of a mountaintop, complete with craggy outcrops and snow caps. Yet another ‘painting’ produced by the E-volver looks like a satellite photo, showing the earth from a distance.

No two illustrations produced by the machine are alike, and Verstappen says that many viewers have difficulty believing that the images are computer-generated because they bear so much resemblance to scenes that we might see in nature. ‘When they see a print produced by the E-volver, a lot of people cannot believe that it was made by a computer,’ she says.

I began to wonder if these images were the future of nature in the city, but Driessens didn’t think so. ‘I think that there will always be interaction with nature, because nature is just the world around us,’ he told me. ‘So, even if you’re in the city, that’s also nature in a sense. It’s not

nature like rural places... but to be confronted with things you cannot really control, that’s nature.

If that is true, then many of the works at Natural Habitat are in fact ‘nature’. Like Driessens and Verstappen, the UK duo Vicky Isley and Paul Smith, collaborating as Boredom Research, have produced a computer-based work that in a sense is able to take on a life of its own, uncontrolled by its creator. Their 2005 project, ‘Biomes’, consists of six ‘computational artworks’ each using a small screen that can be either wall or table mounted. The screens, only about the size of a television, provide the windows to six different virtual worlds of about a mile in circumference.

This means that just a tiny part of the world is visible at one time. Small bodies of various types, some looking like colourful fish or bugs, others more abstract, are visible as they pass by the screen window before disappearing into other areas of their virtual environment. As with the E-volver’s pixel creatures, these bodies have evolved over time in ways that the creators could not have predicted.

‘When [the biomes] were first launched,’ says Isley, ‘the bodies that inhabit the space were bland and unmarked. It would have been fair to say that all bodies were basically a singlecoloured gel-like blob. Within the space of an hour, this was no longer true as some had developed simple lines and coloured bandings.’ As time went on, the bodies developed increasingly complex markings before their evolution began to level off.

Frankendael. An unnatural park.?

The biomes are quite addictive, and Isley reports that they often see viewers walking away from the screens and then checking back to see what else might be coming into view. ‘[W]e’re keen to develop works that are rewarding to just watch and therefore you don’t have to read a manual to understand how they work,’ she says.

Isley hopes that exhibitions like Natural Habitat are not going to be the only way that city-dwellers will interact with nature in the future, although she admits that even though she lives in south-west England’s New Forest, she often finds herself only viewing nature through windows.

‘We do attempt to capture some of the magic of [nature] but prefer to see this as an extension rather than an alternative. It would be a sad day indeed if our systems were considered a city-dweller’s alternative to the natural world.

At least, until that happens, we still have places like Park Frankendael. In our crowded city, it’s hardly surprising that our version of ‘back to nature’ is relatively contrived. It seems that it’s enough to have a little green space around, a home for bees and possibly even a garden hut of one’s own nearby, in what is arguably Amsterdam’s alternative to the natural world.

Natural Habitat opens 4 November, 15.00, until 16 December, Montevideo/ Time Based Arts (Tue-Sat 13.00-18.00), Keizersgracht 264, 623 7101, www.montevideo.nl

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2-8 November 2006

Just relax,

open up the subconscious and HAFF some fun...

A

ccording to some of its detractors, cartoons rot your mind, are sinful and might even turn you into a raving homosexual.

All the more reason to watch them, others might say. But proving the opposite is pretty damn easy if you look at the 11th offering of the Holland Animation Film Festival (HAFF), which will turn Utrecht into a Toon Town this coming week. Besides similar festivals in Ottawa, Hiroshima and Annecy, this is the most important animation gathering on the planet.

The HAFF programme is filled up to the brim, showcasing both the newest developments as well as giving a nod to the animation canon. In the latter category, there’s plenty of material to salivate over as the festival will show the first Dutch animated feature film, Van den Vos Reynaerde, in a special programme dedicated to the Netherlands during World War II. The fact that it’s an anti-Semitic propaganda film will alienate a lot of viewers, but it’s a historic fact nonetheless.

The fact that Machinima are prominently featured in the festival is a testament to the fact that HAFF has its fingers firmly on the pulse of contemporary animation. For those not in the know and requiring a speedy introduction, Machinima are animations made using either the in-game camera options sported by most

The best of the fest Welcome to an inside look at the HAFF programme. We have the recommendations of the multitalented Dutch animator Rosto, the academic insight of Yvonne van Ulden, lecturer at the Hogeschool voor de Kunsten in Utrecht, and we get the straight goods from SpongeBob creator Stephen Hillenburg.

Rosto highlights two interesting developments: ‘To be honest, at first these two programmes didn’t interest me that much, but as I delved into them, my curiosity was

Holland’s primo Animation Festival, featuring everything from propaganda films to Machinima to SpongeBob, is back for another helping. Get Ready. Set. Hallucinate!

BY LUUK VAN HUËT modern video games, or those that have been customised or hacked to support such a thing.

Other genre-bending highlights include the anime ‘Oval X Over’ in the Production I.G. programme. It is one of the finest, hyperstylised examples of Japanese animation since FLCL. And the revolutionary Soviet film Interplanetary Revolution from 1924, in which capitalists flee Earth, only to find Mars a distinctly Red Planet.

Adding to the already impressive lineup is an appearance of a veritable rock star among animators in the form of Stephen Hillenburg, creator of the much loved animated series SpongeBob Squarepants that has won the hearts and minds of kids—and the inner children of anyone from straightlaced geeks to gay men everywhere.

SpongeBob is a rectangular sponge who lives in a pineapple on the ocean floor,

where he works as a burger flipper for a greedy crab. Patrick the starfish is his heterosexual lifemate (although that fact is debatable). Meanwhile SpongeBob also gets on the nerves of his octagonal, highfalutin’ neighbour Squidward. No. Really: it all makes perfect sense when it plays out in front of you.

Hillenburg himself isn’t sure why SpongeBob became an overnight success while his previous show called Rocko’s Modern Life—about an Australian wallaby trying to adapt to American Suburbia— ‘only’ became a cult classic. But he’s willing to hazard a guess: ‘I don’t know why people responded to SpongeBob. I thought it would just have a “cult” following. Sometimes it’s just timing and luck. Rocko was a huge influence. Many people that worked on it went on to help create SpongeBob. Of course Ren and Stimpy and animation fes-

aroused. The “Japan Imaginative Power” programme is very promising, as it seems to break the barrier of what’s common in the whole anime scene. I’m particularly curious about the “Tokyo Loop” segment’.

‘Tokyo Loop’ celebrates a hundred years of animation in Japan with a collection of animated tales by 16 contemporary Japanese artists. Rosto continues: ‘The Machinima programme sounds good as well, while the same thing could be said for the “Pamphlet and Politics” part of the festival. All in all, there are a lot of good things to see.’

Yvonne van Ulden is rooting for her own flock, but also boasts a barrage of oth-

er helpful hints: ‘Of course I’ll recommend work from the students at the HKU, but I urge you to see Rabbit by Run Wrake, a dreamlike but dark story of lost innocence and the random justice of nature. Also, I’m very curious about Vaudeville, a visual poem about despair, wandering and the loss of cultural identity. It promises to have a very interesting style and an intriguing atmosphere.’ From her perspective as a film historian, she recommends the retrospective of the pioneering Canadian animator, Norman McLaren. ‘His work is abstract animation with a comedic twist, very experimental in its design. He’ll some-

Wormholes. When SpongeBob was a mere twinkle in his creator’s bugged-eyes.

tivals were also very influential.’

Besides appeasing the masses in front of the boob tube, Hillenburg has also managed to lure some choice celebrities, such as Scarlett Johansson and Alec Baldwin, to his underwater kingdom, not to mention the upcoming cameo by David Bowie. Hillenburg is casual about these celebrity appearances, noting: ‘In the case of SpongeBob, celebrities usually do a voice over because they like the show or they have children that like the show... They don’t do it for the money.’

Besides attending as a judge for the festival, Hillenburg will showcase some of his work. In the words of the man himself: ‘It’ll be my graduate film Wormholes and some of my favourite episodes from the first three seasons of SpongeBob.’ If you seek guidance in all matters animated, just consult our choice panel of experts below on how to proceed. But there’s doubtfully a better reason to head to Utrecht this coming fall.

Holland Animation Film Festival, 1-5 November, various times at Filmtheater ’t Hoogt, Theater Kikker and Camera Studio, Utrecht. www.haff.nl

times draw directly onto the celluloid and the soundtrack as well, creating suspenseful music to accompany his animation.’

There’s not enough room to list all of Van Ulden’s suggestions, but other titles she recommends are Tetsuro No Kanata, Copenhagen Cycles and Warning, Petroleum Pipeline.

SpongeBob’s spiritual father Stephen Hillenburg is concise in his recommendations. He’d like you to go and see: ‘Anything

by Paul Driessen!’ Meanwhile, many others will vouch for the validity of watching some choice SpongeBob episodes, as well.

That’s all, folks!

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Amsterdam Weekly

9

SHORT LIST

Kilometre Zero (Cinéma Arabe 2006), Thursday, De Balie

THURSDAY 2 NOVEMBER Art: Picasso: Master of Line Think ‘Pablo Picasso’, and women, love and eroticism quickly come to mind. In 1930, the artist—who was actually pretty much master of everything—began a series of prints, which was commissioned by Paris art dealer Ambroise Vollard and spanned seven years. And now, thanks to the CoBrA Museum, it’s in the Netherlands for the first time. For Picasso aficionados, the exhibition presents 100 prints, many exploring the artist’s simultaneous passions for art and love, being inspired by his affair with the then 17-year-old Marie-Therese Walter. Technically brilliant, Picasso’s etchings prove the artist was always ready to seek new territory and live his art as flamboyantly as he lived his life. (Dara Colwell) CoBrA Museum (Tues-Sun 11.00-17.00). Until 4 February.

Film: Cinéma Arabe 2006 Cinéma Arabe is back. For the second time. Right here in Amsterdam you can enjoy a compelling selection of works from young and promising film-makers who come from an Arab background. This year’s festival features two special programmes. The first is ‘Cinema & Religion’, containing a number of classical Egyptian films in which faith and portrayal of the prophet Mohammed take a central theme. The second is ‘Al-Jazeera Uncensored’, showing a variety of uncensored documentaries from the well-known Arab news channel. To top it all, Cinéma Arabe presents side programme ‘Film in de buurt’, which takes a beautiful selection of films to community centres in various Amsterdam neighbourhoods—and for this, there’s no admission fee! See www.cinemaarabe.nl and Film Times. (Sharida Mohamedjoesoef) De Balie, De Uitkijk, Meervaart, various times and prices. Until 15 November.

Film: Joods Film Festival It’s the fifth round of the festival which came into being thanks to human cattle transporter Easyjet—it was they who originally brought its director into contact with the Brighton Jewish Film Festival. One of the themes this year is ‘Vrouw en Film’, so expect Cheaper By The Dozen-style families in Be Fruitful and Multiply and a look at Israeli-Arabic widows who embark on a business venture in Pickles. Also noteworthy is the documentary Paper Dolls—winner at the Berlinale—which chronicles the lives of a community of Filipino trannies who have come to Israel to care for grannies and spend their spare time performing, Priscilla Queen of the Desert-style. Besides films, the week-long festivities will also host an afterparty in Boom Chicago, where kosher meals can be enjoyed and films can be dissected afterwards. The festival is part of the Joodse Cultuurmaand, so if film isn’t your thing, there’s a plethora of other activities to

enjoy, even for a goy. See www.joodsfilmfestival.nl (Luuk van Huët) De Uitkijk, various times, €7.50 per screening.

FRIDAY 3 NOVEMBER Rock: Cat Power Chan Marshall has led a storybook life. After beginning to record under the moniker Cat Power in Atlanta in 1994, Marshall moved to New York City, released three critically lauded albums and suddenly disappeared from the music business. After a restless, nightmare-filled night, she decided to pursue music once again a few years later, hooked up with the prominent Matador Records and experienced a resurgence, prompting a few more albums, including 2006’s The Greatest which, coincidentally or not, is probably her greatest yet. A sparsely dusted vixen, Marshall sings melodies that drop in and out of folk, rock and its fringes, creating an endearing, considerate sound that embraces you like a much-needed hug from a friend. Live she is a treat as well, and this time she’s bringing the Memphis Blues Band to town with her to create unique interpretations of her catalogue. (Shain Shapiro) Paradiso, 21.00, €20 + membership.

Pop/Rock: The Long Winters Definitely a descriptive moniker for a songwriting outfit bred in Alaska, The Long Winters is John Roderick, a guitar-slinging anti-hipster from Anchorage. After relocating to more temperate Seattle, Roderick hooked up with local musicians to form The Long Winters. Since 2001, he and a changing cast of characters have released three fulllengths, catching the eye of John Vanderslice’s Barsuk Records, who recently put out their latest, Putting the Days to Bed. Roderick’s languid, pop-injected blend of folk, pop and art-rock has garnered comparisons from Tom Waits to Coldplay, exhibiting the songwriter’s ability to extract a paradigm of emotions in his music, from jubilance to heartbreak. Fresh off a stadium-sized supporting slot around the UK and Scandinavia with Keane, Roderick tonight brings by his Long Winters for a rare intimate chance to experience songs that stick to you like frost on a flatbed. (Shain Shapiro) Paradiso, Kleine Zaal, 22.30, €8 + membership.

SATURDAY 4 NOVEMBER Bluegrass: Curtis Eller Last year, a New Yorker with a moustache and a banjo took De Nieuwe Anita by surprise, playing songs about Buster Keaton, pigeon races, Amelia Earheart and

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2-8 November 2006

President Lincoln. After some loud garage rock and pumping beats from Amsterdam—both probably the current hip thing in New York—Curtis Eller took a chair, stood on it and got everyone quiet. In this town that’s an achievement in itself, but in the room with many corners that is De Nieuwe Anita, it’s even more so. Whatever happened on that night, I don’t know, but it was one of those magical ones. Eller is still travelling the world and once more he’s back in town, playing The Circus Bizarro night supported by fans, bearded ladies, burlesque-type acts, fortune-telling and more—in an evening that goes back to the days when circus still mattered. (Bas Jacobs) De Nieuwe Anita, 20.30, €5.

Poetry: Geletterde Mensen. Antje Krog & Tom Lanoye Antwerp’s first stadsdichter (‘city poet’, displaying his rhymes across high-rise buildings), physiological novelist and rhythmical playwright Tom Lanoye is finally on tour around the Dutch-speaking world again. Tonight, one of the best spoken-word performers in the world will make sure everyone at the Flemish cultural centre De Brakke Grond dies of taalplezier. Even if you are a foreigner incapable of grasping the meaning of every jewel in Lanoye’s uneclipsed vocabulary, you are guaranteed an ecstatic experience. Suffice to say that Lanoye has reworked Shakespeare’s plays into NedEnglish and performs in what could be described as high-end hip-hop. This autumn, Lanoye is publishing a new novel Het derde huwelijk [‘the third marriage’] about an African woman trying get a Dutch residence permit by marrying a gay, terminally ill man. Also coming up is his new play Mefisto for Ever. Both are expected to become part of this performance, in which he’ll be sharing the stage with Antje Krog, a prominent South African poet writing in Afrikaans. What both of them also share is a love for love, politics and rhythm. (Sophia Kornienko) De Brakke Grond, 20.30, €12.50.

MONDAY 6 NOVEMBER Rock: Don Caballero In the 1990s, the instrumental post rock outfit Don Caballero were particularly popular among indie guitar music fans. The band’s unmistakably metallic edge and the fact that their sound untypically depends on drums and not guitar, have become even more obvious with the release of the new record World Class Listening Problem. First of all, it was released on the Relapse label, which mainly concentrates on metal bands. Secondly, the only original member left is drummer Damon Che, who formed a new version of Don Caballero six years after the previous record American Don. With their complex rhythms and tight interplay, Don Caballero defined the so-called ‘math rock’ genre and its reformation might have something to do with the hype surrounding a similar, harder style called ‘math metal’. Supporting the Amsterdam gig are local noise rock legends Gone Bald, who originally formed in Croatia in 1994. (Marinus de Ruiter) OCCII, 20.00, €6.

WEDNESDAY 8 NOVEMBER Jazz: Joe Lovano Nonet The Cleveland-born tenor sax wizard has been at the top of the North American jazz world for 20 years, recording, teaching and performing live with some of the scene’s greats. Lovano has released almost 20 CDs, all of them on the veritable Bluenote imprint, including 2006’s wildly impressive Steams of Expression.

Recorded with his big band/ensemble, the record is another tour de force of contemporary jazz, and points towards a fantastic night out if a few of the tracks off the record are laid down live. Performing with his nine-piece over two nights, this living legend of American jazz is really one of the Bimhuis’ unmissables. (Shain Shapiro) Bimhuis, 21.00, €24.

Latin: Señor Coconut OK, maybe proto-mashers The Evolution Control Committee beat out Señor Coconut when it comes to mixing iconic tunes with bubbly Latin rhythms. Their The Whipped Cream Remixes (1996) ingeniously slotted Public Enemy raps on top of Herb Albert and the Tijuana Brass’ easy-listening instrumentation (Chuck D never sounded more in his game). But Señor Coconut—in fact, the Chile-based German laptopist Uwe Schmidt, who also enjoys cult stardom under many other guises—can lay claim to producing the first full-length ultimate summer album of mutant mash. El Baile Aleman (2000) reinterpreted Kraftwerk tunes as they would be played by some kick-ass merengue and cha-cha-cha big band. He even managed to ram the cumbia into ‘Trans Europe Express’. With his latest release, Yellow Fever, he took on the Kraftwerk of Japan, The Yellow Magic Orchestra, and brought in not only original Orchestra members, but also the illustrious electronica likes of Towa Tei, Mouse on Mars, Akufen and Schneider TM to spice up the mix (and surreal up the interludes). But anyway, if this concert does not make your butt bubble, you have a dead, dead soul. Or simply a cha-cha-less centre. Either way, your loss. (Steve Korver) Paradiso, Kleine Zaal, 23.30, €8.

Send details and images for listing consideration at least two weeks in advance to agenda@amsterdamweekly.nl.

Amsterdam Weekly

2-8 November 2006

The USA is a Monster (Muziek Kapot Moet!), see Sunday

MUSIC Send listing suggestions at least two weeks in advance to agenda@amsterdamweekly.nl

Thursday 2 November Pop/Rock: Dining with Cinemon Launching new EP Trip, with a little help from the Supertracks label, guitar band Cinemon present a musical feast complete with dining experience. Expect slick contemporary guitar pop with loads of ’60s and ’70s references. Bitterzoet, 19.00, €5 (incl. three-course meal) Singer-songwriter: Lucinda Williams She’s been called ‘America’s best songwriter’ by Time magazine, and having revitalised the country music scene, Williams is enjoying her second sold-out night in Amsterdam. Paradiso, Grote Zaal, 20.00, sold out Classical: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra Conductor Bernard Haitink and famous Germano soprano Christine Schäfer join the orchestra for works by Webern and Mahler. But it’s the five pieces by Strauss sandwiched in between that will steal this show. Concertgebouw, Grote Zaal, 20.15, €55 Classical: Amsterdamse Cello Biënnale: New Cello Repertoire Cellist Doris Hochscheid of the Asko Ensemble performs the world premiere of a new cello concerto

by Greek-Portuguese composer Dimitris Andrikopoulos.

The versatile Jean-Guihen Queyras and his six-man ‘cello troupe’ from Freiburg then take a walk on the wild side in Messagesquisses by Pierre Boulez. For the final offering, Györgi Ligeti’s Cello Concerto performed by Queyras and the Asko Ensemble should offer a tranquil counterpoint. Muziekgebouw, 20.30, €20 Blues: Night of the Blues Festival One for blues fanatics, a showcase of acts by Hans Theessink, Ellis Hooks (US), Trudy Lynn (US) and Johnny Mastro (US).

Patronaat, Haarlem, 20.30, €18

Soul/R&B: Allen Toussaint One of the most influential figures in New Orleans R&B, Toussaint has been reworked and sampled countless times over the decades by the giants of soul and R&B: ‘Working in the Coalmine’, ‘Brickyard Blues’ and ‘Get Out My Life Woman’ are just some of many. Now fresh from collaborating with Elvis Costello, he offers tonight the perfect chance to experience the sounds of New Orleans—both classic and modern. Melkweg, 21.00, €22.50 + membership Jazz: European TryTone Festival It’s the eighth edition of the international jazz fest, which boasts more experimental tendencies than any typical jazz concert.

Iceland is the theme this year, with the country’s spectacular guitarist Hilmar Jensson given carte blanche to produce a vibrant and modern programme representative of his national scene. Tomorrow the party moves to Tilburg and on Saturday wraps up in A’dam style at Bimhuis. Zaal 100, 21.00, €8 World: Gabriél Rios A mix of contemporary salsa, Latin and funk as the Belgian superstar helps celebrate the Amstelveen venue’s fifth birthday. P60, Amstelveen, 21.00, €20 Rock: Le Club Suburbia Guitar noise experiments with Sweet Sweet, Hunting Lodge (UK) and Am Square. OCCII, 21.00, €5 Contemporary: Vladislav Delay This Finnish drummer ‘electronicus’ is a huge name in the world of contemporary music. Previous performances have been at the Tate Modern, Centre Pompidou and Sonar Festival, and his jazz- and dub-inspired electronica should delight ears desperate for something fresh. Bimhuis, 21.00, €10 Pop/Rock: Yellow Pearl Soulful guitar pop and rock as the upcoming outfit present their album The Rebel in You. Paradiso, Kleine Zaal, 22.45, €6 + membership Jazz: Dave Burrell The pianist presents a history of jazz in this late-night café concert, and will develop his journey into the past over the coming four nights.

Bimhuis, 23.00, free Hiphop: Lords of the Underground An intimate performance from the hard-hitting New Jersey hiphop outfit. Bitterzoet, 23.00, €10

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Friday 3 November

2-8 November 2006 new material, so it’s going to be hot and sticky. Paradiso, Kleine Zaal, 21.30, €12.50 + membership

Experimental: The Gong Family Unconvention 2006 Returning in their original line-up for the first time since 1977, the legendary psychedelic space rockers lead this three-day festival of trippy noise. Jam band fans from around the world are jetting in for the spectacle, which also boasts special guests Yoshida Tatsuya and members of Acid Mothers Temple, Slack Baba, Purusha, Crystal Machine and many more big names from the scene. See article on p. 13. Melkweg, 16.30, €140 festival pass

Jazz: Dave Burrell (See Thursday) Bimhuis, 23.59, free

Classical: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (See Thursday) Concertgebouw, Grote Zaal, 20.15, €55

Festival: Muziek Kapot Moet! The regular experimental band night has expanded for one weekend only, transforming into an impressive two-day fest featuring some of the most challenging independent guitar bands in the world. Animental are a female trio from the US who embrace animal-costumed performance; The USA is a Monster are a noisy duo from Brooklyn; fellow Americans Mudboy specialise in electro-acoustic noise; and the Norwegian power-noise outfit Noxagt make heavy racket with lots of twists.

