Amsterdam -- Romantic comedy "Love Is All" took home the Golden Calf for best Dutch feature Friday night as the Dutch Film Festival in Utrecht came to a close. Its helmer, Joram Lursen, received the award for best director.
"Love," a romantic comedy similar to the U.K.'s "Love Actually," stars Carice van Houten and, with 1.3 million admissions, is the biggest boxoffice hit in the Netherlands in recent years.
The festival jury, headed by former banker and film financier Frans Afman, was very critical of the quality of most of the Dutch features in competition, stating that many productions had not deserved financial support.
One of the highlights of the festival was opening night. While career achievement winner Rutger Hauer was not in town to receive his award, he sent along a short film in which he rides a bicycle through Amsterdam with Dutch Culture Minister Ronald Plasterk as his passenger.
"Love," a romantic comedy similar to the U.K.'s "Love Actually," stars Carice van Houten and, with 1.3 million admissions, is the biggest boxoffice hit in the Netherlands in recent years.
The festival jury, headed by former banker and film financier Frans Afman, was very critical of the quality of most of the Dutch features in competition, stating that many productions had not deserved financial support.
One of the highlights of the festival was opening night. While career achievement winner Rutger Hauer was not in town to receive his award, he sent along a short film in which he rides a bicycle through Amsterdam with Dutch Culture Minister Ronald Plasterk as his passenger.
- 10/3/2008
- by By Ab Zagt
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Dutch minister slams presenter salaries
AMSTERDAM -- Dutch culture minister Ronald Plasterk on Monday unveiled plans to cut the salaries of presenters working for public broadcasters in the Netherlands.
In his opinion, the maximum fee should be no more than 200,000 euros ($316,240) a year. Currently, an annual salary of 400,000 euros-500,000 euros ($632,480-$790,560) is paid to some of the better-known presenters, sports commentators and show hosts.
According to Plasterk, these salaries, supplied by Dutch taxpayers, should not exceed by too much the salary of Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, who earns 180,000 euros ($284,600) a year.
In his opinion, the maximum fee should be no more than 200,000 euros ($316,240) a year. Currently, an annual salary of 400,000 euros-500,000 euros ($632,480-$790,560) is paid to some of the better-known presenters, sports commentators and show hosts.
According to Plasterk, these salaries, supplied by Dutch taxpayers, should not exceed by too much the salary of Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende, who earns 180,000 euros ($284,600) a year.
- 6/30/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Dutch gov't pulls its program sponsorship
AMSTERDAM -- The Dutch government will halt its sponsorship of television programs on both the public and commercial TV channels.
Over the past two years, several government ministries have invested a total of 11.8 million euros ($18.3 million) in a wide range of programs, including weather reports on commercial station SBS6 and documentaries on the history of Europe for public broadcaster VPRO.
Minister of Culture Ronald Plasterk justified the cancellation by declaring that he favors independent television without involvement of the authorities.
Over the past two years, several government ministries have invested a total of 11.8 million euros ($18.3 million) in a wide range of programs, including weather reports on commercial station SBS6 and documentaries on the history of Europe for public broadcaster VPRO.
Minister of Culture Ronald Plasterk justified the cancellation by declaring that he favors independent television without involvement of the authorities.
- 6/23/2008
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
Dutch Film Fund board resigns over row
AMSTERDAM -- The failure of the Netherlands' new culture minister, Ronald Plasterk, to reappoint Hans Dijkstal as head of the Dutch Film Fund has led to the resignation of the rest of the fund's board, according to local media reports.
Disagreement between Plasterk and Dijkstal reportedly arose over the structure of one of the fund's initiatives, the Film Subsidy Fund, with the minister opting for a more independent approach in dealing with the complicated system of subsidies.
One of Plasterk's measures has been to install a new body to deal with the subsidy applications. Dijkstal and his four board members had more faith in the existing system.
The Dutch Film Fund has frequently been the object of industry criticism, with "Black Book" producer San Fu Maltha -- speaking as chairman of the producers organization NVS -- stating that the film fund was due for a major change of structure. "There was not enough know-how in the current board," he said.
Disagreement between Plasterk and Dijkstal reportedly arose over the structure of one of the fund's initiatives, the Film Subsidy Fund, with the minister opting for a more independent approach in dealing with the complicated system of subsidies.
One of Plasterk's measures has been to install a new body to deal with the subsidy applications. Dijkstal and his four board members had more faith in the existing system.
The Dutch Film Fund has frequently been the object of industry criticism, with "Black Book" producer San Fu Maltha -- speaking as chairman of the producers organization NVS -- stating that the film fund was due for a major change of structure. "There was not enough know-how in the current board," he said.
- 7/11/2007
- The Hollywood Reporter - Movie News
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