Cinecitta celebrates in Grand Style!
Cinecitta is celebrating, and of course, we’re doing it with many grand events.
In 2014, after a major renovation and refurbishment that took two years, the renewed Cinecitta 2.0 opened its doors in August. Now, ten years later, we are celebrating this anniversary in the festive month of August with numerous wonderful events in the fields of film, food, and experiences.
Visit us in August taste the most delicious film cocktails, relive legendary film classics expertly introduced by top journalists from Volkskrant and Filmkrant, discover the fascinating Greek Weird Wave Cinema by Yorgos Lanthimos, enjoy delicious dishes while watching the film Chef, and dance to the exhilarating sounds of the Talking Heads.
There are plenty of reasons to attend all the beautiful films and specials. Curious about the full program? Read all about it below.
All movie tickets and many specials at half price
Do you want to enjoy all the beautiful films that Cinecitta shows daily? In August, you can do so for half the price! But that’s not all. Many events, such as the Stop Making Sense dance party, special screenings of Yorgos Lanthimos films (including Dogtooth, The Favourite, Kinds of Kindness), the Theo van Gogh special including a talk with author Jaap Cohen, and many contemporary classics introduced by journalists from Filmkrant and Volkskrant will also be at half price.
Additionally, you can relax in August with a delicious cocktail and a film of your choice for just €12.50. Enjoy a refreshing drink and then cool down in our cinema. We are ready for the festive month of August, are you?
Contemporary film classics with introduction – August 2, 13, and 27, 8:15 PM
In the past ten years, thousands of films have premiered at Cinecitta. Films that our visitors and we will always carry in our heads and hearts. In August, Cinecitta will show the already legendary films La La Land, Birdman & Boyhood. Three films that have been significant for the cinema and contemporary film history.
All films will be introduced by journalists from Volkskrant and Filmkrant.
La La Land – Friday, August 2, 8:15 PM – Introduction by film programmer Gerlinda Heywegen
Enchanting musical film by director Damien Chazelle (Whiplash), starring Emma Stone and Ryan Gosling.
In the romantic and colorful La La Land, the moderately successful jazz pianist Sebastian (Ryan Gosling) falls for the aspiring actress Mia (Emma Stone). As their careers take off, the couple must make choices that put their love under pressure. La La Land is a modern take on the classic Hollywood musical and an ode to everyone who dares to dream. La La Land received a record number of Oscar nominations in 2017 and won no less than six Oscars.
Introduction by film programmer Gerlinda Heywegen 
Prior to the screening, Gerlinda Heywegen will give an introduction using video clips. Gerlinda wrote for Filmkrant and is currently a film program maker for various festivals such as Film by the Sea and the Film & Literature Festival Winternachten.
Birdman – Tuesday, August 13, 8:15 PM – Introduction by Volkskrant journalist Kevin Toma
In the year that Cinecitta reopened, Birdman was shown at Cinecitta. The film later won four Oscars, including Best Picture and Best Director. The film is extraordinarily ingeniously shot as one long take where the camera effortlessly moves around, in, and through everything.
Birdman tells the story of actor Riggan Thomson (Michael Keaton). Once world-famous for his role as an iconic superhero, he now struggles with a Broadway play. Leading up to the premiere, he battles his ego and tries to get his family, career, and himself back on track. The film is a postmodern, meta-masterpiece about acting, fame, and self-respect with a fantastic score, mainly consisting of improvised percussion sounds. Birdman is unpredictable, hallucinatory, and remarkably funny for director Iñárritu (Babel, Biutiful, The Revenant).
Introduction by Volkskrant journalist Kevin Toma 
Prior to the screening, Kevin Toma will give an introduction. Kevin started writing film reviews for Filmkrant. Since 2007, he has been a film journalist for Volkskrant, among others. He also teaches film courses and gives lectures throughout the country. He provided the course series The Power of Film Music, Film as Philosophy, and Film and Architecture at Cinecitta.
Boyhood – Tuesday, August 27, 8:15 PM – Introduction by Filmkrant journalist Joost Broeren-Huitinga
Boyhood was the very first film shown at the reopening of Cinecitta. Naturally, our visitors and we saw that Boyhood was a one-of-a-kind film in its narrative structure, but we did not know at the time that the film would later be nominated for six Oscars that year. We can now proudly say that Boyhood was a wonderful film to inaugurate our reopening back then.
Boyhood is a unique experience unprecedented in film history. Boyhood was filmed over a period of no less than 12 years with the same actors, capturing the youth of Mason in astonishing detail. In a moving coming-of-age story, we see Mason grow from boy to man before our eyes. We also follow his sister Samantha and their divorced parents. As the years pass, we see how each of them deals with new phases in their lives and how their bonds with each other change. A beautiful and heartwarming ode to growing up, family life, and the passage of time. An instant classic that leaves no one unmoved.
Introduction by Filmkrant journalist Joost Broeren-Huitinga
Prior to the screening, Joost Broeren-Huitinga will give an introduction. Joost is deputy editor-in-chief of Filmkrant and a regular film contributor for Het Parool.
Dine-In Cinema: Chef – Tuesday, August 6, 6:45 PM
On this special evening, take a seat at a cozy table in our second living room: Room X. In a relaxed atmosphere, with intimate lighting, you can enjoy the film Chef. During the film, we will serve a main course and a dessert in the style of the film. One thing is for sure, this is the ideal opportunity to experience a delicious movie!
In Chef, Carl Casper (Jon Favreau), a successful chef in a top restaurant, gets fired after a fight with a critic. He buys a food truck to restore his love for cooking. With his son and best friend Martin (John Leguizamo), he travels across America, making a name for himself as the most popular food truck chef. A charming film with delicious food and great music!