OCCII, 20.00, €6

Classical: Amsterdamse Cello Biënnale: National Cello Competition Performing with the Amsterdam Sinfonietta, three cellists will gracefully battle for glory in this final concert. Muziekgebouw, 20.30, €15

Sunday 5 November Classical: Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra (See Thursday) Concertgebouw, Grote Zaal, 14.15, €55 Experimental: The Gong Family Unconvention 2006 (See Friday) Melkweg, 16.30, €140 festival pass

Opera: Zaide Performance of Mozart’s unfinished ‘Turkish’ opera by the Wiener Akademie. Amsterdam Weekly readers can save €5 on the ticket price by mentioning the newspaper to the box office. Concertgebouw, Grote Zaal, 20.15, €37.50/€45 Big band: Metropole Orchestra The jazzy big band are joined by Argentine bandoneón master Dino Saluzzi for a batch of new treats and old classics as jazz, classical and tango collide. Muziekgebouw, 20.30, €25 Cat Power Rock: Cat Power (See Short List) Paradiso, 21.00, €20 + membership Jazz: Joe McPhee Trio X Avant-garde sax-playing and elaborate free jazz expressionism from the 66year-old American musician and his band. Bimhuis, 21.00, €14 Pop/Rock: S.I.N., Tom Cat An Amsterdam indie feast featuring members of Norma Jean, The Stallones and Seedling. Café Pakhuis Wilhelmina, 22.00, €5 Pop: The Long Winters (See Short List) Paradiso, Kleine Zaal, 22.30, €8 + membership Jazz: Dave Burrell (See Thursday) Bimhuis, 23.30, free Hiphop: Dilated Peoples Classic underground hiphop LA trio who flirted with success in 2004 after a collaboration with Kanye West and previously toured the arenas of Europe in support to Limp Bizkit. So far, though, their inventive sampling and hard-hitting rapping mixed with summer grooves befitting of Jurassic 5 or De La Soul hasn’t transferred to superstardom. So be it, they’re still a rap outfit not to miss. Paradiso, Grote Zaal, 23.59, €20

Saturday 4 November

Jazz: Flowriders Broken Beat Session The first broken session ever in Amsterdam, beats will be cooked up live on stage while electronics mix with acoustic instruments, creating an innovative and raw, jazzy funk session that knows no limits. Launching this monthly session is Marc de Clive-Lowe and Richard Spaven, Vincent Helbers from Flowriders. Shirma Rouse will lend some smooth, jazzy vocals. Sugar Factory, 21.00, €8.50 Jazz: Jazz Orchestra of the Concertgebouw The ensemble invites guest performers Nueva Manteca, an internationally renowned group mixing Cuban salsa and dazzling bebop. Bimhuis, 21.00, €14 Rock: Wild Romance Afterparty It would have been Herman Brood’s 60th birthday today, and to celebrate, friends and fans are gathering at the City Theater for the premiere of the film The Wild Romance. Afterwards, it’s party time at Paradiso with a live performance from the original band members and a host of special guests. Paradiso, Grote Zaal, 21.30, €15 Jazz: Dave Burrell (See Thursday) Bimhuis, 23.30, free

Monday 6 November Festival: Muziek Kapot Moet! (See Short List) OCCII, 20.00, €6

Experimental: The Gong Family Unconvention 2006 (See Friday) Melkweg, 16.30, €140 festival pass Blues: Walter Trout and the Radicals Bluesy rock from one of the world’s best guitarists. Paradiso, Grote Zaal, 19.30, €18 + membership Classical: Nederlands Philharmonisch Orkest Performing Schubert’s unfinished Symphony No.8 and Mahler’s Des Knaben Wunderhorn; conducted by Yakov Kreizberg. Concertgebouw, Grote Zaal, 20.15, €30 Classical: Amsterdamse Cello Biënnale: Gala Concert Three cello concertos in a single evening.

The winner of the National Cello Competition will join internationally renowned cellists Natalia Gutman and Jean-Guihen Queyras in this gala closing performance. Muziekgebouw, 20.30, €25 Bluegrass: Curtis Eller (See Short List) De Nieuwe Anita, 20.30, €5 Jazz: European TryTone Festival In keeping with the festival’s celebration of the rich musical traditions of a country with a population smaller than that of Amsterdam, three contemporary jazz outfits from Iceland are presented: Tyft, Napoli 23 and Flis. Bimhuis, 21.00, €14 Experimental: Odd Appetite Featuring cellist HaYang Kim and percussionist Nathan Davis, Odd Appetite play music which explores the possibilities of their instruments with a vast array of percussion, live computer and stomp box manipulation. OT301, 21.00, €5 Hiphop: Relax Haarlem’s premium hiphop outfit are preparing a new single for release at month’s end and a new album at the start of 2007. Tonight they unleash their new live show and some of that brand-spanking

Under Byen Contemporary: Under Byen One of the little-known gems of the Danish music scene, Under Byen specialise in spectacular orchestral and percussive compositions that could be classified as pop songs, but rest too far on the very dark end of the scale.

Evocative of the coastal landscapes of Scandinavia, organic and ethereal soundscapes are interwoven between the fantasy sound of Sigur Rós and the orchestral loops of Steve Reich. Paradiso, Kleine Zaal, 20.00, €8 + membership

2-8 November 2006

Amsterdam Weekly

13 The whole Famdamnily back together.

Melkweg reunites with its original psychedelic floaters. Yes indeed: the Gong Show is back in town.

IT’S GOING... GOING...

IT’S GONG

by Marinus de Ruiter This weekend, the Melkweg is all about ‘floating anarchy’ as it hosts a three-day festival celebrating the nearly 40 year history of psychedelic rock group Gong. The Gong Family Unconvention will feature around 20 musical acts, culminating in a classic Gong performance reuniting the band’s most prominent members throughout the decades.

Gong has incorporated all kinds of music in their sound, from folk and jazz to ambient, punk and Eastern music. ‘In the late ’60s, with Bob Dylan’s development as an electric artist, all kinds of music scenes got mixed up in a general psychedelic culture,’ says guitarist Steve Hillage on the phone from his London home. ‘I was in the psychedelic culture, and I still am.’

Today Hillage is known for System 7,

Classical: Nederlands Philharmonisch Orkest (See Saturday) Concertgebouw, Grote Zaal, 20.15, €30 Rock: Dick Dale This true surf rock legend is one of the real pioneers of the genre. A full 12 years after his Pulp Fiction revival, worldwide audiences are still flocking to catch him. And it’s no wonder, because even at 69 years old, he works a guitar string like no one else. Support from Redondo Beat. Melkweg, 20.30, €18 + membership Experimental: DNK-Amsterdam Electro-acoustic session. OT301, 21.30, €4

the influential electronic dance act he forms with his wife Miquette Giraudy.

Although Hillage hasn’t played with Gong since 1975, he always felt connected. ‘We never really split up,’ he says. ‘You could even say we never really formed—it just sort of happened. Gong is a state of mind.’

‘Gong was seen as the ultimate hippy group in the 1970s,’ says Melkweg director Cor Schlösser, who has hosted live Gong shows since the opening of the venue 36 years ago. ‘The band had a very familial atmosphere,’ he recalls. ‘The members even took their children and their dogs to the gigs.’

Gong fitted seamlessly in the Melkweg’s spirit of the time. ‘The Melkweg was like a home with various living rooms, and performances were scattered all over the place,’ says Schlösser. ‘A large part of the audience didn’t have a clue what was going to happen—they were

will be English rockers The Stranglers, young Londoners Larrikin Love, and Wild Romance will lead a tribute to Herman Brood while fronted by Ellen ten Damme. For lovers of Dutch sounds, the Excelsior Big Band, featuring musicians like Spinvis, members of Johan and DaryllAnn and many other Excelsior Recordings characters, will be playing classic Dutch pop and some ludicrous covers, too. Melkweg, 20.30, €16 + membership Contemporary: Schönberg Kwartet Performing Alexander Zemlinsky’s String Quartet No.4, Anton Webern’s Fünf Sätze and Arnold Schönberg’s String Quartet No.4. Het Muziektheater, 20.30, €20

Jazz: Dave Burrell (See Thursday) Bimhuis, 23.00, free

Wednesday 8 November Tuesday 7 November Experimental: Bats For Lashes Minimalist electro folk from Brighton-based songwriter Natasha Khan.

Comparisons with Björk are hard to avoid, but with her fairy-tale feel and magical kingdoms, she shares more in common with the free folk of Devendra Banhart and Cocorosie than Icelandic electronica. Paradiso, Kleine Zaal, 20.00, €7 + membership Pop/Rock: 35 jaar OOR Love it or loathe it, Holland’s number one music mag is turning 35. Taking over the entire Melkweg to celebrate, a healthy chunk of those years will be represented in live music tonight. On hand

Classical: London Symphony Orchestra Masters of old music are on tonight as conductor Sir John Eliot Gardiner leads the famous orchestra and their special guest soloist, pianist Leif Ove Andsnes, through renditions of Martinu’s Double Concerto for two string orchestras, piano and timpani, Mozart’s 17th Piano Concerto and Dvorák’s Symphony No.8 in G. Concertgebouw, Grote Zaal, 20.15, €75 Contemporary: Vamp Concert Experimental interpretations of Olivier Messiaen and Andries van Rossem’s ‘Spotting’, Heiner Goebbels’ ‘Bagatellen’ and Louis Andriessen’s ‘De Tijd’. Special guests include pianist Ralph van Raat, violinist Monica Germino and bassist

not specifically coming for a show, but for the enjoyable experience’.

As with other bands in those days, psychedelic drugs were used extensively in Gong. Suspicions that the upcoming event is held in Amsterdam because of the city’s liberal drug laws are rejected by Hillage. ‘The number one reason to come to Amsterdam is that we have very good memories of the Melkweg,’ he says.

‘Also, it has a nice central position, because people are coming in from all over the world.’

The Melkweg is even featured as part of the extended mythology presented within the lyrics of Gong and invented by the band’s founder Daevid Allen. The venue was the model for the ‘temple with the Octave Doctors’, a setting in Allen’s fantasy stories which also involved such other strange-sounding elements as the Pothead Pixies, the Radio Gnomes and the Flying Teapot.

The reason Hillage was attracted to Gong and Allen was the chemistry between the people in and around the group—the so called ‘floating anarchy’.

Hillage explains that in Gong music isn’t seen as a purely escapist thing and that the band’s mindset has a political side, as well. ‘We were trying to go beyond the standard left-wing ideology of the time,’ he says. ‘The ultimate thing with Gong is that we want to make a marriage between political involvement

Gerry Arling, although a string of others will help pull the concept together. Muziekgebouw, 20.30, €15 World: Boubacar Traoré One of Mali’s real musical superstars, Traoré had gone almost 30 years without ever recording a song. But since his album debut in 1990, he’s enjoyed international successes and his mix of American blues, West African folk and Arab styles is a real delight. Patronaat, Haarlem, 21.00, €15 Reggae: Jam Session Led by Ghettowish. Volta, 21.00, free Jazz: Joe Lovano Nonet (See Short List) Bimhuis, 21.00, €24 Latin: Señor Coconut (See Short List) Paradiso, Kleine Zaal, 23.30, €8 + membership

CLUBS Thursday 2 November Wildvreemd Latin American bigwigs work tonight’s Vreemd DJ battle. DJ Violett will be representing the Argentines and Marcelo Umana and Carlos Valdes

and individual development in consciousness.’

‘Particularly now, in the post-communist and post-Cold War era, people are looking for new political models in order to resist the frightening media distortion that is going on,’ Hillage continues. ‘How do you fight media brainwashing on the Bush and Blair level? You can’t just go out on the streets and wave a banner. It’s got to go further, you have to resist and part of that involves developing your own psychic resistance inside yourself.’

For Hillage the ‘floating anarchy’ was gone in 1975 when Allen left and the band had to continue because of record company pressure. As a result of the acclaim of his guitar playing, Hillage was thrust into the position of bandleader. ‘I didn’t like that,’ he says. ‘That was my cue to leave as well. It could be argued that Gong isn’t really Gong without Daevid.’

Without Allen and Hillage, Gong went on to become a technically advanced jazz-style rock band, which was lumped into the ‘progressive’ corner by most critics. ‘We never saw ourselves as a progressive rock band,’ says Hillage. ‘We consider ourselves quite gifted musicians, but if the whole thing got too caught up in technique, Daevid and I wouldn’t be happy. It’s got to carry that extra thing.’

By ‘that extra thing’ Hillage means the physical involvement of the audience, as well. While Allen has reformed the band again several times, not much had happened since the early 2000s, so fans decided to have a Gong Convention last year in the city of Canterbury. ‘They booked System 7 and we did a jam with other Gong members that turned up,’ says Hillage. ‘It all came from the fans, and so that’s very different from the average rock reunion gig. I hope this uplifting quality will be tangible at the Melkweg, because that’s what it’s all about.’

The Gong Family Unconvention, 3-5 November, Melkweg, Lijnbaansgracht 234a, 531 8181, festival pass €140, www.melkweg.nl, www.planetgong.co.uk

fighting for Chile. For music fans with no gender or national biases, you can settle for a long night of techno, experimental electro and house music. Sugar Factory, 00.30-05.00, €7.50 Poptrash Three decades’ worth of rock, electro and hiphop with The Punchout DJs. Melkweg, 23.00, €4 GirlsLoveDJ’s Fifteen DJs, 45 minute sets and a rare chance to play all their favourite songs—be it techno, rock ’n’ roll, house or hiphop. DJs include Rubywax & MissingLinks, Mr Speak, The Flexican, Hitmeister D and a host of other Amsterdam spinning stars. Hotel Arena, 23.00-04.00, €15

Friday 3 November Funk Flow Dealing out all forms of funk imaginable, with DJ Reckless, DJ Cosmic Rasta and DJ (El) Moki.

Located in Restaurant De Peper. OT301, 21.00-03.00 Living in Oblivion Spinning a mixture of ’80s new wave, glam, industrial, goth and trashy rock ’n’ roll.

Winston Kingdom, 21.00-03.00, €5 Bernie’s Burning Lounge The flaming party night returns, promising anything from Brazilian beats to Balkan swing, with unquantifiable detours along the way. Tonight Bernie’s Lounge are joined by The Celluloid Gurus and DJ mps PILOT. Sugar Factory, 22.00-05.00, €10

Amsterdam Weekly

14 ¿Que Pasa? Latin-crossover night with reggae, folk, ska, punk and mestizo. Melkweg, 23.00, €7 + membership

Saturday 4 November Kobyashi, Sake & Kamikaze! Experimental freak and fun, featuring Jeremy Norris on decks, Angel of Death on FX, Donovan on laptop and synths and a secret guest bleeding riffs from guitars. Café Pakhuis Wilhelmina, 22.00-03.00, €5

2-8 November 2006

Funky Junkie A new monthly event, DJ Koldun presents a new track while inviting live musicians (on electric violin, guitar and bass) to improvise with him on the decks. Winston Kingdom, 22.00, €5

Wednesday 8 November Pop! An intoxicating mix of cocktails and pop music.

Sugar Factory, 22.00-04.00, €5

nlECTRO Minimal, tech-house & Tiga-esque electro disco with DJs Cheesy Sva, Rosso and Rubywax. Club NL, 22.00-04.00 Dubstep / Grime Night The hottest sounds from the London underground. OCCII, 22.30-04.00, €5 Bold Hiphop and Detroit techno with King Britt (US), Moonbootica (DE), Nuno dos Santos, Marcello & Friends. Panama, 23.00-04.00, €15

Zeitgeist It’s Museum n8, and Zeitgeist are getting in on the action. Video installations and decorations will dominate your vision, while a programme full of old and new DJs dominates the ears. Stars include Joost van Bellen, The Walk & Rogerseventytwo and Afra Amba. Sugar Factory, 23.00-05.00, €10

Señor Coconut Señor Coconut (See Short List) Paradiso, 23.3004.00, €8

Quarantaine

[H]ot Scenes Radio Late-night DJ bar with Rabo en de Babo. OT301, 23.00-late, free

GAY& STAGE LESBIAN

Crossfader Hiphop and dancehall favourites. Melkweg, 23.59, €10 + membership

Thursday 2 November

M.U.L.T.I.S.E.X.I. Featuring Prosumer (Berlin), MNO (Dirty Disco) and Dig Nampook. Studio 80, 23.00-late, €7.50

Dance Arena Alternative dance, pop and rock. Melkweg, 23.59, €7 + membership

Thursday 2 November

CliQue Go out dancing for free on Thursday night. DJ No5 plays electro, classics, ’80s pop and rock and funky techno. Happy hour from 01.00-02.00, with catwalk and lounge area. Exit, 00.00-04.00, free

Friday 3 November Insomnia With DJ Jerry Black playing tribal, electro and club house. With go-go dancers and a ‘special treat for everyone’. Exit, 00.00-05.00, €7 Vrouwenavond Lots and lots of lady-lovin’ ladies, some accompanied by their male friends of all sexualities. Café Sappho, 21.00-03.00, free

Saturday 4 November Junkie XL (Earth) Earth It’s the club night’s seventh anniversary so the big names of dance are out to party. Junkie XL takes the DJ headline spot, but performing alongside are Per, ONNO, MC P-Pholl, Sandrien, Zoë Xenia, Francesco Pico, Benoit, KlubKid and Helpende Henk.

Like all good parties, more surprises are in store. Paradiso, 23.59-05.00, €20/€25

Sunday 5 November Latin Fever Beats, rhythms and rhymes from Latin America, supplied by DJs Alex-Gee, Freddy and JC Portilla. Panama, 20.30-02.00, €14.50 WickedJazzsounds Jazz, hiphop, broken beats, nujazz, funk and Afro sounds, as classic vinyl collides with live musicians. Driving the decks this week are Leroy Rey and Kid Sublime, while live guests blasting out fresh ideas over the grooves include singer Berenice van Leer, trumpeter Diederik Rijpstra and sax player Jeff Hollie. Sugar Factory, 23.00-05.00, €8.50

Battle of the Cocktails Which new cocktails will make it onto the menu? You decide in this tasting contest.

Funky beats supplied by DJ Erik Kande. Getto, 22.00, free Wasteland The city’s premiere fetish party for the whole sexual spectrum. The only critera: that you’re uninhibited and adhere to the strict dress code. DJs include Clark Kent, Natarcia and Tony Cha Cha; shows incude Rope Marks and Kitty Klaw, the Queen of Burlesque. The Powerzone, 22.00-06.00, €45 M.U.T.I.S.E.X.I. Tonight it’s a mysterious sounding Nuit de Scorpio Noir (Yeah It’s Queer). With Prosumer from the Panorama Bar in Berlin, Mnno from Dirty Disco and visuals by Erik Akema. Oh and always remember: fashion is in favour! Studio 80, 23.0006.00, €7.50

Sunday 5 November Double Bubble Happy Hour Two hours of cheap booze, and DJ No5 playing dance classics, TV themes, Nederpop and disco. April, 18.00-20.00, free

Tuesday 7 November

Danserette Claw back your youth with this ’80s youth club-style disco. Note the school-night-friendly times.

Akhnaton, 18.00-23.00, €7.50

Dolle Dinsdag The best of kitsch with Amsterdam DJ legend Piet Popcorn. Pacific Parc, 19.00-01.00, free

Live Jazz en Soul A slinky wind-down to the weekend. Soho, 20.30, free

SANNE PEPER

Franch Cruise Take to the water in this dance party, with a DJ line-up including Roog, Lucien Foort, Billy the Klit, Stef Vrolijk and Marnix. Ocean Diva, 23.0005.00, €17.50

Theatre: Quarantaine Theatre company Huis aan de Amstel presents a performance that combines theatre with documentary. The central topic is isolation: large film screens show interviews with witnesses of the Leningrad siege, while on stage is a play about a group of people awakening in a strange place, suddenly and completely cut off from the outside world. In Dutch. Het Rozentheater, 20.00, €12.50 Theatre: Alexander Another chance to catch the play about Alexander the Great by Willem Jan Otten.

Touching on themes of power, desire, greed and fear, this performance by Het Toneel Speelt has been awarded the Topstukken medal, rated as one of the top four performances to catch this season. In Dutch.

Stadsschouwburg, 20.15, €11.50-€22.50 Theatre: ECO Dood Paard presents a play about a construction project: a gigantic entertainment centre made entirely from natural materials. The people involved are enthusiastic at first, but tension grows until nobody anymore is able to distinguish personal issues from business. In Dutch. De Brakke Grond, 20.30, €12 Theatre: Torquato Tasso A new translation and adaptation of Goethe’s play about a Renaissance poet. Set in the enclosed scenery of an Italian spa, the diverse characters’ debates are used to show the conflicts between aesthetics and politics, ratio and empiricism, the local and the global, art and life. In Dutch. De Snijzaal, Utrecht, 20.30, €10

Friday 3 November Theatre: Quarantaine (See Thursday) Het Rozentheater, 20.00, €12.50 Theatre: ECO (See Thursday) De Brakke Grond, 20.30, €12 Theatre: Het Alphapaar During a dinner with several inhabitants of a high-rise apartment house, trivial as well as fundamental topics are discussed. Questions include: how much reality is there in reality TV? How pragmatic do you have to be to be happy? And what is the difference between hamburgers and gastronomy?

In Dutch. Theater Bellevue, 20.30, €15 Theatre: Torquato Tasso (See Thursday) De Snijzaal, Utrecht, 20.30, €8/€10 Comedy: easyLaughs Comedy improv in English.

Two different shows every Friday night. Crea Muziekzaal, 20.30, €10, 22.30, €5

Saturday 4 November Theatre: Quarantaine (See Thursday) Het Rozentheater, 20.00, €12.50 Performance: De Lelijke Eendjes A healthy dose of ‘theatre sport’ from the local improv group. In Dutch.

Zaal 100, 20.00, €6 Theatre: Het Alphapaar (See Friday) Theater Bellevue, 20.30, €15 Theatre: ECO (See Thursday) De Brakke Grond, 20.30, €12

Sunday 5 November Theatre: Het Alphapaar (See Friday) Theater Bellevue, 15.00, €15

Monday 6 November Music/Dance: Monday Match A dynamic new monthly event in which a dancer invites a musician (or vice versa) to form the basis of a unique improvisation lab. With the invitation of even more guests onto the stage, original one-time works will be born left and right. Bimhuis, 20.30, free Music/Dance: Flamenco & Blues Featuring flamenco dancers Britta Falk and Karin Ey and additional guests from the Night of the Blues tour. Lloyd Hotel, 21.00, free

Tuesday 7 November Theatre: Quarantaine (See Thursday) Het Rozentheater, 20.00, €12.50 Music/Theatre: Het Leven een Droom Johan Simons directs one of Spanish drama’s masterpieces—Calderón de la Barca’s story of King Basilio, who keeps his son locked up because of a prophecy predicting that he is the embodiment of evil. With music by Peter Vermeersch. In Dutch. Stadsschouwburg, 20.15, €11.50-€25

Wednesday 8 November Theatre: Quarantaine (See Thursday) Het Rozentheater, 20.00, €12.50 Music/Dance: Songs from the Roof Based on Shostakovich’s song cycle From Jewish Folk Poetry, this production combines singers, dancers and musicians from different cultural backgrounds and aims to reflect the universal themes of migration. Stadsschouwburg Amstelveen, Amstelveen, 20.30, Theatre: Torquato Tasso (See Thursday) De Snijzaal, Utrecht, 20.30, €8/€10

Plug in with our

Museumnacht pull-out

Out for an after-hours arts and culture crawl? Stopping for some robo-vodka here and a 3D film there? Saturday, 4 November, marks the seventh instalment of Museumnacht (‘n8’ for short), with 40 museums and institutions opening their doors to the city from 7 p.m. until 2 a.m. Many events are organised especially for n8, but the venues also offer the opportunity to see permanent collections and current exhibitions. Welcome to our selection of n8 highlights and tips.

Amsterdam Weekly

2 Museumnacht Pull-out

2-8 November 2006

THE ARTBEAT FROM THE STREET

By Sarah Gehrke Much has changed since the days of spray can stories. Street art became a successful and accepted art form long ago, incorporating, alongside graffiti, a large range of materials and media. Throughout Museum n8, the Post CS building will host the second Artbeat, a big-time celebration of all things street art and the music that goes with it.

Downstairs at BG, a massive art project will take place when 12 international street artists and graphic designers work together to create a giant 3D gesamtkunstwerk. The whole concept and line-up has been put together by two guest curators, Zedz from the Netherlands and the German street artist Esher. What Esher describes as ‘phoning up a few mates’ has resulted in acquisition of some of the biggest names in international street art circles.

The action starts five days before the actual night, when the artists arrive and start putting their stuff together. ‘What’s most interesting is the fact that all participating artists will have the same amount of time and means at their disposal, so the process will take the form of skills battle,’ says Esher. ‘It’ll all be very spontaneous—well, you know, freestyling.’ On the Artbeat night itself there’ll be interaction with the public, giving them the chance to contribute to the project.

The whole thing will be documented by shooting a 360-degree time-lapse movie over the course of the five days, which will be shown on the project’s website shortly after the event. And taking street art back to where it’s come from, the spray cans

N8 LISTINGS Allard Pierson Museum The central theme is Egyptian grave gifts. Subject yourself to the Egyptian death ritual, see a presentation about forgeries, or go on the ‘Mystery Tour’.You can also bring in your own antiques to have them appraised by experts (19.00-02.00).

Amsterdams Historisch Museum A musical evening with lots of live performances inspired by Geef mij maar Amsterdam: the winners of the Battle of Amsterdam spit out their best material about this fair town (19.00-20.30), De Leliestreet Sisters sing about the Jordaan and Kiddo Cee and Nina rap a levenslied (21.00-22.30).There’ll be performances

by René Riva and De Jeugd van Tegenwoordig (23.00-0.00) and a DJ set by Mr Wix combining hiphop beats with traditional Dutch songs (01.0002.00).

Anne Frank Huis The exhibition Free2choose deals with the issue of conflicting fundamental rights, and Visions on the Fifties is an audiovisual presentation by artist Quirijn Kuchlein. The 1950s continue through to the museum café, where musicians Jasper Blom, Maarten van der Grinten and Frans van der Hoeven perform jazz tunes from the decade (19.00-02.00).

De Appel A double wham-bam-slam here: tequilaand poetry-slamming combined. The audience down shots and determine which of the rappers and spoken word performers wins (19.00-02.00).

ARCAM Celebrating the architecture centre’s 20th anniversary, the theme of the night is 1986. Experience the year of Dirty Dancing, Chernobyl, Maradona’s Hand of God and Europe’s ‘Final Count-

will be carried to the outside area of BG to show off some graffiti skills.

Later, when the beat drops, be sure to put on your Saturday shoes for the performances of Berlin-based act Jahcoozi and DJ duos Sick Girls and Radioclit, who’ll mash up new hiphop flavours like grime, crunck, booty and breakcore with dancehall, electro and ’80s beats.

Meanwhile at 11, new computer art collective Neen will supply an evening programme filled with interactive projections and performances that are anything but predictable—and may be watched while having a no less exciting and unusual dinner.

down’ in sight, touch and sound. With readings by Cees Dam and Martin Bril (20.00, 21.00), the Old Skool Street and Breakdance Event (22.00), a 1986 quiz (23.00) and a disco (00.15).

Artis If you don’t mind waiting a few hours in a queue, a nocturnal tour of the zoo might be for you.

Stop by the newly opened Vlinderpaviljoen to check out all sorts of butterflies, or take a special tour of the aquarium if the life aquatic appeals.The planetarium will offer a separate programme, with a star-studded theme apt for both adults and kids, while the geology building presents fascinating information about fossils. Should you happen to have some, bring in your own fossils and minerals for appraisal by experts (19.00-01.00).

Bijbels Museum A heavenly night during which angels will serve free champagne, you can have your hair styled à la engelenhaar, watch theatre collective De Lelijke Eendjes improvise scenes from the Bible and have snacks and drinks on the heated garden terrace (19.00-02.00).

De Burcht The trade union museum presents a programme of interviews, discussions and commentary on the theme of ‘solidarity’.To funk things up there’ll be a capoeira performance and, from midnight onwards, live music with Afro-Brazilian rhythms (19.00-02.00).

EnergeticA Museum Amsterdam’s first-ever power station (built in 1903) will host an eerily energetic night as artists James Beckett and Zhana Ivanova launch the entr’act, a concert for two theremins— the electronic instrument invented in 1919 that was predecessor to the Moog synthesiser. It consists of an array of circuitry and can be played without being touched but by moving the hands around two antennae. (20.00, 22.15, 23.45). Also on show is Frankenstein Versus Celsius, a sequel to the classic Gothic novel (21.45, 23.00, 00.30). See article on pull-out p. 4. Throughout the night, more electronic music will be provided by DJ San Bodi (19.00-02.00).

Filmmuseum There’s lots of multimedia action at

It’s all quite freestyling.

When it’s time for the beats to take over from the arts, London-based Brazilian act Tetine will rock the show with their baile funk, the Brazilian hiphop spin-off that is currently being hyped all over the world. Afterwards, local DJ stars Cinnaman and Tom Trago spin their tunes until near dawn.

Artbeat, 4 November, 19.00-05.00, 11 and BG, Oosterdokskade 5, 6255999, €5 (€4 with n8 ticket), www.artbeatnow.nl

the city’s centre for all things cinematic: in the Droompaleis, hang out on a gigantic bed and have your dreams custom-made by ordering a choice of programmes delivered to you via projector, or you can make your own stop-motion film that will be shown on a monitor that acts as a pillow, too. If all that got you too sleepy, go put on those bi-coloured glasses to watch one of the 3D movies being shown throughout the night.And listen up, MTV generation: Fenno Werkman, the proud owner of the country’s biggest music video collection, will bring all his tapes to play videos on demand (19.00-02.00).

Foam Alongside a chance to see current exhibitions The Kate Show,Risk and photos by Trent Parke,Foam will also start an experiment known as the ‘Doorgeefcompliment’ (19.00-02.00).

Hermitage Amsterdam Special introductions to the current exhibition about art collectors in St Petersburg will be held throughout the night.Kids will have the opportunity to paint their own masterpiece in the Kinderatelier, while Russian delicacies and lots of vodka will be supplied in the Kantinski Russki in the Hermitage’s garden (19.00-02.00).

De Hortus Amsterdam’s botanical garden goes all loved-up: while the moon shines over the sleeping garden, huge projectors will show floral love stories.

More human affections will be taken care of at a Tangosalon in the Hugo de Vries building and a dating party in the museum café. Those who would rather watch than dance will have the unique opportunity to witness the butterflies’ nightly love life (19.00-02.00).

Huis Marseille Portraits of youth in Japan, England, Latvia and Russia by Hellen van Meene are on show.The photographer will also give a public minimasterclass about portrait photography (photographers should register via info@huismarseille.nl) (19.00-02.00).

Joods Historisch Museum Not content with just seeing a selection of the best short films by students of Jerusalem’s Sam Spiegel Film and Television School in the new auditorium (19.00-02.00) and presenting

live music from klezmer to tango in the museum cafe (20.00-23.00), JHM’s Grand Synagogue will also house a electro-acoustic performance by Israel-born and New York-based composer/instrumentalist Raz Mesinai (23.00-01.00).

Mediamatic The hip home to new media transforms into a subtropical winter garden, where you can enjoy food by Debra Solomon, strawberry cocktails

by Jans & Friends and music by Jungle Boogie and Alpen Rock.You can also witness a robot guinea pig race (19.00-02.00).

Museum Van Loon Following the century-long tradition of a close association with the arts, family Van Loon has invited eleven young, international artists to find inspiration in the canal-house’s rich history and arts collection.The resulting exhibition, Le Nouveau Siècle, will be festively opened tonight (19.00-02.00).

Museum Willet-Holthuysen Enjoy guided tours of the 17th-century canal-house and its treasures.

Snacks and drinks will also be available (19.0002.00).

Nederlands Instituut voor Mediakunst Montevideo/Time Based Arts In Natural Habitat artists explore the boundaries between nature, culture and technology. Featuring pre-industrial landscapes, self-organising organisms, a hybrid tree branch, self-illuminating reeds and many more fascinating items. See article on p. 6.(19.00-02.00).

NEMO Test Yourself allows you and your friends to undergo various tests and experiments where you can find out all about your physical and mental state (20.00-00.00).You can also test your culinary courage at Durf jij dit te eten? (19.00-23.00), or submit yourself to more experiments, this time of parapsychologial nature, carried out by Professor Dick Bierman. Once you’re all tested out, relax to some old jazz tunes spun by Rotterdam’s nachtburgemeester Jules Deelder on the roof of the building (23.00-03.00).

De Nieuwe Kerk On 16 December, the new exhibi-

Amsterdam Weekly

STEP BACK INTO THE FUTURE

By Suzanne Schreve On n8, The Ice Bar will have to make way for it’s little mechanical brother, The Cooling Show—and here the only thing that will be cold is the vodka.

Displayed as centrepiece in the historical Theatrum Anatomicum, The Cooling Show is a mechanical vodka bar whose bartender is a vodkamixing robot. The robot, as yet unnamed, is designed by Richard Trevors. ‘I have always been interested in alternative cooling systems. I graduated from the art college St Joost where I majored in mechanical applied art,’ he says.

Trevors was seven years old when he constructed his first working robot, albeit from LEGO. From a young age, he was surrounded with inspiration in a family of engineers and technicians—his father worked for an organisation afilliated to NASA. But the idea for creating a Russian robot bartender was born when Trevors had already graduated and late one night watched a TV documentary on Russian space shuttles.

‘They showed the crew of the Sputnik returning home. When one of Russian astronauts walked out of the Sputnik, the first thing he requested was an icecold vodka. That’s how I associated space with vodka.

I also believe vodka is seen as an adventurous drink.

It suits the idea of exploring the universe.’

The robot started out just as a bartender, serving and mixing drinks. Over time though, he wished to express more of its Russian roots, so Trevors installed a music programme. Now the robot also sings Russian songs. This ‘Singing Face’ is especially

tion Istanbul, de Stad en de Sultan will open its doors, but tonight you get a foretaste at the Ottoman Lounge. Watch out for dancing dervishes, musical vibes from the Turkish metropolis, Constantinopolitan delicacies and a harem—only open to women—offering tea and belly-dancers and secured by Janissaries (19.00-02.00).

Ons’ Lieve Heer op Solder The 17th-century residence not only hosts a church in its attic, but also a selection of the Nederlandse Bank’s contemporary art collection. The Gebroeders Meester will lead a discussion about religion, with the help of statements written on double-sided tape and stuck on the door (19.00-02.00).

De Oude Kerk International exhibition Tales from a Globalising World shows works by 10 photographers depicting the constructive and damaging consequences of globalisation and highlighting the cultural and developmental clefts that exist not only between different parts of the world, but also in nearly every town on the globe. Classical ensemble Elysium will perform the piece ‘The Forest of July’, with accompanying images provided by the artist and film-maker Peter van Loenhout (19.30, 21.30, 23.30).

Persmuseum It’s all Kamagurka at the press museum. Alongside the exhibition Instant Kama showing works by the famous Belgian cartoonist, Kama himself will present his new stand-up show Echt Gebeurd. Expect a hilarious performance packed with absurdist humour, visual debacles and sheer nonsense (20.00-21.00).The comical mood continues at cartoon workshops led by the renowned cartoonists Bas van der Schoot (Algemeen Dagblad) and TRIK (Nieuwe Revu) (21.00 onwards).

Pianola Museum As always, the pianola takes centre stage here, but tonight its history is brought to life through performance. Students of the fortepiano from the Conservatorium will be unleashed on an authentic 1805-built instrument (22.00, 23.00, 00.00, 01.30), while pianist Christiaan Kuyvenhoven performs works by Chopin, entering into a musical contest with the pianola and a hand organ

fond of folk singer Vladi, a national treasure who had a significant influence on an entire genre of music inspiring at least two generations of Russians.

The bar and robot made their debut earlier this year. ‘At one of the first shows we did, I had hardly had any customers, so I ended up drinking most of the vodka myself. I later heard that the robot had made an impression. Someone who had been there that night had said he’d seen a robot not only pour the vodkas, but drink even them too,’ Trevors says.

Nowadays, he doesn’t have to drink the vodka himself anymore, as customers seem more than willing to try out the different flavours available. ‘We serve straight shots and cocktails. The drinks each represent aspects of life. Amongst others, we have ‘The Flying Time,’ which is the straight shot for peo-

(19.30, 20.30). A new composition by Thijs van Otterloo especially written for the pianola will premiere (20.00, 21.30, 22.30), and the finalists of the recent Entrée Chamber Music Concourse will take up the challenge of dueting with the pianola.

De Portugese Synagoge This synagogue from 1675 remains as in its original state, which also means that there’s no electricity. Illumination will be supplied by more than 1,000 candles (19.0002.00), while Santo Servicio give regular live performances (21.00, 22.00, 23.00).

Het Rembrandthuis As the Rembrandt year comes to an end, there are few things left that have yet to be connected with him. Tonight his headquarters reflects on the relationship between art and commerce in current exhibition Rembrandt and Uylenburgh about the painter and his patron. Also on show are the last years’ numerous publications and kitsch items surrounding his life and works (19.00-02.00).

Rijksmuseum On show is part two of Rembrandt:All his Drawings. In ‘Rich and Famous’ conservator Kees Zandvliet talks about his search for the richest of the rich in the Golden Age, along with assistance by Jort Kelder, who has published the Golden Age Quote 250 (19.00-02.00).

Het Scheepvaartmuseum Special tours offer a last chance to see secret chambers and special exhibitions before the building will be wholly restored. For even more action, join the Meezing Bioscoop for some André Hazes karaoke or paint your own version of the museum of the future together with artist Robbert Doelwijt (19.00-02.00).

Stedelijk Museum Bureau Amsterdam The lastever episode of ‘Now or Never’, a weekly performance by actress Anat Stainberg and dancer Norberto Segarra that depicts everyday situations and follows a soap opera mechanism (21.00).

Stedelijk Museum CS Catch current exhibitions Airworld about design in aeronautics, The Vincent 2006 presenting the five nominees for the art

Museumnacht Pull-out 3

ple who want time to fly like an eagle. And, for example, the ‘Time To Be’, is a Bucha cocktail for people who want to live in the future—and keep their dreams on ice.’

The bar has become an all-in-one spacebar that seems to suit all tastes—while you wait for the robot to fix you a ‘Sexy Time’ you can chill out and watch Stanley Kubrick’s 2001: A Space Odyssey on its newly installed video screen.

The Cooling Show, 19.00-02.00, Theatrum Anatomicum, De Waag, Nieuwmarkt 4, 557 9898, www.waag.org

Space is the place and vodka the fuel.

ANNA LEEMAN

2-8 November 2006

award, and Tino Sehgal’s performance-based art (19.00-02.00). In the same building, Artbeat, a guerrilla evening (not part of the official n8, but still very much involved) based around street art and music like grime and hiphop, will take place in BG and 11. See article on pull-out p. 2.

Theatermuseum Going along with the current exhibition about theatre costumes, it’s fashion night here with two handy ladies transforming clothing items that you bring along, as well as a fashion lounge hosting the Night of the Red Dress (19.0002.00).

Tropenmuseum Singing and swinging to tunes from all over the world. An international karaoke session (19.30-21.00), a flamenco workshop (20.15, 21.15, 22.30), a chance for kids to dance in an Indian music video (19.30, 21.45, 00.00) and a performance by Electro Coco, who mix bossa nova, samba and drum ’n’ bass (22.00-01.30) should be sure to get you grooving.

Van Gogh Museum Vincente Minelli’s famous film about Van Gogh, Lust for Life, will be shown throughout the night. Excerpts from Vincent’s letters will be recited by writers Charlotte Mutsaers (19.00, 20.00) and Naima El Bezaz (20.30), there’ll be chansons with Les Bonbons de Babette (20.00, 00.30), songs by Daan Hofman and Tranefanfare (20.45), a theatre performance about the combination of the arts and food (22.00), and a poetry recital/lecture about love by Tjitske Jansen (23.00).

Verzetsmuseum Amsterdam ‘Anders moet kunnen: de Roze n8’has the Resistance Museum go gay.Photo studio ‘In the closet/out of the closet’ gives you the chance to have a portrait made together with your boy or girl by Erwin Olaf (21.00-23.00),In dit teken,a silent movie full of secrets,is being screened (19.0019.30, 20.30-21.00, 22.00-22.30), dancers Franklin and Roy show their spectacular street-style dance show (20.15-20.30, 21.15-21.30, 22.30-22.45, 23.30-23.45), ex-Idols participant Dewi sings Norah Jones and India Arie (21.30-22.00, 23.00-23.30) and DJ Joost van Bellen spins his eclectic mix of

modern rock and rave, throwing in gay classics from Dietrich to Divine (00.00-02.00).

Waag Society Since the media lab celebrates its 10th anniversary this year, it will offer a retrospective and a preview about previous, current and future projects as well as an introductory tour of the building. But the highlight surely is the vodka-mixing robot that will supply booze all night. See article above. (19.00-02.00).

N8 Info For the complete schedule, pick up the official n8 programme or see updates at www.n8.nl. Tickets cost €14.00 in advance, valid in all participating n8 locations until 2 a.m.Tickets can be purchased from the Amsterdams Historisch Museum, Artis, Rijksmuseum, Scheepvaartmuseum, Theatermuseum,Tropenmuseum, Rederij Lovers canal cruise boats,the Amsterdam Uitburo Ticket Shop and VVV offices. On the day of, the Uitburo and the VVV office at Centraal Station will offer tickets for €17.50, though availability will be limited.All ticket-holders get free rides on the special n8 boats and buses connecting all the venues, as well as a discount on the n8 afterparties. And in case you just can’t get enough, a n8 ticket will also get you free (daytime) entrance into one museum, between 5 November and 31 December 2006.

Opening Party Events officially kick off with an audiovisual performance by the artist Eboman in the Amsterdams Historisch Museum. With current exhibition Geef mij maar Amsterdam as backdrop, Eboman will subject everything-from levenslied to rap-to his merciless special sample machine (18.30-19.00).

Afterparties Those still alive and kicking by the end of it all can show off their fancy footwork at one of the afterparties being held at 11, Bitterzoet, Melkweg, Odeon, Panama and Sugar Factory.

4 Museumnacht Pull-out

Amsterdam Weekly

2-8 November 2006

MAGICIAN APPEARS AT ENERGETICA Alakazaam! Poof! Kazzaaak! Another bolt of lighting shoots across the room. Currents whizz about to and fro. And little gizmos light up next to strange electric devices. The audience says ooooh, after several prolonged aaaahs, while a magician walks about the stage, with long robes flowing over little clouds of fog made by a nearby smoke machine.

It’s true, of course, that many people think magicians are dorks—akin to goth kids, but with far too much self-esteem. And whether or not this is accurate, we mustn’t forget: dorks are not only harmless and loveable, but they can be damned entertaining, as well. And who better to lead the main show tonight at Museum EnergeticA? ‘We are a museum of energy,’ says director Cor Wagemakers, ‘so we wanted a performance that combines energy and entertainment.’ They saw experienced illusionist Arnold Scheer, performing under the moniker Celsius, and realised he was the perfect man for the job.

The museum, which houses a beautiful display of old dynamos, motors, electric lifts and unique city lights, is one of the best places to fully recognize the man-made energies that normally encompass our daily lives. But tonight, they take it a step further, as Celsius dons the role of Dr Frankenstein, harnessing both the museum’s electrical powers and his own powers of magic.

MONICA RAGAZZINI

By Mark Wedin

‘He will demonstrate many principals of energy,’ says Wagemakers. ‘There will be lots of music and lights, and in one part he uses a [live] frog. But I can’t tell you more than that. He’s a magician, and he has his secrets.’

Of course, in accordance with the Frankenstein theme, the show will climax with the creation of a new life—in this case, Celsius’ sexy assistant, posing as the monster. And though excitement levels will be high throughout the evening, it’s still safe for those with heart conditions.

A museum of energies. Cosmic energies.

‘Normally we have a lot of electric objects making strobes,’ says Wagemakers, ‘but tonight they will be turned off—for the sake of people with pacemakers.’

EnergeticA, Hoogte Kadijk 400, 4221227, Celsius, 21.45, 11.00, 00.30, www.energetica.nl

2-8 November 2006

Amsterdam Weekly

15 See article on p. 6. Montevideo/Time Based Arts (TuesSat 13.00-18.00), opens Saturday, until 17 December

ART Opening

Transformerhouses: Urban Renewal in the Indische Buurt This exhibition comes as a response to the current urban renewal taking place in the Indische Buurt, presenting research into urban transformations and six projects by artists and architects. 66 East (FriSun 14.00-18.00), opens Saturday, until 16 December

Bob Bronshoff: Mijn Beste Vriend Photographer Bob Bronshoff and journalist René Sommer present their portraits about friendship. Melkweg Galerie (Wed-Sun 13.00-20.00), opens Thursday, until 26 November

ArtOlive Offline #5 A collection of paintings and bronze sculptures by Monica Rotgans in a series titled Toros y Tierras. ArtOlive (Mon-Fri 11.00-17.00, Sun 12.00-17.00), opens Sunday, until 5 January 2007

Afstudeerprojecten Academie van Bouwkunst Students of the Academie van Bouwkunst present their graduation projects. Announced on 3 November are the nominees for the annual ARCHIPRIX, an award presented to the most talented design graduates.

Zuiderkerk (Mon 11.00-16.00, Tues-Fri 09.00-16.00, Sat 12.00-16.00), opens Friday, until 2 December

Museums Bouwjaar ‘86 Marking 20 years of ARCAM, the architecture centre revisits its opening year of 1986, bringing it back to life through videos, photos, models, newspaper articles and city impressions. ARCAM (Tues-Sat 13.00-17.00), closing Saturday

Wouter klein Velderman (Exhibition #3), see: Opening

Alex Kals: Les Quartiers Nord de Marseille Alex Kals: Les Quartiers Nord de Marseille Inspired

by French hiphop music, Alex Kals’ fascination with Marseille’s dangerous northern suburbs resulted in a photographic series about youths living in a hopeless situation, where crime often seems the only way out.

Foam (Sun-Wed 10.00-17.00, Thur, Fri 10.00-21.00), opens Friday, until 14 December

Night Garden This exhibition in the form of a subtechnical indoor garden, links new technology, nature, contemporary art and its consumption. Visitors can expect to be transformed into a cybernetic nocturnal animal, build robots at a garden robot production studio, wander through a digital alter-garden, learn the science of mating calls, experience psycho-chemical garden furniture and eat at a restaurant prototype that serves over 30 sorts of sprouted micro-greens.

Mediamatic (Thur-Sun 18.00-23.00), opens Friday, until 7 January 2007

Eigen Kleur Artists collective Stuwing presents paintings, drawings, photographs, pottery, textiles and installations on the theme of ‘own colour’. Loods 6 (Daily 12.00-18.00), opens Friday, until 12 November

Verkiezingen Preceding this month’s cabinet elections, three photographers present their view on media coverage of election campaigns, the issue of objectivity in political reporting and the role of photography. Fotogram (Mon-Fri 10.00-21.00, Sat 10.00-16.00), opens Friday, until 13 December

Kunstlijn Haarlem Haarlem lays it artistic soul out for all to see in this three-day event filled with exhibitions, lectures, open studios and a bit of partying, too. For the complete programme see www.kunstlijn.org. Various locations, Haarlem (Fri 20.00-23.00, Sat, Sun 11.00-17.00), opens Friday, closing Sunday

DistrictQ #3—Respect the Architect An international exhibition about the interaction of artists with urban space and the elements. Works on show are by South African film-maker Aryan Kaganof, conceptual artist Dimitri Madimin, painter David Moir, installation artist Leonard van Munster, painter Greg Plein and Vernon

Reid. Loods 6 Mon-Sun 12.00-16.00, opens Saturday, until 12 November Exhibition #3 Drawings and mural paintings by Elena Davidovich (Belarus), prints, drawings and live art by Dick Tuinder (US), mural drawings by Jantien Jongsma and floor sculptures by Wouter Klein Velderman.

W139 (Tues-Sun 13.00-19.00), opens Saturday, until 17 December Le Nouveau Siècle Work of contemporary artists inspired by and presented in the stately mansion on Keizersgracht. Museum van Loon (Wed-Mon 11.0017.00), opens Saturday, until 15 January 2007 Mixed Works New works by fine arts painters Lennaart Allan, Peter Dammers and Marjolein van Doorenmaalen, and sculptors Jaap Burger and Mirese Mudde. Kunstkerk (Thur 17.00-20.00, Sat, Sun 14.0019.00), opens Saturday, until 16 November Natural Habitat Artists explore the boundaries between nature, culture and technology. Contributing are Boredom Research, Christa Sommerer, Laurent Mignonneau, Erwin Driessens, Maria Verstappen, Evelina Domnitch and Dmitry Gelfand, among others.

Airworld From airport terminals to stewardess uniforms, eating utensils to branding and logo placement, the exhibition examines the development of almost every conceivable aircraft-related design, from the early days of passenger flights to the present.

Stedelijk Museum CS (Fri-Wed 10.00-18.00), closing Sunday Melik Ohanian: Something in Time The first solo exhibition in the Netherlands of the French-Armenian artist, featuring a comprehensive survey of his films. A world-renowned video artist, Ohanian (1969) intends not to document situations, but rather, create abstractions searching for the human qualities within such situations. De Appel (Tues-Sun 11.00-18.00), closing Sunday Lucy Stein, Anat Stainberg & Norberto Llopsis Segarra Paintings and drawings by Stein, whose work consists of character sketches of women and femininity, other times infused with blatant self-mockery, and still at others, with an all-pervading sense of darkness.

It also marks the commencement of a weekly soap opera-style performance, climaxing on Museum n8, by duo Stainberg and Llopsis Segarra. Although the two exhibitions are separate, they have one thing in common: a fascination with the material. Stedelijk Museum Bureau Amsterdam (Tues-Sun 11.00-17.00), closing Sunday

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Amsterdam Weekly Spirito y Carne Contemporary artworks from the DNBKunstcollectie, offering a modern vision of themes such as spirituality, religion, life and death.

Amstelkring (Mon-Sat 10.00-17.00, Sun 13.00-17.00), closing Sunday Fly Me to the Moon For once not taking itself too seriously, the Rijksmuseum presents one of its oldest and previously unseen items, a moon rock. This allows Rotterdam art duo Liesbeth Bik and Jos van der Pol to pose some unusual questions, such as: will they open a branch of the museum on the moon? Rijksmuseum (Daily 09.00-18.00), until 19 November Janet Cardiff: Forty Part Motet An adaptation of Spem in Alium nunquam habui by the English Renaissance composer Thomas Tallis, this impressive 40 speaker sound sculpture by the acclaimed Canadian artist is fresh from the Museum of Modern Art, New York, and will dazzle your ears and mind wherever you position yourself. CoBrA Museum (Tues-Sun 11.0017.00), until 19 November Hellen van Meene Following up her photographic portrait series of teenagers—most of whom she already knew from her own surroundings—Van Meene spent four years travelling to Japan, England, Germany, Latvia and Russia to find new models for portraits. Huis Marseille (Tues-Sun 11.00-18.00), until 26 November 15 Years: Collection Retrospetive of the museum’s last decade-and-a-half. Jan van der Togt Museum (Thur-Sun 13.00-17.00), Amstelveen, until 26 November Docking Station A new project space for contemporary art which will house a fresh exhibition every five weeks. Californian-born and London-based artist Daria Martin will inaugurate the space with her film installations ‘In the Palace’ and ‘Wintergarden’, paying particular homage to the idealistic avant-garde art and architecture of the 20th century. Stedelijk Museum CS (Fri-Wed 10.00-18.00), until 26 November

2-8 November 2006 Inside Iran An overview of Iranian painter Khosrow Hassanzadeh, whose works focus on political and social developments in his home country, and demonstrate a critical approach towards both Iranian state propaganda and Western prejudices about the Muslim world. Tropenmuseum (Mon-Fri 11.00-17.00, Sat, Sun 13.00-17.00), until 7 January 2007 Spectacular City: Photographing the Future Extraordinary photographs exploring the beauty and strangeness of our urban reality. Nederlands Architectuurinstituut (Tues-Sat 10.00-17.00), Rotterdam, until 7 January 2007 The Vincent 2006 Showcasing works of the five nominees for The Vincent van Gogh Biennial Award for Contemporary Art in Europe. The winner will be announced on 17 November. Stedelijk Museum CS (Fri-Wed 10.00-18.00), until 14 January 2007 Who Can I Trust? An exhibition on the persecution of homosexuals in Germany between 1933-1945 and also in the Netherlands during the Nazi occupation.

Verzetsmuseum (Tues-Fri 10.00-17.00, Sat-Mon 12.0017.00), until 14 January 2007 De helden van het circus The circus seen through the eyes of famous artists. Paintings, drawings and prints by Toulouse-Lautrec, Picasso, Chagall, Klee and more. Teylers Museum Tues-Sat 10.00-17.00, Sun 12.00-17.00, Haarlem, until 14 January 2007 Henry Moore: And the Challenge of Architecture Showcasing the works of one of the most influential sculptors of the 20th century, the exhibition focuses on the relationship between Moore’s sculptures with architecture and urban spaces. Kunsthal (Tues-Sat 10.00-17.00, Sun 11.00-17.00), Rotterdam, until 28 January 2007

Botanical Prints Beautiful watercolour and ink drawings by Anita Walsmit Sachs, a botanical artist at the Nationaal Herbarium of the Universiteit Leiden. Hortus Botanicus (Mon-Fri 09.00-17.00, Sat, Sun 10.0005.00), until 1 December The Earth from Above Outdoor exhibition featuring the famous aerial photography of Yann ArthusBertrand, whose images last stopped off in Amsterdam in 2003. Since, the collection has been renewed with the addition of 90 new photos. Stopera (Daily), until 3 December Voici Magritte Grand exhibition showing paintings, drawings, gouaches and collages by Belgian supersurrealist Magritte, including some of his most important works. Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen (Tues-Sat 10.00-17.00, Sun 11.00-17.00), Rotterdam, until 3 December Koninklijke Prijs The annual arts prize sponsored by the Royal Family is back. This year the four artists whose paintings have made it through to the final are Antione Berghs, Wouter Kalis, Lucy Stein and Anneke Wilbrink. Gemeentemuseum (Tues-Sun 11.00-17.00), Den Haag, until 3 December Rembrandt and Uylenburgh: Dealing in Masterpieces Featuring 20 masterpieces by Rembrandt, this exhibition aims to uncover a little known aspect of his life: collaboration with art dealer Uylenburgh. Rembrandthuis (Mon-Sat 10.00-17.00, Sun 11.00-17.00), until 10 December Rembrandt en de bijbel More Rembrandt: this time all his etches of Biblical scenes and characters. Bijbels Museum (Mon-Sat 10.00-17.00, Sun 11.00-17.00), until 10 December Tino Sehgal A presentation of recent acquisition Instead of allowing some thing to rise up to your face dancing bruce and dan and other things, a live performance piece. Stedelijk Museum CS (Fri-Wed 10.00-18.00), until 10 December Trent Parke Considered one of the most innovative and challenging young urban photographers of his generation, Parke now moves into colour. The exhibition presents an exciting opportunity to see how the Australian artist best known for his black-and-white images responds to a more pigmented view of the world. Foam (Sun-Wed 10.00-17.00, Thur, Fri 10.0021.00), until 10 December The Kate Show Artists from different disciplines show works inspired by supermodel, style icon and muse Kate Moss. Foam (Sun-Wed 10.00-17.00, Thur, Fri 10.00-21.00), until 14 December Rembrandt’s Drawings: The Observer Part two of this study of Rembrandt’s drawings, showing how he viewed the world around him and recorded it in ink and sketches. Rijksmuseum (Daily 09.00-18.00), until 31 December

Picasso: Master of Line Picasso: Master of Line (See Short List) CoBrA Museum (Tues-Sun 11.00-17.00), until 4 February 2007 Collectors in St Petersburg A celebration of the cosmopolitan nature of early 20th-century St Petersburg, when the city was so prosperous that its art scene flourished and expansive collections were born. This exhibition introduces four key collectors from the period, each with their own preference for a particular school, country or period, be it ‘old masters’ or contemporary art from the mid-19th century. Featuring masterpieces by Murillo, Boucher, Rousseau, Delacroix and others. Hermitage Amsterdam (Daily 10.00-17.00), until 11 March 2007 Geef mij maar Amsterdam A melodious tribute to Mokum as AHM ventures into the musical past and present. From classic Amsterdam liedjes that reverberated from pub doorways to the modern beats and urban rhymes born from some of the city’s poorest districts, this is a chance to rehear some sonorant moments and enjoy a singalong, too. Amsterdams Historisch Museum (Mon-Fri 10.00-17.00, Sat, Sun 11.00-17.00), until 18 March 2007

Galleries My Streets, My City Belgian, French and Dutch artists who prefer to express themselves on walls rather than on canvas use urban life as the backdrop to their creations in this exhibition. Tying in with this gallery show are also two specially decorated rooms at the Winston Hotel. Chiellerie (Wed-Sun 14.00-18.00) Italia Spettacolare Thirty illustrative design students studying in Den Bosch present their unique interpretations of Italian culture. Istituto Italiano Mahomi Kunikata A 27-year-old Japanese woman’s postmodern take on manga, of which a quick glance at could appear colourful and innocent. At least until the eyes register what’s really happening and you’re sucked into a strange underworld of masochism, fetishism, sexual violence and depression. Reflex New Art Gallery (Tues-Sat 11.00-18.00), closing Saturday New York in the 1930s-50s The first-ever European exhibition of the work of Walfred Moisio. For nearly three decades, the photographer dedicated his life to observing the ever-changing streets of New York, can-

2-8 November 2006

Amsterdam Weekly

A photo exhibition reflects how the Netherlands is still too down-to-earth for over-the-top campaigning.

THE POLITICS OF PHOTO OPPORTUNITIES

By Marie-Claire Melzer Mark Rutte, lijsttrekker for the VVD, said on the radio last week that he was looking for a wife. Someone like Sophie Hilbrand or Sacha de Boer would do. ’Fat chance,’ said the DJ, snickering, as Rutte is perhaps not the most glamorous man on the planet. Yet Rutte was probably not offended, since he had already reached his goal of having his name broadcast— perhaps the only thing that matters while campaigning.

With the upcoming elections, photo academy and exhibition centre Fotogram

didly capturing the emotions of its people and time in startling black and white images. Gallery Vassie (WedSat 12.00-18.00), closing Saturday Radiant: 30 Years Ra A revisit to the last three decades of the gallery, including works by more than 60 artists. Galerie Ra (Tues-Sat 12.00-18.00), closing Saturday White Bright and Delighting Home New sculptures

by Jan Bokma on display in the house of design. Mart House (Thur-Sat 13.00-18.00), closing Saturday Psychobilly Art Psychobilly and rock ’n’ roll creations from a host of pan-European artists and musicians.

Submissions include paintings, posters, drawings and photos. De Cantine (Daily 12.00-17.00, 18.00-22.00), closing Sunday Jim Collier: Illusions Fifteen oil paintings. Ilusion Galerie (Tues-Fri 13.00-16.00, Sat 10.00-17.00), until 11 November

has organised an exhibition on the subject. They asked three well-known Dutch press photographers to contribute: Bert Verhoeff, Robin Utrecht and Raymond Rutting.

Rutting, who works for De Volkskrant, is the most international of the three, and has covered both Dutch and American elections. His photographs are very colourful and dynamic and often stress the theatrical side of politics. For example, he made a great picture of a lonely demonstrator dressed up as the Statue of Liberty, crossing a New York bridge to go home, while still holding up a

Pretty on the Inside New paintings by Guido Vlottes.

De Praktijk (Tues-Sat 13.00-18.00), until 11 November Waterstof New drawings by Dineke Blom. AdK Actuele Kunst (Wed-Sat 12.30-17.30), until 11 November Loneliness, boredom, misery, disgust, dead as a doornail. Solution: socialize also with farmers and workers. Anthropomorphic plastic sculptures by Theo Schepens. De Praktijk (Tues-Sat 13.00-18.00), until 11 November Martina Klein New paintings. Slewe Gallery (Tues-Sat 14.00-17.00), until 11 November The Kurds of Iraq Photographs by Michiel Hegener.

Ruigoord, until 12 November Attitudes Exploring relations between identity and the creation of imagery, this exhibition features video art from students of the École des Beaux Arts in Casablanca, and the results of the ‘one-minute video’ workshop

sign reading ‘No Bush up in my puss’ as a puzzled policeman looks on. The whole picture breathes a circus-like atmosphere. Are the elections becoming as theatrical here as they are in the States?

According to Rutting: ‘There is still a difference. The Dutch have a more downto-earth approach to the elections.

Yesterday, for example, I had to take pictures of PvdA leader Wouter Bos. First he was standing on a soapbox, doing a speech; next thing he stepped into a racing car. I took photos of both occasions, but I knew the paper would choose the soapbox—and they did. The Dutch audience is too nuchter for politicians in race cars.’

It is striking that Rutting hardly focuses on individual politicians, but rather portrays them in a context, together with bystanders or bodyguards—in other words: as ordinary people. And often these ‘other people’ absorb a lot of space within the frame. ‘I worked for press bureau ANP from 1989 to 2001, and at that time, they were looking for something new so they let me develop my own style,’ says Rutten. ‘Being a press photographer, my job, first of all, was to depict the

17

Ouderendag by Raymond Rutting.

news. But soon I found out that if you take a step back and look at the things that are happening around the big news event, you often get pictures that are much more interesting.’

A recent photo that appeared in De Volkskrant of Prime Minister Balkenende and CDA leader Verhagen, doesn’t reveal whether Rutting has sympathy for them, or not. ‘Yes, though I have my preferences, I do try to stay objective as a photographer. I rather have my subjects speak for themselves. For example, last May, I took a photo of Queen Beatrix and President Bush at Margraten, listening to a speech

by Balkenende. Beatrix didn’t feel at ease and I saw that happening. My photos showed that awkwardness, but you don’t know where it’s coming from. I let the viewer interpret that for himself.’

Verkiezingen, until 13 December, Fotogram (Mon-Fri 10.00-21.00 Sat 10.00-16.00), Korte Prinsengracht 33, 530 9250, www.fotogram.nl

that took place during the Festival International d’Art Video. De Veemvloer (Wed-Sat 13.00-18.00, Sun 14.00-17.00), until 12 November

Japan Presentation of works by seven Japanese artists. De Witte Voet (Wed-Sat 12.00-17.00), until 15 November

Etiquette, Erasmus & Europa A study of etiquette and Western European social manners via texts by Erasmus and other books of humanitarian traditions.

Artist Stefan Yordanov illustrates a number of these etiquette rules via a contrast of decent, upstanding members of the community and deviant figures and freaks. Arti et Amicitiae (Tues-Sun 13.00-18.00), until 12 November

Ik Geloof in de Bijlmer A multicultural exhibition that’s about the real believers and practitioners that bring religion to life. Imagine Identity and Culture (Tues, Wed, Fri, Sat 11.00-17.00, Thur 11.00-21.00), until 18 November

InTransit Five artists transform the exhibition space into a stopover place, highlighting how nowadays the destination is typically more important than the journey. Arti et Amicitiae (Tues-Sun 13.00-18.00), until 12 November Kubakleden uit Congo Pieces from the AfrikaTextiel collection. Lloyd Hotel (Daily), until 13 November

Iris Kensmil: The Great March Recent paintings.

Galerie Ferdinand van Dieten-d’Eendt (Thur-Sat 11.0018.00), until 18 November Judith Rosema & Ingrid Simons: Silent Witness Playful paintings by Rosema and dark, busy drawings

by Simons. AYAC’S (Fri, Sat 13.00-17.30), until 18 November Jaap van den Ende New paintings. Akinci (Tues-Sat 13.00-18.00), until 18 November

Amsterdam Weekly

2-8 November 2006

LEKKER BEZIG have Cinema Solubile, Fed- F E D E R I C O B O N E L L I participants erico Bonelli’s brain- Cinema Solubile: making and then destroying. used recycled footage, mobile phones, carchild, is pure improvitoons or created sation.

‘It’s very software for real time anti-artistic as an footage to meet the idea, but it’s also antisharp deadline. ‘The passive,’ says Bonelli, results are always a former academic very beautiful.’ philosopher—obviousAdditionally, the ly Italian—and now, a game is infused with multimedia maven. numbers that Bonelli ‘The idea is to prochose purposefully, like voke something new, beginning on the 10th not make film in a of the month, at 10:11 Hollywood-type way.’ p.m., and running a Bonelli’s concept is full 23 hours. ‘I studied simple. With an emsacred geometry and phasis on the ‘solubile’ Jungian interpreta(Italian for something ‘I think it helps switch tions of mathematics,’ that dissolves quickly your brain onto different he says, explaining or instantly, like Nesbrain waves.’ how 11 is the Futurist café). Cinema Solubile number for excellence, is a game in which 11 and 23 the number of artists are invited to conspiracy or the Illuminati, but which make a no-budget film in just 23 hours. also represents serendipity. ‘I think it The ultimate crux? Once shown, the film helps switch your brain onto different must be destroyed. ‘Because you only see it brain waves,’ he says. once, the focus goes back to the artist as a But the project’s brilliance, according person, not the artist as a catalogue item to Bonelli, lies in the film’s final destrucor a subsidy proposal. It’s a small tribute tion. ‘It’s more about art as a work or a to Futurism,’ he says. situation than as an object of mass proThe Futurists Bonelli is referring to duction. It really shows the genius of the are the Italian Futurists, the international ordinary man expressing himself out of art movement founded in 1909, and the box,’ he says. These kinds of values— whose adherents loved speed, noise, improvisation, freedom, elasticity and machines, pollution and cities. Much like tenacity—are what Bonelli feels the Italthe French Situationists that succeeded ian Futurists were trying to promote. And them who were social anarchists devoted it’s what he’s also trying to introduce to the to direct participation, the Futurists were city. ‘In Amsterdam, you could masturalso interested in stimulating unprebate on stage and the audience will still go dictable, original action—Bonelli’s goal out at intermission with a coffee and say with Cinema Solubile.

“I saw that already.” At least this creates a ‘Making a film in twenty-three hours strange situation and something they pushes you to trust yourself as a maker haven’t experienced before.’ and trust your genius. It also pushes you to be inventive with your techwww.cinemasolubile.net niques,’ he says, noting that past

By Dara Colwell MONICA RAGAZZINI

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Lon Godin Videos and paintings. Reuten Galerie (Wed-Sat 13.00-18.00), until 18 November

are ready for the public. Horse Move Project (Fri-Sun 14.00-20.00), until 19 November

Last Lives in the Universe Inspired by the remarkable Thai movie Last Life in the Universe from 2003, the contemporary artists featured in this exhibition are all talking about huge, overarching ideas, global politics and power games, but from a very intimate perspective. Participants include François Bucher, Rosa Barba, Claire Harvey, Sung Hwan Kim, Katya Sander and Nicholas Spratt.

SMART Project Space (Wed-Sat 12.00-18.00), until 18 November Lukasz Skapski: Machines Using 150 pictures and filmed interviews, Krakow-based artist Lukasz Skapski documents Polish farmers and the bizarre tractors they have constructed for themselves by using parts of different vehicles. Galerie Fons Welters (Tues-Sat 13.00-18.00), until 18 November Get Going! An exhibition of drawings by Roland Sohier. During most opening hours, the artist will also be working on a site-specific mural. Artspace Witzenhausen (Thur-Sat 12.00-18.00), until 18 November Blikopener Multidisciplinary ‘limit-streching’ works by selected Dutch artists, including the photography of Wouter van Buuren, who climbs high-voltage electricity polls around Amsterdam and Rotterdam to take shots of the landscape, then combines the individual photos into large image. Arts-Place Fri-Sun, 12.0017.00, until 19 November Pass the Word—Pass the Drawing There’s never been a single corner of the still fairly new Horse Move Project that could be described as stuffy. In their latest exhibition, the project people have invited everyone to take part by sending in drawings of self-selected themes. Submissions are now closed and the results

As Hard As it Can Get As Hard As it Can Get Spanish artist Carlos Aires presents a series of photos representing a reality that only exists on screens or in images. De Brakke Grond (Mon 10.00-18.00, Tues-Fri 10.00-20.30, Sat 13.00-20.30, Sun 13.00-17.00), until 19 November Group Show Despite the title, this is really a solo exhibition showcasing old and new works from Amsterdam Weekly contributor Willum Geerts. Expect installations, paintings, photography and other creative outlets. Nieuwe Vide (Thur-Sun 14.00-17.00), Haarlem, until 19 November Regarding Facts Showing works by John M Armleder, Nicolas Chardon, Marijke van Warmerdam, Kristjan

Amsterdam Weekly

2-8 November 2006 Gudmundsson, JCJ van der Heyden, Laboratorio Saccardi, Olivier Mosset and Myne Soe-Pedersen. Galerie van Gelder (Tues-Sat 13.00-17.30), until 22 November

ADDRESSES

Unknown Borders New paintings by Johan de Jonge. Galerie Smits (Wed-Sat 13.30-17.30), until 22 November

Marlene Dumas: Man Kind A series of new paintings and drawings, with portraits of men and a skull.

Galerie Paul Andriesse (Wed-Sun 13.00-17.00), until 25 November Nik Christensen Recent works by the Brooklyn/Amsterdam-based artist. The central theme of his life-size drawings is the human struggle against the forces of nature. Galerie Gabriel Rolt (Wed-Sat 12.00-18.00), until 25 November falkeandcharlotte A collaborative project being launched by Falke Pisano and Charlotte Moth (UK) to unite international artists to present individual works and share what they love most. Opening the series are pieces by Benoît Maire and Clunie Read. Ellen de Bruijne Projects/Dolores (Tues-Sat 13.00-18.00), until 25 November Laura Medler: Continuum Experimental photography from the English artist, using analogue technology in creative ways to visually transform the mundane into a new entity. OUTLINE (Thur-Sat 13.0017.00), until 25 November Julia Münstermann: Walking on Air New paintings by the German artist, whose pictures of cityscapes by night often appear strange and unreal. Aschenbach & Hofland Galleries (Wed-Sat 12.00-17.00), until 26 November Claudia Hek Posters, paintings, rock ’n’ roll visions, realistic portraiture and low-brow themes that appeal to garage bands the world over. Cut the Crap (Tues, Wed, Fri, Sat 11.00-19.00, Thur 11.00-21.00), until 28 November

Ode aan Hella S Haasse

WWW.DEVERDIEPINGVANNEDERLAND.NL

Paolo Consorti: Inside the Secret Things Colourful and almost psychedelic contemporary visions from the Italian artist, who takes direct inspiration from the late-medieval paintings by Brueghel and Dante’s Divine Comedy. Studio Apart (Wed 10.00-18.00, Thur 10.00-21.00, Fri 10.00-18.00, Sat 12.00-17.00), until 23 November

EVENTS Thursday 2 November Performance: Talentblender Anything can happen at the monthly Talentblender parties. Signed up to play are English three-piece punk-pop band Girls Girls Girls, while house band Laura & Her Darlings are also on hand. Keep an open mind for some unexpected delights. Sugar Factory, 22.00, €7

Friday 3 November

Finger Licking Good Abstract paintings and objects

by Victor Lerhard, who claims to be Amsterdam’s only working artist using only fingers, no brushes—outside of the kindergarten anyway. Artiplus Gallery (Mon-Fri 09.00-17.30, Sat 10.00-17.00), until 2 December

Discussion: Hongarije 1956-2006: 50 jaar herdenking Hongaarse opstand Marking 50 years since the Hungarian Revolution, tonight’s discussion serves to remind that freedom is something that shouldn’t be taken for granted. In Dutch. Felix Meritis, 19.45, free

With the First Totters Oil paintings by Victor Man. Annet Gelink Gallery (Tues-Fri 10.00-18.00, Sat 13.0018.00), until 9 December

Party: The Kennedy Girls Halloween Party With the RobotRock DJs blasting out anything from pop to electro to rock, Robin S, Mad Max, 8-mm films by Hado, tarot card reading, food, drinks and more drink. But don’t forget a costume. De Nieuwe Anita, 20.00, €6

Victor Man: With the First Totters Ambiguous abstract paintings from the young Romanian artist.

Annet Gelink Gallery (Tues-Fri 10.00-18.00, Sat 13.0018.00), until 9 December Oud-West vanuit de lucht Aerial photography of Amsterdam Oud-West by Mirande Phernambucq. The images are displayed in windows around Bellamyplein, remaining lit daily until midnight. Bellamyplein (Daily), until 12 December Can’t Join Us A photographic portrayal of the dreamworld of two Majorettes. Witte de Withstraat 89 (Wed 13.00-17.00), until 13 December Militant Bourgeois: An Existentialist Retreat Following his experiments last June, Chris Evans is back to present the second part of his Militant Bourgeois concept, this time on a patch of land in the middle of a dual-carriageway road. The aim? To question whether subsidised art can be worthwhile.

See www.smba.nl. Transformatorweg, until 15 December Le Dernier Cri Exclusive silkscreen prints from Pakito Bolino, Ota Keita, Reinhard Schneibner, Fredox, Stumead and around 40 other graphic designers associated with the Marseille group. Het Illuseum (Sat, Sun 15.00-20.00), until 21 December Raw Footage/Scapegoats A solo exhibition by Groningse multimedia artist Aernout Mik, this two-part video installation focuses on the experience and depiction of war, showing how normality and extremity become interwoven in wartime situations. bak (Wed-Sat 12.00-17.00, Sun 13.00-17.00), Utrecht, until 24 December Ed Dukkers, Jef Gysen Abstract paintings and drawings by Dukkers (1923-1996) and oil paintings and images by Gysen. Galerie Jos Art (Tues-Sun 11.0017.30), until 24 December Natuurlijke Chemie Outdoor exhibition showcasing the natural techniques used by Leentje van Hengel on textiles and clothing. A total of 28 cases will display her work along the route between De Waag and Nieuwe Hoogstraat. Sint Antoniesbreestraat (Daily), until 3 January 2007

Saturday 4 November Dining/Party: Chocolate Club Toxicity-free dining and partying that’s all about raw food, cocktails and the only vice in the venue: chocolate. A chilled party follows from 20.00 onwards. For reservations see www.chocolateclub.nl. Westerstraat 34, 17.00, €5 Poetry: Geletterde Mensen. Antje Krog & Tom Lanoye (See Short List) De Brakke Grond, 20.30, €12.50

Monday 6 November Discussion: Women Inc Weekly discussion programme dealing in issues facing modern women.

Tonight’s programme is entitled: ‘Je eigen brood verdienen: hoofdzaak of bijzaak?’ In Dutch. Pakhuis de Zwijger, 20.00, free Debate: Global Warming, Wie is er Schuldig? So who’s responsible for global warming? Tonight’s events kick off with a screening of the documentary Atlantis Approaching by Elizabeth Pollock. Afterwards, sparks should fly as members of parliament, green campaigners and the public attempt to get to the crux of the matter. In Dutch. De Balie, 20.00, €6 Art/Music/Performance: Accidental Monday An art party with live music and real people. Broadcaster Jaap Boots is back onstage with his Hank Williamsstyle rock band De Natte Honden, Amigos Electricos do their dance-friendly electro rock, there’s photography by Hanneke Kuijpers and much more Monday mirth. Sugar Factory, 21.00, €5

Wednesday 8 November Literature: Ode aan Hella S Haasse Lectures and discussions about Dutch writer Hella S Haasse, who will be present this evening, so let’s hope the banter is friendly. De Balie, 20.00, €9

66 East Sumatrastraat 66, 06 4475 4773 ACU Voorstraat 71, Utrecht, 030 231 4590 AdK Actuele Kunst Prinsengracht 534, 320 9242 Akhnaton Nieuwezijds Kolk 25, 624 3396 Akinci Lijnbaansgracht 317, 638 0480 Amstelkring Oudezijds Voorburgwal 40, 624 6604 Amsterdams Historisch Museum Kalverstraat 92, 523 1822 Annet Gelink Gallery Laurierstraat 187-189, 330 2066 De Appel Nieuwe Spiegelstraat 10, 625 5651 April Reguliersdwarsstraat 37, 625 9572 ARCAM Prins Hendrikkade 600, 620 4878 Arti et Amicitiae Rokin 112, 624 5134 Artiplus Gallery Sarphatistraat 730 ArtOlive Polonceaukade 17, 675 8504 Arts-Place Wibautstraat 125, 06 2420 9192 Artspace Witzenhausen Hazenstraat 60, 644 9898 Aschenbach & Hofland Galleries Bilderdijkstraat 165C, 412 1772 AYAC’S Keizersgracht 166, 638 5240 bak Lange Nieuwstraat 4, Utrecht, 030 231 6125 De Balie Kleine-Gartmanplantsoen 10, 553 5151 Bijbels Museum Herengracht 366-368, 624 2436 Bimhuis Piet Heinkade 3, 788 2150 Bitterzoet Spuistraat 2, 521 3001 De Brakke Grond Nes 45, 626 6866 Café Pakhuis Wilhelmina Veemkade 576, 419 3368 Café Sappho Vijzelstraat 103, 423 1509 De Cantine Rietlandpark 373, 419 4433 Chiellerie Raamgracht 58, 320 9448 Club NL Nieuwezijds Voorburgwal 169, 622 7510 CoBrA Museum Sandbergplein 1-3, Amstelveen, 547 5050 Concertgebouw Concertgebouwplein 2-6, 671 8345 Consortium Veemkade 570, 06 2611 8950 Crea Muziekzaal Turfdraagsterpad 17, 525 1400 Cut the Crap Haarlemmerplein 9 De Snijzaal Hoefijzerstraat 10, Utrecht Ellen de Bruijne Projects/Dolores Rozengracht 207A, 530 4994 Exit Reguliersdwarsstraat 42, 625 8788 Felix Meritis Keizersgracht 324, 626 2321 Foam Keizersgracht 609, 551 6546 Fotogram Korte Prinsengracht 33, 624 9994 Ferdinand van Dieten-d’Eendt Spuistraat 270, 626 5777 Galerie Fons Welters Bloemstraat 140, 423 3046 Galerie Gabriel Rolt Elandsgracht 34, 785 5146 Galerie Jos Art KSNM-laan 291, 418 7003 Galerie Paul Andriesse Prinsengracht 116, 623 6237 Galerie Ra Vijzelstraat 80, 626 5100 Galerie Smits Fokke Simonszstraat 29, 06 43001833 Galerie van Gelder Planciusstraat 9A, 627 7419 Gallery Vassie 1e Tuindwarsstraat 16, 489 4042 Gemeentemuseum Stadhouderslaan 41, Den Haag, 070 338 1111 Getto Warmoesstraat 51 Hermitage Amsterdam Nieuwe Herengracht 14, 530 8751 Horse Move Project Oosterdokskade 5 Post CS Hortus Botanicus Plantage Middenlaan 2A, 625 9021 Hotel Arena ‘s-Gravesandestraat 51, 850 2400 Huis Marseille Keizersgracht 401, 531 8989 Het Illuseum Witte de Withstraat 120, 770 5581 Ilusion Galerie 2e Goudsbloemdwarsstraat 18, 320 4321 Imagine Identity and Culture Bijlmerplein 1006-1008, 489 4866 Istituto Italiano Keizersgracht 564, 626 5314

19 Jan van der Togt Museum Dorpsstraat 50, Amstelveen, 641 5754 Kunsthal Museumpark, Westzeedijk 341, Rotterdam, 010 440 0301 Kunstkerk Prinseneiland 89 Lloyd Hotel Oostelijke Handelskade 34, 419 1840 Loods 6 KNSM Laan 143, 418 2020 Mart House Prinsengracht 529, 627 5187 Mediamatic Post CS, Oosterdokskade 5, 638 9901 Melkweg Lijnbaansgracht 234A, 531 8181 Melkweg Galerie Marnixstraat 409, 531 8181 Mendo Berenstraat 11, 612 1216 Montevideo/Time Based Arts Keizersgracht 264, 623 7101 Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen Museumpark 18-20, Rotterdam, 010 441 9400 Museum van Loon Keizersgracht 672, 624 5255 Muziekgebouw Piet Heinkade 1, 788 2010 Het Muziektheater Amstel 3, 625 5455 Nederlands Architectuurinstituut Museumpark 25, Rotterdam, 010 440 1200 De Nieuwe Anita Frederik Hendrikstraat 111 Nieuwe Vide Minckelersweg 6, Haarlem OCCII Amstelveenseweg 134, 671 7778 Ocean Diva Piet Heinkade 27 OT301 Overtoom 301, 779 4913 OUTLINE Oetewalerstraat 73, 693 1389 P60 Stadsplein 100A, Amstelveen, 023 345 3445 Pacific Parc Polonceaukade 23, 488 7778 Pakhuis de Zwijger Piet Heinkade 179-181 Panama Oostelijke Handelskade 4, 311 8680 Paradiso Weteringschans 6-8, 626 4521 Pathé De Munt Vijzelstraat 15, 0900 1458 Patronaat Zijlsingel 2, Haarlem, 023 517 5858 The Powerzone Spaklerweg, 681 8866 De Praktijk Lauriergracht 96, 422 1727 Reflex New Art Gallery Weteringschans 79A, 423 5423 Rembrandthuis Jodenbreestraat 4, 520 0400 Reuten Galerie Fokke Simonszstraat 49, 620 7537 Rijksmuseum Jan Luykenstraat 1, 674 7000 Het Rozentheater Rozengracht 117, 620 7953 Ruigoord Ruigoord 15, 497 5702 Slewe Gallery Kerkstraat 105A, 625 7214 SMART Project Space Arie Biemondstraat 107-113, 427 5953 Soho Reguliersdwarsstraat 36 Stadsschouwburg Leidseplein 26, 624 2311 Stadsschouwburg Amstelveen Stadsplein 100, Amstelveen, 020 547 5175 Stedelijk Museum Bureau Amsterdam Rozenstraat 59, 422 0471 Stedelijk Museum CS Oosterdokskade 5, 573 2911 Stopera Waterlooplein 22, 551 8117 Studio 80 Rembrandtplein 70, 521 8333 Studio Apart Prinsengracht 715, 422 2748 Sugar Factory Lijnbaansgracht 238, 627 0008 Teylers Museum Spaarne 16, Haarlem, 023 516 0960 Theater Bellevue Leidsekade 90, 530 5301 Tropenmuseum Linnaeusstraat 2, 568 8200 Under the Grand Chapiteau Next to ArenA, 621 1288 De Veemvloer Van Diemenstraat 410, 638 6894 Verzetsmuseum Plantage Kerklaan 61, 620 2535 Volta Houtmankade 334-336, 628 6429 W139 Oosterdokskade 5, sixth floor, 622 9434 Westerstraat 34, 627 9355 Winston Kingdom Warmoesstraat 129, 623 1380 De Witte Voet Kerkstraat 135 Zaal 100 De Wittenstraat 100, 688 0127 Zuiderkerk Zuiderkerkhof 72

Amsterdam Weekly

20

Babel

FILM

Edited by Julie Phillips.This week’s films reviewed

by Lisa Alspector (LA),Meredith Brody (MB), Shyama Daryanani (SD),Angela Dress (AD), Joanne van den Eijnden (JvdE),Laura Groeneveld (LG),Andrea Gronvall (AG),John Hartnett (JH),Luuk van Huët (LvH),JR Jones (JJ),Anne Jongeling (AJ),Dave Kehr (DK),Steven McCarron (SM),Marie-Claire Melzer (MM),Mike Peek (MP),Julie Phillips (JP),Jonathan Rosenbaum (JR) and Bregtje Schudel (BS). All films are screened in English with Dutch subtitles unless otherwise noted. Amsterdam Weekly recommends.

Festivals Cinéma Arabe See Short List. De Balie, Meervaart, De Uitkijk Dejima Japanese Film Festival See article on p. 22.

Het Ketelhuis Joods Film Festival See Short List. De Uitkijk

Borat

Borat Borat, the third-best reporter in Kazakhstan, is send on a noble mission to America, where he must learn some important lessons from this prosperous, advanced country. Yet Borat’s bluntness and political incorrectness soon reveal a nation that isn’t all that enlightened. It’s hard to know what exactly to make of Borat, another imaginative alter ego of Sacha Baron Cohen, who also created white rapper Ali G. Some may find his insolent behaviour towards his ignorant victims shocking; others will find it hilarious. Either way, you’ll leave the theatre utterly exhausted. (BS) 84 min. Pathé ArenA, Pathé City, Pathé De Munt Eden Another food-fixes-all movie. This tale of friendship and intimacy centres on the relationship between Eden (Charlotte Roche), an unhappily married waitress, and Gregor (Josef Ostendorf), an ugly chef whose sensuality gets poured into his cuisine. They develop a friendship that makes everything, including Eden’s marriage, work better. But in German director Michael Hofmann’s film, no one can understand the platonic passion of the two foodies—least of all Eden’s jealous husband. In German with Dutch subtitles. 98 min. Cinecenter, The Movies, Pathé Tuschinski His Big White Self See review on p. 23. Het Ketelhuis, Kriterion

Still playing 13 (Tzameti) Don’t stick your nose into someone

New this week Babel In a North African desert, two bored boys herding goats decide to try out their gun. The shot causes a chain reaction that changes the lives of an American couple (Brad Pitt and Cate Blanchett), a rebellious, deaf teenage girl in Japan, and a Mexican au pair caring for two American children. According to director Alejandro González Iñárritu, this is the third film in a trilogy that began with 21 Grams and Amores Perros. It’s all about relationships, love in the midst of adversity and—as you can tell from the title—communication. Subtitled in Dutch. 142 min. Cinecenter, The Movies, Pathé ArenA, Pathé De Munt, Pathé Tuschinski

2-8 November 2006

else’s business may be the moral of his noirish blackand-white thriller by director Géla Babluani. In this accomplished and tense debut film, an impoverished immigrant (George Babluani) stumbles upon a route to riches when he overhears his employer discussing a get-rich-quick scheme and acts to intercept. Only he doesn’t know the full story, instead following a series of step-by-step instructions that sends him travelling across country with strangers closely on his tail. The set-up is lengthy but carefully calculated, making the macabre plot twists all the more enjoyable. In French with Dutch subtitles. 93 min. Filmmuseum

A Good Woman Director Mike Barker’s adaptation of the Oscar Wilde play Lady Windermere’s Fan. Transposed to 1930s Italy, the two lead women are now Americans (Helen Hunt and Scarlett Johansson).

Wilde’s original downbeat comedy has been transformed into a serious drama, with the mature Mrs Erlynne (Hunt), a broke New York social vulture, traveling to Europe to find herself a new man while squeezing cash out of young newlyweds, resulting in dark trails of seduction and scandal. (SM) 93 min.

Pathé Tuschinski Les Amants réguliers A three-hour homage to the 1968 student demonstrations in Paris: the late-night philosophical discussions, the tentative explorations of free love, the drugs, the romantic tossing of Molotov cocktails from the barricades. In Philippe Garrel’s autobiographical film, the young poet and draft refuser François (played by Louis Garrel, the director’s son) discovers love, grief and other opiates. Slow, atmospheric and romantic, Les amants réguliers is Garrel’s ‘I was there’ answer to Bertolucci’s slicker, more prettified The Dreamers. 178 min. Filmmuseum An Inconvenient Truth This souped-up slide show by former VP and presidential candidate Al Gore is brought to you in full Lecture-Vision, as the man bashes you over the head with statistics, pictures, scientific facts and cute computer-animated polar bears to make you understand the importance of his mission.

Gore is out to save the world from global warming and Uncle Al needs you! If you’re already in the know, it might be a sermon to the converted, but that doesn’t detract from the importance of this documentary and how it inspires people—maybe even you—to make a difference. (LvH) 100 min. Kriterion, The Movies, Pathé ArenA, Pathé De Munt Buddha’s Lost Children A feature-length documentary film about a Thai Buddhist monk who—armed only with his faith and boxing skills—wages an inspirational battle to help orphaned children, fight drug abuse and preserve a vanishing way of life. Followed

over the course of a year by Dutch director Mark Verkerk, Abt Phra Khru Bah transforms the lives of the children he encounters through a mixture of compassion and tough love. In Thai with Dutch subtitles. 96 min. Cinema Amstelveen, Kriterion C.R.A.Z.Y. A story of two love affairs: a father’s love for his five sons, and one son’s love for his father—a love so strong it compels him to live a lie and hide from his true self. In Jean-Marc Vallée’s gay fairy tale set in Quebec (where last year the movie was a huge success) that son is Zac Beaulieu, who knows he’s different from his brothers, but is desperate to fit in. The film follows him through his first 20 years, ultimately leading him to accept his true nature and, more importantly, find his father’s genuine love. In French with Dutch subtitles. 127 min. Melkweg Cinema

C.R.A.Z.Y. The Cave of the Yellow Dog In this follow-up to Byambasuren Davaa’s spellbinding international hit The Story of the Weeping Camel, the Mongolian film-maker sticks to the kind of down-to-earth docudrama she does best. Once again exploring the nomadic aspects of Mongolian life through a real family, she documents their everyday existence in a quiet, monotonous world. The film is brought to life by the family’s six-year-old daughter when she finds a dog. In Mongolian with Dutch subtitles. (SM) 95 min. Rialto Cidade baixa Brazilian Sérgio Machado won the 2005 Cannes youth prize for this torrid love story set on the Bahian coast. A cargo pilot and his best pal share a boat and the favours of a prostitute who bums a ride to Salvador. Jealousy and conflict brew as the hooker turns stripper, the pilot takes up boxing and the buddy robs drugstores. During months of rehearsal, the well-toned actors were coached in kundalini to free them physically. The onscreen results have an unsettling intensity that is bolstered by cinematographer Toca Seabra’s handheld camera, gritty close-ups and colour-saturated palette. In Portuguese with Dutch subtitles. (AG) 98 min. Rialto Clerks II A return to his roots proves a return to form for indie darling Kevin Smith, as he revisits the cantankerous clerks of his breakthrough film. Dante and Randall may have grown older, but they’re certainlynone the wiser concerning womenfolk, work and spiritual enlightenment, with riotous bouts of laughter as the result. Only Smith could have the audacity to stage the big romantic scene during a bout of interspecies erotica, while newbie Becky (Rosario Dawson) seems right at home in the View Askewniverse. (LvH) Click If you enjoy senseless, offensive, morally repellent, puerile shite that reeks of high school locker room, waste two hours of your life watching this latest Adam ‘professional fuckwit’ Sandler vehicle. Workaholic Michael Newman (Sandler) acquires a universal remote control, which—wow—controls his universe, enabling him to fast forward through the pesky parts of his life. You know, dinner with family, sex with the wife, the wait for promotion. Stuffed to the gills with ’80s actors—Henry Winkler, Julie Kavner, David Hasselhoff —Click purportedly seeks to bring home the universal truth that ‘family comes first’. You’ll deserve a medal for sitting through this rebarbative piece of cinema without hurting yourself.

(AD) 108 min. Pathé ArenA, Pathé De Munt Dam Street Director Li Yu is not afraid to take on sensitive subjects. Her first film, Fish and Elephant (2001), was a lesbian love story. Her second, Dam Street, is about the fate of China’s unwed mothers and unwanted children. When the teenager Yun gets pregnant, she can forget her future as an opera singer. Scorned by friends and family, she becomes a singer in a thirdrate provincial band. Her only close contact is with a little boy who lives across the river. In Mandarin with Dutch subtitles. 93 min. Rialto

Five-Word Movie Review

DO KAZAKHS REALLY WEAR THOSE? Borat Pathé Arena, Pathé City, Pathé De Munt

The Devil Wears Prada Lauren Weisberger’s bestselling novel about a young woman losing her soul at a New York fashion magazine has been turned into an agreeably shallow comedy by director David Frankel, a veteran of HBO’s equally status-driven Entourage and Sex and the City. Meryl Streep walks away with the movie as the harshly unforgiving editor of a Vogue-like glossy; Anne Hathaway (The Princess Diaries) makes a lovely mannequin as her downtrodden new assistant, who trades her journalistic ideals for an endless series of smashing outfits. I didn’t believe the moralism of the story arc for a second, but obviously some sort of hanger was required. (JJ) 109 min. Pathé ArenA, Pathé City, Pathé De Munt, Pathé Tuschinski Diep Heleen (Melody Klaver) is 14, old enough to be morose and sulky but too young to adopt a pose. It’s the late ’70s; her parents have divorced; her mother (Monic Hendrickx) is having an embarrassingly noisy affair. She wants to rebel, but there’s no one there to rebel against. Even sex, that time-honoured way for a girl to get out of the house, loses its allure after her mother says it’s as basic as eating a sandwich. Director Simone van Dusseldorp keeps the camera close to Heleen’s skin, as if she wanted us to feel as trapped in it as she does. Films about a girl’s coming of age hardly ever seem true to life; this is a rare, exhilarating exception. In Dutch. (JP) 90 min. Filmhuis Griffioen Don An updated version of the 1978 Bollywood action classic. The Don is a drug dealer who is imprisoned by his archenemy, Deputy Commissioner DeSilva. DeSilva has a plan to take down the Don’s whole organisation; the beautiful Roma has a plan to get revenge; Vijay, the mole who has taken the Don’s place, is caught in the middle. Directed by Farhan Akhtar, this modern and stylish remake of shows progress in the world of Indian cinema. The fight scenes are believable, slow motion and split screen enhance the action, and quirks in the plot keep the audience guessing. Though nobody can compare to the original Don (Amitabh Bachchan), Shah Rukh Khan gives the role a sleek update. For the fans of the original version, there is a surprise twist at the end of the movie. In Hindi with Dutch subtitles. (SD) Pathé ArenA L’ Enfant endormi Zeinab (Mounia Osfour) lives in an isolated hamlet in northern Morocco. Like most of the women in her village, she is waiting for the return of her husband, an illegal immigrant working in Europe.

The wait is shared by her unborn child, which she by traditional magic allows to ‘sleep’ until her man returns. The sleeping child symbolises the postponement of her own dreams in Belgian-Moroccan director Yasmine Kassari’s acclaimed 2004 debut. In French, Berber and Arabic with Dutch subtitles. 94 min. Rialto Forever Heddy Honigmann’s latest film documents the life of the Parisian cemetery Père-Lachaise. But the filmmaker can’t seem to make up her mind whether to make a film about Proust (one of the cemetery’s residents), a statement on art versus mortality, or a portrait of the living visitors. Her quiet style of filming, using long shots and a static camera to allow the action to unfold, has worked well for her in the past, when you felt she had a connection with the people she filmed. But in Forever, none of these approaches brings the talented Honigmann onto familiar ground.

In French with Dutch or English subtitles. (MM) 95 min. Het Ketelhuis, Kriterion, Rialto

Amsterdam Weekly

2-8 November 2006

Special screenings 06/05 There’s been hype enough surrounding

Theo van Gogh’s last film and legacy, but is the film worth seeing? It sure is: there are goodies here for everyone. Conspiracy-theory fans can rejoice at the thought of the AIVD’s active negligence in preventing Pim Fortuyn’s death. Old-school leftists can chasten themselves with the painful memories that will surface at the old news footage—politicians and the media clearly had no clue how to react to Fortuyn. Redeem yourself by listening to the social critique hidden in the dialogue. And laugh at American Joint Strike Force advocates trying to pinpoint the next LPF leader. The mix of old TV footage and fiction makes 06/05 a surreal experience. It’s an indepth close-up of Dutch society, and we’re definitely not in Kansas anymore. In Dutch. (JvdE) 120 min.

Het Ketelhuis

21 Grams 21 Grams is a movie about mortality

and fate, and what happens when death decides to lay its ugly paw on people’s lives. Christina Peck (Naomi Watts) loses her children and husband in a car accident. Paul Rivers (Sean Penn) is sick and facing death. Jack Jordan (Benicio Del Toro), who caused the car accident, would rather be dead.

Obviously, 21 Grams is no carefree walk through the park: there’s little hope of the characters finding salvation. Director Alejandro González Iñárritu (Amores Perros) does an impressive job of keeping every door to false hope closed. Those with no fear of death are more likely to understand this film’s deeper meaning. When one is thrown into the core of life, a life stripped of escapism, one ends up with only the challenge of fate. Then one deals with it—or doesn’t. (AJ) The Movies Babette’s Feast A French Catholic servant, in 19th-century Denmark, prepares a sumptuous meal for her stern Lutheran employers. As they open up to this sensual experience they begin to comprehend her past, while she, for one last evening, relives it. One of the great foodie movies.

In Danish/Swedish/ French with Dutch subtitles.

102 min. Filmmuseum Bad Lieutenant Filmhuis Cavia is showing Abel Ferrara movies all month, starting with his crowd-pleasers, so to speak. In Bad Lieutentant, Harvey Keitel plays a corrupt cop and guilty Catholic who cries and apologises personally to Jesus Christ after swiping, smoking, and snorting every drug in sight, compulsively betting on ball games, shooting his car radio with his pistol, jerking off in front of teenage girls, and lots of other fun activities. 96 min. Cavia La Ciénaga This astonishing debut film by Argentinean director Lucrecia Martel (The Holy Girl) manages to sustain tension and anxiety throughout.

At their run-down country estate, a middle-aged couple drink away the hot, sticky days, ignoring their bored adolescent children. After the mother’s cousin arrives from town with her own brood, violence seems not just possible but probable. This has the power of great literature, and it’s remarkably assured in its juggling of two large families. Every shot is dense with life, with children and animals running in and out, yet the movie is highly focused, a small masterpiece. In Spanish with Dutch subtitles. (MB) 103 min. Rialto Fahrenheit 451 François Truffaut’s 1966 classic about book-burning plays the day after the American elections. Also a short performance, Parrehsia, by Elena Fabel and a small lecture by Djeff Babcock.

111 min. Het Illuseum King of New York In this 1990 movie, director Abel Ferrara relies too heavily on the canned irony at the heart of Nicholas St. John’s script about a rising drug king who’s also a philanthropist. But the imposing performances in this chess game between pointedly black and white criminals (Christopher Walken, Laurence Fishburne) and police detectives (Victor Argo, Wesley Snipes, David Caruso) are as impressive as ever. (LA) 103 min.

Cavia Night Watch Adapted from Sergei Lukyanenko’s best-selling fantasy novel, this $4 million feature (2004) grossed four times that amount in its native Russia. The plot involves forces of good and evil that have maintained an uneasy truce since the Middle Ages, though the punchy, nonstop visual effects (including an animation segment and stylised subtitles that sometimes suggest an online chat) crowd out coherent storytelling. In Russian with Dutch subtitles. (JR) 116 min. OT301 Possession Mark (Sam Neill) comes home from months on the road to find his flighty wife, Anna (Isabelle Adjani), ready to divorce him. Distraught

and angry, he tracks down her lover, but discovers a secret unknown to either of the men. Anna has given birth to a demon lover, and she’ll murder anyone who dares to come between them. Andrzej Zulawski directed this intense, often alienating 1981 film. In English, no subtitles. 127 min. De Nieuwe Anita Stalker Andrei Tarkovsky’s 1979 masterpiece, like his earlier Solaris, is a very free and allegorical adaptation of an SF novel, Arkady and Boris Strugatsky’s Roadside Picnic. After a meteorite hits the earth, the region where it has fallen is sealed off.

Known as the Zone, it is believed to have magical powers that can grant the secret wishes of those who enter it, but it can be penetrated only illegally and with special guides. One such guide, the stalker of the title, leads a writer and a professor through the grimiest industrial wasteland you’ve ever seen to reach the epiphany. Tarkovsky, who regards their journey as a contemporary spiritual quest, does remarkable, mesmerising things with his mise en scene, particularly very slow and elaborately choreographed camera movements. Not an easy film, but almost certainly a great one. In Russian with Dutch subtitles. (JR) 163 min.

Filmhuis Griffioen Submarine A man is trapped underwater while his former best friend tries to rescue him. This 1928 silent by Frank Capra, recently restored by the Filmmuseum and shown with live music, is said to be still a thrill a minute after 80 years. 93 min. Filmmuseum Tarnation In this no-budget documentary, gay filmmaker Jonathan Caouette starts to explore his relationship with his mother after she takes a lithium overdose. He mixes together interviews with his family, clips of other movies, and early filmmaking efforts of his own to create a film in which his childhood anxieties, his mother’s psychosis and his own troublesome coming out combine into a revealing, narcissistic view of a dysfunctional family that is always intriguing but at times painful to watch.

(LvH) 88 min. Rialto Taxi Driver Martin Scorsese put all the city dweller’s irrational, guilty fears into this 1976 story of a New York taxi driver (Robert De Niro) on a one-man rampage against the ‘scum’. (DK) 113 min. The Movies

Team America: World Police This latest brainchild of South Park’s creators is a spoof on the War on Terror that takes potshots at both ends of the political spectrum, while simultaneously satirising big dumb action flicks using puppets instead of actors. Although the jabs aimed at the anti-war movement are cheap and insipid, the rest of the jokes are hilarious, and the use of puppetry is a stroke of genius. (LvH) 98 min. De Balie

Thumbsucker When you’re a teenager all adults seem blind to their own sorry delusions, which is why the truest coming-of-age stories portray the grown-up world as not just wrong but slightly insane. A sense of lonely lucidity colours this funny, offbeat tale of a misfit high schooler (Lou Taylor Pucci) whose unhealthy attachment to his thumb prompts his frustrated parents (Tilda Swinton and Vincent D’Onofrio) to put him on Ritalin. Among the kid’s warped role models are his philosophically inclined orthodontist (Keanu Reeves, exuding Zen-like calm) and his debate coach (Vince Vaughn in a wonderfully low-key performance).

Mike Mills co-wrote and directed. (JJ) 96 min.

Melkweg Cinema Van de andere kant This month, the non-western gay movie series will show films by or inspired by Riyad Wadia (1966-2003), including his BOMgAY, considered to be the first gay Indian film. Also showing: Yours Emotionally (Sridhar Rangayan), about the Brit Ravi who falls for the Indian village boy Mani.

Mani doesn’t want to dishonour his family, but Ravi wants more than just a holiday fling. Discussion afterward. In English/Hindi with English subtitles.

Rialto Waking Life Richard Linklater’s stereotypical slacker style makes way for a game of free association about consciousness, dreams and even more esoteric quandaries. This 2001 film was made using rotoscoping, a technique in which live action is animated, creating an evocative and surreal mood that fits the themes seamlessly. The fact that the film is a meandering collection of talking heads spouting ideas ranging from post-humanism to how much nookie you can get in your dreams is part of its charm. Look for cameos by Ethan Hawke and Julie Delpy, in the guises of their characters from Before Sunrise and Before Sunset. (LvH) 97 min. Kriterion

21

Amsterdam Weekly

22

2-8 November 2006 Obviously an otaku. But it’s hard to tell if he’s kawaii.

Dejima the former Dutch trading post in Japan, lends its name to a film festival of mutant must-sees.

BEYOND BLOOD, GUTS AND KAWAII

By Luuk van Huët Mentioning the second Dejima Japanese Film Festival to the casual art-house viewer is likely to evoke a response along the lines of: ‘Do we actually need this?’

Seeing as every film festival seems to feature a Japanese retrospective or programme and the shelves of your local videotheque are stocked with Japanese titles, that question seems legitimate. But it couldn’t be further from the truth, as far

Glue Anarchically atmospheric film about coming of age in Patagonia, shot on digital video and Super8 by young Argentinean director Alexis Dos Santos. Dos Santos grew up in small-town Patagonian exile after his parents left Buenos Aires for political reasons in 1978. He returned there to film a 15 year old’s boredom, rebellion and conviction that he is living in the wrong place. At the 2006 Rotterdam Film Festival, Glue won the 16-to-20-year-old jury prize and was proclaimed an ‘instant classic’. In Spanish with Dutch subtitles. 115 min. Rialto The Grudge 2 Sarah Michelle Gellar returns for this sequel to The Grudge (2004), itself a remake of a Japanese chiller. Takashi Shimizu directed all three.

92 min. Pathé ArenA, Pathé City, Pathé De Munt Hokkabaz Magician manqué Iskender decides to leave Istanbul; with his assistant Maradona he plans a tour of small Turkish towns. At the last minute he ends up taking his father with him, with the usual unexpected results. Popular Turkish comic Cem Yilmaz (Vizontele, G.O.R.A.) stars; he also wrote and codirected. In Turkish with Dutch subtitles. 122 min.

Pathé ArenA, Pathé City Into Great Silence A first look into the lives of the monks of the Grande Chartreuse—the mother house of the legendary Carthusian Order in the French Alps— this documentary by Philip Groening serves to remind that there’s more to silence than just silence. There are no interviews, no commentary and no music, other than the monks’ song, yet this is an eye- and ear-opening piece. 164 min. Het Ketelhuis, Rialto Jackass: Number Two More stunts, pranks and grossout humour from Johnny Knoxville and company, whose MTV reality show Jackass and big-screen hit Jackass: The Movie have pushed the lowbrow as low as it will go. Parts of this are screamingly funny (a groupie’s love note posted on the wall of a hotel corridor conceals a spring-wired boxing glove), other parts downright stomach-turning (drinking a glass of horse semen), but you have to admire the fact that, for these guys, ‘anything for a laugh’ really means anything. And for all the

as festival director Luc Lafleur is concerned. He explains: ‘The Japanese film industry is one of the largest in the world, but there hasn’t been a proper cinematic release of a Japanese film here in the past eighteen months. And most of the attention Japanese film does get is focused on genre films or specific directors. We want to show the breadth of the Japanese film scene as well as close the gap between the demand for these films and the actual number of releases.’

moronic behavior, there are also some inspired dadaist moments (JJ) 95 min. Pathé ArenA, Pathé De Munt

Little Miss Sunshine In this offbeat comedy, a fractious family of misfits piles into an ailing VW bus and sets off for California so the youngest (Abigail Breslin) can compete in a children’s beauty pageant.

Suffering each other along the way are her irascible grandfather (Alan Arkin), suicidal uncle (Steve Carell), Nietzsche-obsessed teenage brother (Paul Dano), beleaguered mom (Toni Collette), and abrasive dad (Greg Kinnear), a motivational speaker whose ninestep program for success constantly aggravates the others’ sense of failure. As scripted by Michael Arndt, this isn’t much more than a glorified sitcom, but it deftly dramatises our conflicting desires for individuality and an audience to applaud it. Jonathan Dayton and Valerie Faris directed. (JJ) 102 min. Kriterion, The Movies, Pathé ArenA, Pathé Tuschinski My Super Ex-Girlfriend The tagline for this tolerable comedy, directed by Ivan Reitman (Ghostbusters) from a script by Don Payne (The Simpsons), could be ‘Hell hath no fury like a superwoman scorned’. Uma Thurman plays a neurotic female version of Clark Kent who has trouble holding her superhero powers in check. A lot of superwimp gags executed by Luke Wilson grow out of this premise, as do some tacky ’50s-style special effects. The movie’s too slapdash to keep its characters consistent, but this has its moments. With Anna Faris, Rainn Wilson, Eddie Izzard, and Wanda Sykes. (JR) 95 min. Pathé De Munt

Nachtrit

Cool film about a taxi driver who gets caught up in the Amsterdam taxi war of 2000. Dennis (Frank Lammers) takes on a huge debt to finance his own taxi permit. Little does he know that a new law is about to come through that will make his permit absolutely worthless. With good acting, great dialogues and a convincing sex scene, the film makes perfect use of the darker side of Amsterdam. And who would have guessed that Rembrandt: The Musical star Henk Poort was such a badass? In Dutch. (LG) 104 min. The Movies, Pathé City, Pathé De Munt

To that end, the festival also invited several distribution companies in the hope of getting them to peddle more Japanese wares. As Lafleur notes, the festival is driven by ‘a combination of idealism, practicality and genuine love for film.’

The festival will open with the controversial Whispering of the Gods, a film that mercilessly exposes the hypocrisy ingrained in an insular Japanese Catholic community. The film stars Hirofumi Arai as the aloof and apathetic Rou, who flees a murder charge by returning to his roots and is welcomed back into the fold by the abusive clergy. For the easily offended, let it be known that it features a frequency of fellatio not normally seen outside of gay porn, but it’s shot beautifully and possesses a fervour to equal Ferrara or Scorsese.

Of this film, Lafleur says, ‘It isn’t subtle. To avoid the Japanese censors, it was shown in a tent next to a museum in Tokyo, rather than in a cinema. But it

Novecento Great moments stud Bernardo Bertolucci’s 1976 Marxist epic, but the end result is ambiguous.

Robert De Niro is a landowner, Gérard Depardieu is a peasant; they share a birthday and most of the history of the 20th century—the fall of feudalism, the rise of fascism and two world wars. In Italian with Dutch subtitles. (DK) 318 min. Filmmuseum Ober Absurdity reigns once again in Alex van Warmerdam’s latest feature, a hysterical tale about the many bizarre misfortunes of a waiter named Edgar (played by the director himself), who also happens to be the main character of a manuscript in the making. Reality and fiction coalesce even further when the badgered Edgar complains to his creator about all his mishaps and demands restitution. Van Warmerdam’s characteristic grim sense of humour and the many hilarious guest appearances by renowned Dutch thespians make this a film you’re not likely to forget. In Dutch. (BS) 97 min.

Cinecenter, Het Ketelhuis, Kriterion, Pathé Tuschinski Pretpark Nederland Director Michiel van Erp explores a weird phenomenon we Dutch call leisure time.

According to some, the Dutch are maniacally battling the boredom that lurks in every corner—whether it’s by attending a women’s magazine day out, shopping in giant mall Batavia Stad or watching the Gay Parade.

It’s refreshing to have a Dutchman look at our own habits without getting exploitative or malicious. Pretpark Nederland is a bit overlong, yet it never gets boring. And apparently that’s what Dutch life is all about. In Dutch. (BS) 90 min. Het Ketelhuis Requiem Michaela grows up in a deeply religious family in southern Germany. When she leaves home for university and discovers a more secular world, she begins to question her faith. At the same time, her epileptic seizures grow worse. She consults a priest who confirms her worst fears: she is possessed by the devil. Her friends urge her to seek psychiatric help, but in the end can only watch as Michaela’s devout religious convictions lead to her doom. Based on a true story, Requiem is directed by Hans-Christian Schmid with great sensitivity for the claims of both Michaela’s worlds. In German with Dutch subtitles 93 min. Rialto

does show life in all its harshness by juxtaposing it with the excesses of the Catholic Church—and it’s guaranteed to break the ice, so to speak.’

Other films that come highly recommended are the two latest offerings of prolific film-maker Takashi Miike, who has directed over 60 films in his 13-year career. While the first film, Sun Scarred, is as violent as Miike’s otaku (‘obsessive fans’) have come to expect, Lafleur says of the second, Big Bang Love: Juvenile A: ‘It’s not something that fits his profile in a straightforward manner, but it deserves to be seen.’ According to the buzz, it’s a film in which Miike’s often impenetrable storytelling goes the way of Godard, relating a labyrinthine tale of murder in a futuristic prison.

With follow-up dates in Rotterdam and Utrecht, as well as two directors in attendance, the second Dejima is dramatically larger than the first. But Lafleur says he doesn’t want growth at any cost.

‘Our aim is continuity. We’d rather focus on improving the content and production of our festival by inviting more directors than to stretch it out into ten days of filmviewing.’

Maybe you’re a battle-scarred veteran of the scene, eager to see the entire Hiroki retrospective. Maybe you’re a fresh-faced gaijin, eager for the over-thetop action of the kawaii (‘ultra-cute’) Arch Angels, in which schoolgirls with supernatural powers engage in the eternal struggle of good and evil. Either way, the festival promises to be a blast.

Dejima Japanese Film Festival, 3-5 November, Het Ketelhuis, Haarlemmerweg 8-10, 684 0090, €8 per screening, www.dejimafilmfestival.nl

Scoop Woody Allen follows up his best film (Match Point) with another story set in London and starring Scarlett Johansson as an American greenhorn among the English gentry, but this mystery comedy is tired, laboured and lazy. This is hardly Allen’s worst film (I might go with Shadows and Fog or Hollywood Ending), but he’s definitely going through the motions. (JR) 96 min. Pathé Tuschinski The Sentinel Based on Gerald Petievich’s novel, this so-so thriller stars Michael Douglas as a veteran Secret Service agent who once took a bullet for Reagan but is now being framed for plotting to kill the current president, whose wife (Kim Basinger) is the agent’s secret lover. (AG) 105 min. Pathé De Munt Shortbus Director John Cameron Mitchell and his cast go all the way in Shortbus, his second feature after cult classic Hedwig and the Angry Inch. But behind all the real masturbation, penetration and ejaculation lies a moving story about three individuals and their search for (sexual) fulfillment. Mitchell’s message is clear: sex shouldn’t be taken too seriously. That would take all the fun out of it. He manages to pair sincere emotions with real sex and still be considered mainstream. Will this mean the end for the adult entertainment industry? (BS) 102 min. Kriterion Sinav Four teenagers, desperate to meet the rigorous entrance standards for Turkish university, pool their money and hire a famous international burglar (JeanClaude van Damme) to steal the questions to the final exam. A lively new comedy from Ömer Faruk Sorak, who directed the Turkish megahits Vizontele and G.O.R.A. In Turkish with Dutch subtitles. 120 min. Pathé ArenA Snakes on a Plane After a veritable tsunami of popcultural craftsmanship, this plucky little B-movie might not live up to everyone’s expectations. But if you want to see one-dimensional characters scream their heads off while fighting off snakes (on a plane), busty babes getting busy with bodacious buds so furious serpents can bite every other erogenous zone and Samuel L Jackson playing a Bad Motha Fucker like nobody else

Amsterdam Weekly

2-8 November 2006

23 Talking poetry with a big fat white ass.

Documentarist-on-the-edge Nick Broomfield revisits the boss of the Afrikaner resistance movement.

A COUNTRY WHERE GOD WAS WHITE

By Angela Dress His Big White Self is billed as a sequel to The Leader, His Driver and the Driver’s Wife, Nick Broomfield’s 1991 documentary on Eugène Terre’Blanche, leader of the South African white supremacist movement the Afrikaner Weerstandsbegweging (AWB). His Big White Self is a misleading title. Broomfield’s new film is less a study of the man himself than a history of the AWB and its role within the

1948-1994 Apartheid regime. This is combined with the display of a microcosm of post-Apartheid white South Africa, embodied by JP, Terre’Blanche’s former driver, and Anita, JP’s wife.

At the time of Broomfield’s second visit in 2004, Terre’Blanche himself had just been released from prison, having served three years of a six-year sentence for attempted murder. JP and Anita are divorced and lead quiet lives as ambulance driver and nurse, respectively.

can, you’re in for a rollercoaster ride of a treat. Just bring a comely date and leave your brains at home.

(LvH) 105 min. Pathé ArenA

death, Francois Ozon once again proves his prowess as director and film-maker. In French with Dutch subtitles. (JH) 90 min. Pathé ArenA

Step Up This teen chick flick is so perfectly calculated it wouldn’t be a surprise if every ‘i’ in the screenplay were dotted with a little heart. The setting is one of those performing-arts high schools; the heroine (Jenna Dewan) is a poor little rich girl destined to be a professional ballet dancer. (JJ) 103 min. Pathé De Munt

Volver Almodóvar is growing up. After provoking

Stray Dogs An homage to the neorealist classic Ladri di biciclette (Vittorio de Sica, 1948), Stray Dogs tells the story of two children living in the streets of postTaliban Afghanistan after their parents are both put in jail. At first they can spend the nights in their mother’s cell, but when the prison boss forbids them to come by, the children begin stealing; desperately trying to be put behind bars themselves. Their absurd situation is brought home beautifully through strong performances by child actress Gol Ghoti and a filthy little dog the kids rescue along the way. The second feature film by Iranian director Marziyeh Meshkini (The Day I Became a Woman, 2000) is a frighteningly realistic portrait of two doomed lives. In Farsi with Dutch subtitles. (MP) 93 min. Filmmuseum Tapas Five interlocking stories set in a Barcelona neighbourhood. By first-time directors José Corbacho and Juan Cruz. In Spanish with Dutch subtitles. 94 min. Rialto Taxidermia This new film by Geörgy Pálfi (Hukkle) follows three generations of a strange family: the grandfather practises bestiality, father competes in eating contests and son is a taxidermist who decides to stuff himself. Pálfi says he wanted to use the imaginary language of porn and horror to answer basic questions about human identity. Bring your barf bag. In Hungarian with Dutch subtitles 91 min. Rialto Le Temps qui Reste In this intimate portrait of a 30year-old man suddenly confronted with impending

the public with explicit sex and his subversive sense of humour, the Spanish director now shows us there’s more to life than (just) sex, drugs and travesty. This is a heartfelt story about the long-overdue reunion of a daughter (Penélope Cruz) and the ghost of her mother (Carmen Maura). Fans of Almodóvar’s earlier work might be disappointed that carnal pleasures have been replaced by genuine emotions, but viewers should realise that humanism was just what his films needed. In Spanish with Dutch subtitles. (BS) 120 min.

Cinecenter, The Movies

World Trade Center Oliver Stone’s effective if hokey 9/11 docudrama focuses on the two Port Authority policemen (played by Nicolas Cage and Michael Peña) who were rescued from the rubble of the Twin Towers, their families as they wait for news and a former marine (Michael Shannon) who winds up on one of the rescue teams. An exercise in flag-waving, it evokes nostalgia for WWII epics and the camaraderie of Stone’s Platoon. (JR) 125 min. Cinema Amstelveen, Pathé ArenA, Pathé De Munt

Zwartboek In the closing days of World War II, a

Jewish cabaret artiste, Rachel Steinn (Carice van Houten), watches as her hiding place is bombed and her family betrayed to the Nazis. She joins a resistance group (which meets in a morgue) but learns that no one can be trusted. For plotting, thrills and cynicism this is Paul Verhoeven’s best work since Total Recall.

It’s not subtle; those waiting for Verhoeven to make another Turks fruit might as well give up now. But as a sexy adventure story with an excruciatingly bleak moral vision, it’s everything we could have hoped. If Soldaat van Oranje showed us complex moral choices, Zwartboek argues that those choices aren’t even possible in the chaos of war. In Dutch / English / German / Hebrew. (JP) 139 min. Het Ketelhuis, Pathé ArenA, Pathé City, Pathé De Munt, Pathé Tuschinski

Terre’Blanche himself conveniently ‘found God’ during his time in prison and writes poetry and preaches at local churches in his hometown, the former AWB stronghold Ventersdorp, in what is now the North West Province of South Africa.

The film includes some shocking footage of AWB campaigns at the height of its popularity in the late ’80s and early ’90s, culminating in 1994 at Bophutswana where the AWB behaved, according to Broomfield’s narration, as if they were ‘on a hunting trip’. It’s a salutary reminder of one of the most brutal and debasing political regimes ever to enjoy massive international financial and political support. After the Sharpeville massacre of 1960, foreign investment in South Africa increased sixfold.

As if all of this weren’t bad enough, what is truly chilling about this documentary is the evident, unshaken and continuing belief in the righteousness of white supremacy, legitimised by religion,

FILM TIMES Thursday 2 November until Wednesday 8 November.Times are provided by cinemas and are subject to last-minute changes. Film times also at www.amsterdamweekly.nl Kleine-Gartmanplantsoen 10, 553 51 Cinéma Arabe daily; Cinéma Arabe: A Few Crumbs For the Birds / Maid for Sale Sun 15.00 Cinéma Arabe:A New Day in Old Sana'a Wed 21.30 Cinéma Arabe:Amal / Le Regard Thur 19.30 Cinéma Arabe:Amina Mixed Feelings Wed 19.30 Cinéma Arabe: Bawke / Narcussus Blossom Fri 19.30 Cinéma Arabe: Be Quit / Kilomètre Zéro Tues 19.30 Cinéma Arabe: Exiles in Jerusalem / Online Tues 21.30 Cinéma Arabe: Hamoudi & Emil / Guilty Until Proven Innocent Sun 20.30 Cinéma Arabe: House of Flesh / Bab'Aziz Mon 21.30 Cinema Arabe: It's About Time / Iraq in Fragments Fri 21.30 Cinéma Arabe: Last Supper: Abu Dis / Arafat My Brother Sat 21.30 Cinéma Arabe: Like Twenty Impossibles / Women in Struggle Mon 19.30 Cinéma Arabe: Paloma / Bab el Arch Thur 21.30 Cinéma Arabe:The Amazigh / Mother Don't Cry Over Me Fri 15.30 Cinéma Arabe:Women Without Shadows Sun 19.00 Team America:World Police Fri 20.30.

Cavia Van Hallstraat 52-I, 681 1419 Bad Lieutenant Fri 20.30 King of New York Thur 20.30.

Cinecenter Lijnbaansgracht 236, 623 6615 Babel daily 15.45, 18.45, 21.45, Sun also 11.15 Eden daily 16.15, 19.15, 21.45, Sun also 11.00, 13.45 Ober daily 16.30, 19.15, 21.45, Sun also 11.15, 14.00 Volver daily 16.00, 19.00, 22.00, Sun also 11.00, 13.30.

Cinema Amstelveen Plein 1960 2, Amstelveen, 547 5175 Buddha's Lost Children Thur 15.00, Sun 16.00, Tues, Wed

which is held by TB, JP and Anita. While changing domestic and world politics has left these people behind, the melancholic JP clings to his belief that all white men are directly descended from Adam, who was white and created by God in his image: therefore God was white. There is a staggering disavowal of any sense of guilt or wrong-doing in their involvement with the AWB. When asked how she looks back on that time in her life—the shootings, the beatings, the bombings—Anita responds: ‘Well, it was good fun while it lasted.’

The film-maker, known for documentaries on pop culture icons Kurt Cobain, Biggie Smalls and Tupac Shakur, as well as a classic analysis of serial killer Aileen Wuornos, received death threats after completing the first documentary. One has to wonder at the wisdom of Broomfield disguising himself in a straw hat and sunglasses and visiting Terre’Blanche at home, under the pretence of interviewing him about his latest book of poetry.

The man himself may present a less virulent and aggressive figure these days, but the fact that somebody like him could have risen to a position of such popular political prominence is testament to the lunacy and violence of the Apartheid regime.

Otherwise, His Big White Self constitutes an uncomfortable reminder that in places, such as Ventersdorp, despite the ‘fall’ of Apartheid, segregation effectively remains, and little has really changed for the black South Africans who live there.

His Big White Self opens Thursday at Het Ketelhuis and Kriterion.

20.30 De Mierenmepper Sat, Wed 15.30, Sun 14.00 Het Paard van Sinterklaas Sat, Wed 13.30, Sun 12.00 World Trade Center Thur-Sat 20.30.

Filmhuis Griffioen Uilenstede 106, Amstelveen, 444 5100 Diep Thur, Tues 22.00, Fri 19.00 Stalker Thur, Tues 18.45, Fri 21.00.

Filmmuseum Vondelpark 3, 589 1400 13 (Tzameti) Les Amants réguliers Babette's Feast daily 19.30 Buster Keaton: Dat had je gedroomd Sun, Wed 14.00 Frozen Land Mon 20.00 Ladri di biciclette Thur, Fri, Sun-Wed 19.45 Lotte van Uitvindersdorp Sun, Wed 13.45 Novecento Stray Dogs daily 21.30 Submarine Sun 16.00.

Het Illuseum Witte de Withstraat 120, 770 5581 Fahrenheit 451 Wed 19.30.

Het Ketelhuis Westergasfabriek, Haarlemmerweg 8-10, 684 0090 06/05 Thur 21.30 A Couch in New York Wed 19.45 Dejima Japanese Film Festival Fri-Sun Dominique Abel: Zigeuners in de Cinema Mon, Tues 19.30, Tues, Wed 16.45 Forever Thur, Mon-Wed 20.00 His Big White Self Thur, Mon-Wed 17.30 Into Great Silence Thur, Mon-Wed 17.00 Ober Thur, Mon, Wed 22.00 Het Paard van Sinterklaas Wed 15.15 Pretpark Nederland Thur, Mon-Wed 21.45, Wed also 15.00 Retrospectief Ramon Gieling Mon 16.45, Wed 19.30 Theo van Gogh Thur 19.30 We Feed the World Mon 19.30 Zwartboek Mon-Wed 21.15, Wed also 14.00.

Kriterion Roetersstraat 170, 623 1708 An Inconvenient Truth Thur-Mon, Wed 22.00, Wed also 14.00 Buddha's Lost Children Fri-Sun, Tues, Wed 16.00 Drie Kameraden Sun 13.00 Forever Thur-Sun 16.15 His Big White Self Sat 14.00, Mon-Wed 16.15 Little Miss Sunshine daily 18.00, 20.00, Sat also 0.05 Ober daily 20.15, Sun, Wed 14.15 Shortbus daily 18.15, Thur-Sun, Tues, Wed also 22.15, Sat also 0.15 Sneak Preview Tues 22.00 Waking Life Mon 22.15.

Meervaart Meer en Vaart 300, 410 7777 Cinéma Arabe Sat, Tues, Wed

24 Cinéma Arabe: Bawke / Narcussus Blossom Sat 19.30 Cinéma Arabe: Last Supper:Abu Dis / Quo vadis? Tues 19.30 Cinéma Arabe: Le Grand Voyage Wed 19.30.

Melkweg Cinema Lijnbaansgracht 234A, 624 1777 C.R.A.Z.Y. Sun, Mon, Wed 22.00 Thumbsucker Thur-Mon, Wed 20.00 Willem de Ridder Meesterverteller Tues 20.00.

The Movies Haarlemmerdijk 159-165, 638 6016 21 Grams Fri, Sat 23.30 Amores perros Fri, Sat 23.45 An Inconvenient Truth daily 21.45, Sun also 13.15 Baas in Eigen Bos Sat, Sun, Wed 14.45 Babel daily 16.30, 19.15, 22.00, Sun also 11.45 Eden daily 17.30, 19.45, Sat, Sun, Wed also 15.30, Sun also 13.15 Little Miss Sunshine daily 17.15, 19.30, 21.30 Lotte van Uitvindersdorp Sat, Sun, Wed 15.15 Nachtrit daily 20.00, 22.15, Sun also 12.15, Fri, Sat also 0.15 Taxi Driver Fri, Sat 0.30 Volver daily 17.00, Sat, Sun, Wed also 14.30.

De Nieuwe Anita Frederik Hendrikstraat 111, , Possession Mon 20.30.

OT301 Overtoom 301, 779 4913 Bullshit / Drowned Out Tues 20.30 Day Watch Sun 22.30 Night Watch Sun 20.30.

Amsterdam Weekly Pathé ArenA ArenA Boulevard 600, 0900 1458 Afblijven daily 13.05, 15.30, 18.20, Sat, Sun also 10.40 An Inconvenient Truth Thur, Fri, Mon 15.35, Fri, Mon also 13.20 Baas in Eigen Bos Fri 15.10, Sat, Sun, Wed 12.15, 14.15, 16.15, Sat also 10.05, Tues 15.05 Baas in Eigen Bos (IMAX) Sat, Sun, Wed 12.30, 14.50, Sat, Sun also 10.15 Babel daily 12.00, 18.10, 21.25, Thur-Mon, Wed also 15.05, Tues also 15.00 Borat daily 13.35, 15.40, 17.45, 19.50, 22.00, Sat, Sun also 11.20 Cars (NL) Sat, Sun 10.10 Children of Men daily 16.45, 19.20, 21.50, Thur, Fri, Mon, Tues also 11.50, 14.15 Click daily 13.30, 16.10, 19.10, 21.40, Sat, Sun also 11.00 The Devil Wears Prada daily 13.00, 15.50, 18.55, 21.35, Sat, Sun also 10.25 Don daily 12.50, 16.15, 20.00 Garfield 2 (NL) Sat, Sun, Wed 13.15, Sat, Sun also 11.15 The Grudge 2 daily 17.30, 19.40, 21.55, Thur, Fri, Mon, Tues also 12.40, 15.00 Hokkabaz daily 18.25, 21.10, Thur-Mon, Wed also 15.20, Thur, Fri, Mon also 12.20, Tues also 15.40 Jackass: Number Two daily 16.20, 18.40, Thur, Fri, Mon, Tues also 11.50, Thur, Mon, Tues also 14.00 Little Miss Sunshine daily 18.00, 20.30, Fri-Wed also 13.20 De Mierenmepper Sat, Sun, Wed 12.30, 14.30, 16.35, Sat, Sun also 10.30 Open Season (IMAX) daily 17.15, 19.35, Thur, Fri, Mon, Tues also 12.30, 14.45

Het Paard van Sinterklaas Sat, Sun, Wed 13.20, 15.35, Sat, Sun also 11.05 Piet Piraat en het Vliegende Schip Sat, Sun, Wed 12.40, 14.20, 15.55, Sat, Sun also 10.50 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest Thur-Mon, Wed 20.45 Sinav Thur-Mon, Wed 18.45, 21.30, Thur, Fri, Mon, Tues also 13.10, 16.00 Snakes on a Plane daily 22.05 Sneak Preview Tues 21.00 Stormbreaker Fri 14.00, Sat, Sun, Wed 12.05, 14.10, Sat, Sun also 10.00 Le Temps qui Reste Tues 13.30 De Wilde Bende Sat, Sun, Wed 12.25, 14.40, Sat also 10.20, Sun also 10.05 World Trade Center daily 21.00 Zwartboek daily 18.15, 21.20, Thur, Fri, Mon, Tues also 12.10, Thur, Mon, Tues also 15.10.

Pathé City Kleine-Gartmanplantsoen 15-19, 623 4570 Afblijven daily 19.15, 19.10, Sat, Sun also 13.45 Baas in Eigen Bos Sat, Sun, Wed 15.40, Sat, Sun also 13.10 Borat daily 15.20, 17.45, 20.00, 22.10, Sat, Sun also 13.00 The Devil Wears Prada daily 16.00, 18.50, 21.30, Sat, Sun also 13.20 The Grudge 2 daily 21.20 Hokkabaz daily 18.30, Thur, Fri, Mon, Tues also 15.40 Nachtrit daily 21.40 Piet Piraat en het Vliegende Schip Sat, Sun, Wed 16.30, Sat, Sun also 14.15

2-8 November 2006 Sneak Preview Tues 21.45 Zwartboek daily 18.00, Thur-Mon, Wed also 21.10, Thur, Fri, Mon, Tues also 15.00.

Pathé De Munt Vijzelstraat 15, 0900 1458 Afblijven daily 12.40, 15.20, 18.00, Sat, Sun also 10.15 An Inconvenient Truth daily 13.50, 16.30, 19.00, Sat, Sun also 11.20 Baas in Eigen Bos Fri 15.40, Sat, Sun, Wed 12.20, 14.35, 16.45, Sat, Sun also 10.10 Babel daily 18.10, 21.20, Thur-Sat, Mon-Wed also 12.00, 15.05, Sun also 14.00 Borat Thur, Fri, Sun-Wed 15.00, 17.20, 19.40, 22.00, Thur, Fri, Mon-Wed also 12.30, Sat 11.00, 13.30, 16.00, 18.20, 20.45, 23.15, Sun also 10.30, 12.45 Children of Men daily 13.30, 16.10, Thur, Fri, Sun-Wed also 18.50, Thur, Fri, Mon-Wed also 21.30, Sat also 10.50, 19.20, 22.10, Sun also 21.40 Clerks II daily 20.40, Sat also 23.05 Click daily 13.00, Thur, Fri, Sun-Wed 16.00, 19.10, 21.50, Sat also 10.35, 15.40, 18.20, 20.55, 23.30 The Devil Wears Prada daily 12.10, 15.30, 18.15, 21.00 The Grudge 2 daily 18.55, Thur, Fri, Sun-Wed also 21.45, Thur, Fri, Mon, Tues also 13.20, Thur, Mon, Tues also 15.40, Sat also 21.15, 23.30 Jackass: Number Two daily 14.50, 17.10, 19.30, Thur, Fri, SunWed also 21.55, Thur, Fri, Mon, Tues also 12.15, Sat also 22.20 Miami Vice Thur, Fri, Sun-Wed 21.10, Sat also 20.30 De Mierenmepper Sat, Sun, Wed 12.35, Sat, Sun also 10.15 My Super Ex-Girlfriend Thur, Fri, Sun-Wed 18.30, Sat 18.10, 23.30 Nachtrit daily 15.50, Thur, Fri, Sun-Wed also 18.35, Thur, Fri, Mon-Wed also 21.40, Thur, Fri, Mon, Tues also 12.50, Sat also 18.20, 20.50, 23.20, Sun also 21.20 Het Paard van Sinterklaas Fri-Sun, Wed 12.45, Sat, Sun also 10.15 Piet Piraat en het Vliegende Schip Sat, Sun, Wed 12.25, 14.05, Sat, Sun also 10.40 Pirates of the Caribbean: Dead Man's Chest Thur, Fri, Mon, Tues also 14.30 The Sentinel Thur-Sun 21.25 Step Up daily 17.50, Thur, Mon, Tues also 12.45, 15.15 Stormbreaker Fri-Sun, Wed 15.15 De Wilde Bende Sat, Sun, Wed 13.05, 15.45, Sat, Sun also 10.45 World Trade Center daily 20.45 Zwartboek daily 13.40, 16.40, Thur, Fri, Sun-Wed also 20.00, Sat, Sun also 10.25, Sat also 19.45, 22.50.

Pathé Tuschinski Reguliersbreestraat 34, 0900 1458 A Good Woman Thur, Tues 13.00 Les Ames Grises Tues 19.00 Baas in Eigen Bos Sat, Wed 12.45, Sun 12.30, 15.30 Babel daily 14.00, 17.15, 20.15 The Devil Wears Prada Thur, Fri, Sun-Wed 20.30, Thur also 17.30, Fri, Sun-Wed also 13.30, 16.30, Sat 12.45, 15.30, 19.00, 21.45 Eden daily 17.30, Fri-Mon, Wed also 12.45 Fauteuils D'Orchestre Wed 19.00 Je vais bien, ne t'en fais pas Sat 19.00 Little Miss Sunshine daily 15.15, 18.00, 20.45, Thur-Sat, MonWed also 12.30 Ober daily 15.00, 21.00 Paris, je t'aime Fri 19.00 Quand j'étais chanteur Mon 19.00 Scoop daily 21.30, Thur-Sat, Mon-Wed also 15.30, Thur, Fri, Mon, Tues also 13.15, Sun also 18.45 La Tourneuse de pages Thur 19.00, Sun also 13.30 Zwartboek daily 17.30, 21.15, Fri-Wed also 13.00.

Rialto Ceintuurbaan 338, 676 8700 Agua Wed 20.30 Bomgay / A Mermaid Called Aida Sun 13.00 The Cave of the Yellow Dog Sat 14.00 Cidade baixa Thur-Tues 21.45 La Ciénaga Sat 16.00, Wed 22.15 Dam Street Thur-Tues 17.45, Wed 15.15 Enfant endormi, L' Thur-Tues 19.15 Fearless:The Hunterwali Story Sun 15.00 Forever Thur-Sat, Mon, Tues 18.00, Sun 11.30, Wed 15.00 Géminis Wed 19.30 Glue Wed 19.45 Into Great Silence Fri-Sun 16.15, Sat, Sun also 13.00, Wed 14.45 Kaos Sun 11.00 No quiero volver a casa Wed 17.45 Nuevo Cine Argentino Shorts Rialto Fri 23.00 Rapado Wed 22.00 Requiem Thur-Tues 21.20, Sat also 23.00 The Story of the Weeping Camel Sun 11.15 Tapas Thur-Tues 19.45, Sat, Sun also 15.15, Sat also 13.15 Tarnation Fri 16.00 Taxidermia Thur-Tues 20.00, 22.00 Vagón fumador Wed 17.15 Van de andere kant Sun Yours Emotionally Sun 16.45.

De Uitkijk Prinsengracht 452, 623 7460 Cinéma Arabe daily Cinéma Arabe:Amal / Le Regard Thur 19.30 Cinéma Arabe:Atash Tues 19.30 Cinéma Arabe: Bawke / Kilomètre Zéro Thur 17.00 Cinéma Arabe: Be Quiet / Bab el Arch Fri 19.30 Cinéma Arabe: Chafika the Copt Women Mon 17.00 Cinéma Arabe: Fadjr al-Islam Wed 17.00 Cinéma Arabe: Guilty Until Proven Innocent / La Última Luna Sat 19.30 Cinéma Arabe: Head and Tail Tues 17.00 Cinéma Arabe: House of Flesh / Narcissus Blossom Sat 17.00 Cinéma Arabe: Iraq in Fragments Fri 17.00 Cinéma Arabe: Paloma / A New Day in Old Sana'a Sun 19.30 Cinéma Arabe: Quo vadis? Mon 19.30 Cinéma Arabe: Rabi'a al-Adawiyya Wed 19.30 Cinéma Arabe:Take Me Sun 17.00 Joods Film Festival daily Joods: Be Fruitful and Multiply Wed 19.30 Joods: La Petite Jerusalem Thur, Mon 19.30, Wed 21.00 Joods: Marock Sat 20.00, Tues 20.15 Joods: Matchmaker Sun 16.00 Joods: Paper Dolls Sat, Tues 22.00 Joods: Phillip and His 7 Wives Fri 21.00, Sun 19.30 Joods: Pickles Tues 19.00 Joods:The Memory For Max, Claire, Ida and Company Mon 21.30 Joods:The Tribe / Be Fruitful and Multiply Sun 14.00 Joods:The Tribe / Matchmaker Thur 19.30 Joods:The Tribe / Pickles Fri 19.30 Joods:What a Wonderful Place Sun 21.15.

2-8 November 2006

Amsterdam Weekly

Wonderful waterhole Plancius Plantage Kerklaan 67A, 330 9469 Open Daily 10.00-01.00 Cash, PIN, major credit cards Sunday afternoon is a fine time to observe the passing people parade. The zoo visit. Weary parents seeking a spot to land. Parched throats croaking for a long cool beer or soup to resuscitate shattered nerves. The precious little darlings hyping out enough energy to fuel our resourceendangered planet for aeons to come.

Imagine what a giant leap forward for humankind that would be; just plug in your kids to your home energy collector and let them yell and shriek to their healthy hearts’ content in the soundproof play area, while you nap. It’s my glutton’s conceit that my crackpot theories will be recognised, like Leonardo’s cooking talent, centuries after my death.

‘Sorry? My order? Oh, the smoked trout with cucumber and crème fraiche. Yes, on dark wholewheat bread. Thank you. What’s today’s soup?

Tomato. Mmm. Sold out? Gosh. Bitter lemon, please.’

Suddenly, the world bursts in. Noise and chatter from people arriving and departing. I love it: adults look so much like their children, these old souls in young bodies.

Plancius is one of the better grand cafés that wait for their prey, luring them in with a fine Italian- and French-orientated menu. Everything is home-made, except for the shrimp croquettes.

There’s a weekend breakfast menu, but they make an excellent uitsmijter to individual customer requirements. For example, if my

THE UNDERCOVER GLUTTON We have lost our sense of smell, as we mask ourselves with chemical potions and lotions. Thank heaven for bacon and garlic and fresh-brewed coffee. gluttonous perversion wants chocolate sauce drizzled from a dizzy height on my bacon and eggs, it’s not a problem.

My sandwich (€4. 85) arrives and the

smoked trout is lovely. I follow it up with yoghurt, fresh fruit, muesli and honey for dessert (€3.85) but my roving eye has spotted home-made mandarin cheesecake land on the adjacent table

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belonging to a party of three: handsome daddy with prematurely grey hair, a Richard Gere fella.

Mummy looks like a dumpy Dutch inuit tucking into tahina. The sister looks like her handsome brother, while the star is an energetic toddler with a pair of lungs that overshadow the rest of the young kid chorus.

The noise in the café is amazing. Shrieks, cries and laughter. Hooting and cawing from oldies as jokes reach their punchlines. It’s all about family, the traditional Sunday outing.

And then, the migrating population changes as sundown approaches. The young are propelled homeward to supper, bath and bed. Other animals arrive at Plancius, sipping wine, perusing chef Heidi Kuroczik’s imaginative menu. They twitter and coo love stuff. The waiters flit here and there, like attentive weaver birds, helping to construct a happy atmospheric nest.

My nostrils inhaled grilled bacon as ciabattas passed by. We have lost our sense of smell, as we mask ourselves with chemical potions and lotions. We have lost our sense of taste as we substitute with artificial sweeteners and ‘lite’ this and ‘lo-fat’ that. Thank heaven for bacon and garlic and fresh-brewed coffee to remind us of what the animals haven’t lost.

And now, before I pound my chest, ululate and swing off in my simian way: our time to do something to save an inheritance for our children is running out. You needn’t be a genius to work it out. I am such a hypocrite. I waste, leave my standby lights burning, forget to turn down my central heating whilst prowling the streets seeking food: après moi, la deluge takes on a nasty grim reality.

And I’m so depressed I need to chill out, perhaps watching cute baby seals being clubbed to death, whilst eating whale-fat enriched ice cream.

Amsterdam Weekly

26

WEEKLY CLASSIFIEDS Ads are free, space permitting. They will be posted both to the paper and online. Guaranteed placement is available for a small fee; see our website for details. Ads may be published in English, het Nederlands or whatever language is best for you to communicate your message. How to submit an ad: via our website at www.amsterdamweekly.nl, by fax at 020 620 1666 or post to Amsterdam Weekly, De Ruyterkade 106, 1011 AB Amsterdam. Deadline: Monday at 12.00, the week of publication.

AD OF THE WEEK DANCING DRIVER REQUIRED Penguin Dance Co produces dance shows for children. End Jan ’07, need driver w/ vehicle to transport us to performance venues. Preferably, also available to stand-in for shows. €50 + travel costs for half-day tour.

If dancing, €100 + travel expenses. www.penguindance.org or 06 4854 9274.

HOUSING OFFERED 2E KOSTVERLORENKADE From 1 Nov, 2-bedroom apt for rent for half-year to possibly 1 year.

Furnished, living room, large kitchen, newly renovated bathroom with bath, balcony, washing machine. Great canal view.

Close to Ten Kate Markt. €1000/mth. Please call 6167720.

JOH-BURG HOUSESunny, partly furnished cosy house in trendy Melville. 4-bedroom, 2-bathroom, ideal for NGO/academic couple. Verandahs, view of Koppies, Chubb Alarms, 2-car garage, 10m lap pool. Weekly char, gardener & pool caretaker. All incl. 8000 rand. Electricity, water for own account.

Available 15 Jan. HOIDAY HOME Large house in Pyrenees, Camurac southern France. 3 large bedrooms. Large lounge, wood-burning fire. Fitted kitchen. 3 min from ski-lifts, 16 pistes. Walking/cycling routes. Stunning location. Amazing value. More details ring Jane on +33 468 312 295 or email jane_finniss@hotmail.co.uk.

STUDIO FOR RENT Looking for reliable person to keep my place.

40m2. Available from 28 Dec to 27 Feb. €400/mth. Internet f/t. Nice area, cultural centre environment. Email me: studioforent@yahoo.com.br.

A’dam Centrum or Westerpark.

Available to move in immediately and would like to stay for 9-12 months, max €700/mth incl. A’dam references available. Please email henry_melissa@hotmail.com.

FURNISHED 3-ROOM APT on Van Woustraat from 15 Jan ’07 for 3 to 4 months. Separate kitchen, shower, bathroom. Central heating, quiet neighbours, close to RAI and Albert Cuyp Market. Looking for non-smoking, quiet, responsible person.

Rent €1000/mth incl g/w/e. Pay in advance. Contact chloebijman@hotmail.

LOOKING 4 APT for professional couple in A’dam for 6 months.

Responsible, quiet, tidy, nonsmoking. Willing to pay up to €700/mth all incl. Ready to move in ASAP. Email daddysharp@hotmail.com.

60M2 APT FOR RENT 1 bedroom, €900. From 11 Dec ’0614 Jan ’07 in picturesque center of A’dam. 4 min walk from CS. Call 06 1072 1017.

APT FOR RENTFurnished 2-room apt, 45m2. For 1 person. 5 min walk to Museumplein. Heating by gas stove, no bath. Free for a period of 6-12 months. €1050 incl. Call 06 212 41 858.

UNDUTCHABLES A'DAMis looking for Swedish Sales Rep; Business Manager / Officer English; German or Dutch Junior Sales Rep; Native English Admissions Consultants; Tourist agents, more languages. Please send your CV to Amsterdam@ undutchables.nl or check www.undutchables.nl

HOUSING WANTED APT NEEDED Quiet Canadian couple working fulltime seeking furnished1-bedroom apt in

ATELIER/HOUSE Duo artist (Dutch) & fine artist (Greek) search studio space in A’dam.

Until we find place to stay we would also be able to sleep there. Even if it’s temporary for few months (starting from end Nov or something). We would be very happy. Email animationfarm@hotmail.com.

STUDIO/APT WANTEDfor 1 person. Internet, A’dam center, €700. Contact ozziosman@hotmail.com or 06 1087 0102.

FEMALE SEEKS STUDIO Professional English-speaking female seeks single studio in A’dam or Haarlem. Looking for simple studio for 1 person only. Nothing big. Available for temp rent from 2-6 months. Washing machine, furnished. Rent €600€700 incl. Sublet ok. Contact 06 3878 7037 or pearl24x @yahoo.com.

APT WANTED for professional couple close to the centre of A’dam from1 Jan for 6 months.

Furnished or unfurnished. We

have sold our place and are waiting to move into our new home. Please email sophietaylor05@aol.com.

HOUSING TO SHARE 2-ROOMS A'DAM WESToffered (bedroom and living room) for €450 incl, or just a bedroom for €350 incl, in A’dam West (5 min to centre). Shared kitchen and bathroom. Internet connection. 8 Nov-23 Feb. Call 06 4841 8247 or email roxyross@hotmail.com.

SHARED STUDIOoffered. 50m2, natural light, in town from DecJan. Also 3 oil heaters for sale.

Call Dr E on 423 1955.

ROOM WANTED Australian female, looking for room to rent in friendly household in A’dam.

Will only be there part of the week. Reliable and tidy. Please call Josanne on 06 4891 9505.

FLAT/HOUSE SHARE wanted ASAP by 29 y.o. male. €600 max. Working full-time in A’dam and looking for decent room with good people. Contact mark_cremins@hotmail.com or 06 4482 9591.

BIG ROOM AVAILABLE immediatly 2 rent. +/- 35m2, Full of light and very spacious in Hoofddoorplein area. €500 incl. Call 06 4208 6516.

WORK OFFERED BICYCLE TAXI DRIVER Are you a sporty, outgoing person & want to work for yourself? Do you want to stay fit by working as a bicycle taxi driver? Then con-

tact Geisha taxi where you get opportunity to be outdoors all day & earn at least €200/day.

Interested? Then call 06 5376 6116/06 1241 5766 or email info@geishataxi.nl.

SALES PERSON Music company with international roster of artists & productions seeks international sales person to license & market our catalogue. Must be passionate & result-driven, preferably with sales experience. Genres include rock, house, dance and R&B. Send CV to info@fortressmusic.com.

HANDYMAN WANTEDto fix boat.

Small 4m canal boat, needs dewatering, cleaning, new rain shield, and if possible, fixing of motor.CallRickon0627235380.

WORK WANTED WRITER/EDITOR/COPYin English for any purpose. Email zoe.goren@gmail.

JOHN NEEDS HELPI’m 21, from USA and need work and place to live starting April or May. Have waiter experience. Will do almost anything. Apprenticeship would be nice. Open-minded & hardworking. Email didicus85@ yahoo.com.

FOR SALE WINEUnique South African quality wines. Prices range from €4.95-€15.75. We do B2B and B2C wine tastings. Website www.coza.nl or email info@ coza.nl.

COLOURFUL HOME FURNISHINGS Recently opened bright & colourful little home furnishings

2-8 November 2006 store. Many nice home accessories for yourself or for a gift.

Opposites Attract, Marnixstraat 65D, 612 2605, Open Tues & Thur–Sun. DOG VARI KENNEL Plastic dog crate approved for plane travel. Cream-coloured, extra large (101x69x78 cms), €50. Call 428 1031.

SIAMESE KITTENS Totally fabulous, intelligent, beautiful Siamese kittens. Available for Christmas. Guaranteed best personality & genetics. €500. Call to reserve now: 06 5152 9959.

BRAZILIAN BIKINIS! Do you like to buy very nice Brazilians bikinis here in A’dam? You can check different kinds and prices by this blog: http:// bikinis.blog.terra.com.br. For more details you also can contact by email: danimarx@hotmail.com or 06 1115 5859.

SERVICES POLE DANCERSIt’s a girly thing.

Whether it’s a private gathering where you and some close friends are getting together to celebrate a wedding or simply a wild moment out with the girls, book our pole dancing bachelor parties. It s hot, it s fun, it’s fitness! www.sexyinstructors. com.

ENGLISH MAN WITH VAN can help with removals big or small, in or outside of country. Reasonable rates, quick service.

Contact Lee on 06 2388 2184 or isabelleandlee@planet.nl.

BEST MOVINGSERVICE IN TOWN Driver with van (10m3) or truck (40m3) available. Plus extra

moving men, hoisting rope and elevator. Any combinations possible. Call Taco on 06 4486 4390, email info@vrachttaxi.com or check out www.vrachttaxi.com.

FRED'S PET CARE Do you need someone to take care of your pets? Friendly dog walker with references. Available from7.0020.00. Reasonable rates. Just call Fred on 06 4994 7980.

NEED A STUNNING WEBSITE? Experienced web designer builds professional, unique sites for very reasonable prices. Online links to past projects available. Contact Jordan: jordangcz@ yahoo.com, 06 3034 1238.

FACIALS IPL ELECT British beauty therapist. 25 yrs experience, cidesco, babtac, anbos, laser hair removal: advanced electrolysis: Brazilian waxing: P8N8 oxygen skin care, anti-age facials, at McTavish Hair Salon, Quellijnstraat 80, De Pijp, A’dam. Contact0640799921orvisitwww.lindayoungaesthetics.com.

TAROT READING Want to learn your future? Old mystical traditional Turkish way of tarot. Friendly prices. Send email to make appointment: elcinir@yahoo .com.

BABYSITTER/CLEANER job in A’dam. References available.

Call Paulina on 06 2091 9580.

PERFECT CLEANING I will happily clean your apt regularly or one-off. Am in my mid-20s, very energetic and have eye for detail.

Can do ironing as well. €10/hr. alesya1981@hotmail.com/06

4286 6533.

HAIRDRESSER English mobile hairdresser in A’dam. Have your hair done in the comfort of your own home. Haircuts starting from €12.50. Please call for appt on 773 6095.

HELP WITH MARKETING? Experienced marketer offers expertise to small businesses in A’dam. For more info contact 06 4610 4998.

CLEANING/IRONINGResponsible, experienced and friendly couple can provide their cleaning/ironing services for a reasonable rates in A’dam. References available. Call 06 4365 9790.

HEALTH & WELLNESS DOCTOR SERVICE Cambridge Medical offers doctor service for expats and tourists in A’dam area. Dr E Cambridge, huisarts, GP offers high-quality consultations, home visits and emergency prescriptions. Contact 06 2723 5380/427 5011 or doctor@planet.nl.

THINKING ABOUT THERAPY? Heighten your quality of life and improve your relationships with the help of a native English speaking therapist. My 20 years of professional experience and understanding can help you better cope with feelings and sort through stressful thoughts.

Sagar: 06 4626 5412.

NATURAL HEALINGMedical Practice Wassenaar for energy therapy, hypnotherapy and medical herbal treatment. Works for all physical and mental prob-

Amsterdam Weekly

2-8 November 2006 lems and illnesses. For information and appointment contact Bernard Trip on 070 302 0451 or mobile, 06 2865 1610.

Also courses and workshops in personal development.

PERSONAL COACHINGSlender You relaxation for body and mind. Fine-tune your conditioning and maximise your figure. Personal coaching for people with medical or health issues.

1 hour Slender You = 7 hours traditional work out! Slender You is located on Heverleestraat 1. Call 669 6641 for more info.

CERTIFIED LIFE COACH Realise your own impact, your own goals and sustain them. www.norriscoaching.com or info@norriscoaching.com.

THERAPY/COACHING Professional psychotherapy and/or coaching.

Bilingual Dutch/English. Look for more information: www.corakoornpraktijk.nl or 06 1488 1350.

PHYSICAL THERAPISTFully-qualified fysiotherapist and masseur will help you with your aches and pains. Call Don on 06 2085 6057.

SUGAR BLUES WORKSHOP In this fun and interactive workshop we will discuss your cravings and their effects on the mind and body. Featured cooking lesson will demonstrate how to make healthy sweets.19 Nov from14.00-16.00. Visit www.justnosh.com or contact joslyn@justnosh.com for more info.

HOME IMPROVEMENT NEED A CONTRACTORor handy-

27

man for all your handiworks like plumbing, electricity, carpenting, painting, tiles, kitchen, bathrooms, floors, installations, renovations, technical advice and much more? Then contact the Klus-bus at 06 1899 1782 or www.klusbus.net or info@klusbus.net.

PAINTER + HANDYMANI’m available to paint inside and outside + lend a helping handy hand.

Reasonable rates. Lots of practical and professional experience. Good references available. Call now! Daco: 06 4275 6045.

BUILDING/REMODELING Carpenter available for those small jobs the big builders can’t be bothered with. Carpentry, painting, home repairs, electrical, plumbing etc. Call 06 2141 0628.

MY BRUSH, YOUR PAINTPainter for hire. English speaking. Quality work, cheap, fast. Residental, local biz. Call anytime: 06 4380 9970 or kooties11@ yahoo.com.

HOME REPAIRSand renovation.

From floor to roof: a pattern of quality for reasonable quantity. 20+ yrs experience in the far west. Contact C.T. Lewis on arcstudio13@gmail.com/061144 3262.

COMPUTERS NEED HELP WITH YOUR MAC? Mac lover helps you with basic setups, minor troubleshooting, install, networking, basic MAC lessons, setting up programs, MS Word, QuarkXpress, etc.

Help with purchasing the right

693 4250.

DUTCH LESSONSImprove conversation or for professional purposes or studies, NT2, indiv lessons, €15/hr and intensive courses and online lessons/min intensive: 15 hrs=€187.50. Adults & children. http://home.tiscali.nl/stylusphant/indexdutch. html, excellentdutch@hotmail.com, call 06 3612 2870.

MAC, call Sagar at 779 1926.

MASSAGE 3 KINDS OF MASSAGE Relaxation, tantric or chakra healing. More information at http://frankiko.boysnetwork.co m, email f27036@ hotmail .com or call 06 2022 4973.

MASSAGE COURSE Bio-energetic balancing massage course in the following weekends: 4, 5 Nov and 9, 10 Dec. A perfect synthesis between skill and selfdevelopment. www.tensiontamers.nl or call 06 4128 6040.

COURSES PIANO LESSONS Piano Studio Groenburgwal. Husband and wife team, Dutch/American, have openings in their teaching studio.10 years experience teaching piano to expatriat families at the American School in The Hague. All ages and levels welcome. Call 624 0602.

TUTORING SAT, IB Quality tutoring, 1-to-1 or group tuitions from primary to university levels. Sub-

jects range from calculus, biology, languages, piano to economics and much more. Classestaughtthroughoutweek,weekends & in holiday periods. Contact frimad@tiscali.nl or 06 4797 2998 or visit www.bijleshuiswerk.nl.

YOGAYOGA.NLoffersHatha,Iyengar and Vinyasa Flow classes.

Daily morning and evening, in English,inA’damclosetoJordaan.

Also classes in the weekend: 3 on Sat as well as monthly Sun workshops. Visit www.yogayoga.nl or call 688 3418.

WANT TO BE ATURKISH GEISA? Lectures include Turkish bellydance and how to be a traditional Turkish geisa. Just call to learn and for nice prices! 06 1447 5658.

CENTERED YOGAin A’dam centre. Classes in English and Dutch, close to Leidseplein and Overtoom. Check www.bodylinguistics.com. Treat yourself!

Try it!

DRAWING CLASSES by profes-

sional artist. Various techniques, all styles. For info call 681 3067/joneiselin@hetnet.nl.

DARBUKA LESSONSOriental percussion by Simon van Trirum.

Techniques: handsettings, accents, fills. Rhythms from: Egypt, Morocco, Greece, Turkey and pop. For more info: earfood@zonnet.nl or 06 3051 6741.

LANGUAGES LANGUAGE COACH Would speaking Dutch make you feel better? Call 625 3231 or go to www.talencoach.com.

INTENSIVE DUTCH COURSES are not only for summertime.

At Joost Weet Het! the sun always shines. Our new intensive courses start 20 Nov. Classes 4 x 4 hrs per week for €7.5 per hour.

2, 3 or 4 weeks course. All levels. Call 420 8146 or visit www.JOOSTWEETHET.NL or email info@aprenderholandes.nl.

LEARNING DUTCH THETHE EASY WAY Joost Weet Het! offers

classes on various levels. Learn that easy Dutch grammar in your own rhythm. Fun classes with emphasis on conversation. And, not expensive! 2 months for €200 (evening classes, 2x2 hrs p/wk). Call 420 8146 or visit us at WWW.JOOSTWEETHET.NL. SPANISH COURSES 2 x 2 hrs per week for €7.5 per hour. How do I become Don Juan in Spain?

JOOST WEET HET! Courses Spanish for beginners and advanced. Fun classes and not expensive! Qualified native teacher! Call 420 8146 or visit us at www.joostweethet.nl.

IMPROVE YOUR DUTCHLink Taal Studio, a professional way to learn Dutch in private & small groups, starting every week, Vijzelgracht 51-55. For more info contact 06 4133 9323 or linktaalstudio@gmail.com.

DUTCH COURSESNew evening courses starting in Nov, centre of A’dam. €200-250 for 20 hrs.

Visit www.mercuurtaal.nl or call

PRACTICE DUTCHA’dam/small group/advanced level/Mon 19.00/€ 10, http://home.tiscali.nl/stylusphant/indexdutch. html, excellentdutch@hotmail.com, Call 06 3612 2870.

APRENDA PORTUGUÊS! Learn portuguese with native teacher. University studies and experience. Private and group lessons in A’dam. (Outside A’dam, extra for transport.) Costs: €11/hr private and €7/hr group. For more details you can contact by email: online.portugues@gmail.com or 06 1115 5859.

PERSONALS SEEK WIFEand/or common-law partner (will marry immediately) for better union. Aged 1826, any nationality to live here (or anywhere we can live together to start family). I am a 36 y.o. handsome, athletic, selfemployed American Caucasian.

Call Jon for serious inquiries: 06 2816 7325.

CUTE DARK MAN with striped hoodie standing on train last Tues at 19.00ish! You got off right before Amstel. I was the foreign girl with 3 noisy friends.

You were probably just staring at my dirty hair, but what’s there to lose? (I washed it later.) auerhoen@hypocrisy.org.

LOOKING FOR YOU-LADY Man, 54 y.o.168cm,70kg, non-smoking, from A’dam is looking for a lady for emotional + erotical relation. Your age is 43-59. Email si-si@37.com.

ANNOUNCEMENTS HOUSE CHURCHFellowship with evangelical Christians this Sunday. Email ahein@xs4all.nl.

MODELS WANTED Photography student looking for men from 35 to 50 y.o. to make portraits for personal work. Contact me on 06 3372 5012.

PHOTOGRAPHY PROJECTI’m a photography student and am looking for people who are or were in the Dutch army. Would like to make portraits with the army uniform. Please contact me on tatjanafavez@hotmail.com.

PHOTOS NEEDED Help! Rembrandt’s Night Watch was knocked over months ago & a figure lost his head. Need lots of digital pics of Rembrant Plein and the statues. Mine were corrupted when trying to download them. Shoot their necks and get pics. You will find the man & get a laugh. Thanx. wordsofexpression@ yahoo.com.

VAN WANTED Require righthand drive van transit sort or something similar. Urgently required for cash. Clean and reliable. €1800 max. Contact Iain on 320 8126 or 06 1129 6816.