Dance Party: Stop Making Sense – Saturday, August 24, 9:00 PM
Thirty years after its release, the concert film Stop Making Sense is still considered one of the best ever made. It’s hard to sit still when you watch this concert film by the Talking Heads. A film so energetic that the chairs of the cinema seem to make way for the dance floor. To close the festive month, we will organize a spectacular dance party in the Ristobar. Enjoy an unforgettable evening of dancing and fun.
For the concert film, we have removed the seats, so you can dance freely while watching Stop Making Sense. We start with some classic Talking Heads hits. After that, our DJs will take over to make it a dazzling party night.
Greek Weird Wave Cinema
In 2009, the Greek film Dogtooth by director Yorgos Lanthimos shocked the world. Since then, Lanthimos has continued to make waves with films like The Favourite and The Lobster. The Greek Weird Wave is characterized by its unconventional narratives, dark humor, and unique visual style.
In August, Cinecitta will be showing three of Lanthimos’ most acclaimed films, giving you a chance to discover this fascinating film genre. Each screening will be introduced by a film expert, giving you background information and insights into the films and the director’s vision.
Filmklassieker met beleving: Back to the Future – Donderdag 8 augustus 21:00 uur
Each month, Cinecitta organizes film specials entirely themed around a film classic. You purchase a ticket, we provide a matching snack and drink, and we create a total experience based on the film.
Because Cinecitta is celebrating its ten-year reopening anniversary in August, and because we are reflecting on all the wonderful films and events that have taken place while also looking forward to the exciting films and events yet to come, we believe there is only one classic that perfectly fits this month, and that is, of course, Back to the Future.
Back to the Future Part I with an introduction by film scholar Rudi de Boer
Prior to the screening, film scholar Rudi de Boer will give an introduction (in Dutch). Rudi de Boer studied Theater, Film, and Television Studies at Utrecht University. He then gave lectures at various film theaters and schools across the country and conducted post-screening discussions with filmmakers and actors during the Netherlands Film Festival.
Back to the Future Part I, II, and III
Since Back to the Future consists of three parts, we will, of course, screen all three. On Thursday, August 8, Part I will be shown as a classic with an experience, and on September 5 and 19, Parts II and III will be on the big screen.
Movie classic with experience: City of God (English Subtitles) – Thursday, August 15th at 9:00 PM
Life in a violent Rio de Janeiro favela through the eyes of a young photographer. This modern Brazilian classic explodes with passion, color, and visual magic. New, digital remaster. City of God (Cidade de Deus) returns for one time to the big screen at Cinecitta.
Buscapé is a poor, black, and very sensitive young man who grows up in a universe of violence. He lives in Cidade de Deus, a Rio de Janeiro favela known for being one of the most violent places in the city. Frightened by the possibility of becoming a criminal, he ends up being saved from his fate because of his talent as a photographer, which allows him to pursue a career. It’s through his work behind the camera that Buscapé analyzes the day-to-day life of the favela where he lives, where violence appears infinite.
An essential arthouse staple of the naughts, Fernando Meirelles and Kátia Lund’s epic of favela life crackles with passion, violence, color, and visual wizardry. The film was shot on a combination of 16mm, 35mm, and digital. Brazil’s submission to the Oscars primarily employs amateur actors, who light up scenes of relentless violence and restless flight.
With introduction by famous journalist and Tequila Sunrise cocktail
Alexander Zwart, journalist for the best-known and most popular film magazine in the Netherlands, De Filmkrant, will give an introduction in English to the film, using many visual images. Each visitor will also receive a refreshing Tequila Sunrise Cocktail.
Stop Making Sense – Dance Night – Friday, August 16th at 9:15 PM
Stop Making Sense brings Talking Heads back to the big screen. Experience the best concert film of all time once more on the big screen in a hall without seats, for a true concert experience! This allows for plenty of dancing and singing along. Come enjoy Burning Down the House, Psycho Killer, Once in a Lifetime, Slippery People, and This Must be the Place.
To fully enjoy the concert, it’s possible to order drinks in the hall. This way, you won’t miss a second of this ecstatic musical experience.
Director Jonathan Demme transformed the concert into an overwhelming visual experience. The calm opening scene immediately breaks all the rules of the concert film. Byrne walks onto a bare stage with a boombox in his hand, turns it on, and sings along with ‘Psycho Killer’. The instruments are placed, and electrical cables connected. The musicians then relentlessly increase the tempo and play their most memorable songs.
Fish/Meat vs. Veggie Tasting – 10 dishes – Wednesday, August 21st at 6:30 PM
Are you the conscious eater who strictly eats meat or fish once a week? Or the person who believes there should be a piece of meat on your plate every night? For anyone curious about the endless possibilities of vegetarian cuisine and those who think they can immediately taste which dishes are prepared with meat and which with vegetarian products, there is the Fish/Meat vs. Veggie tasting. 
Our chef Luuk Broos is eager to take on the Fish/Meat vs. Veggie challenge with you. On Wednesday, August 21, he will serve no less than five vegetarian dishes and five comparable meat or fish dishes. It’s up to you to smell, taste, and investigate the differences between the dishes. After each course, our chef will tell you whether you have eaten meat/fish or vegetarian. Will you come to taste?
Tribute to Filmmaker Theo Van Gogh – Sunday, August 25th at 2:00 PM
It has been exactly twenty years since the Netherlands’ most controversial film director Theo Van Gogh was murdered in Amsterdam’s Linnaeusstraat. Van Gogh was a pioneer in the fight for freedom of speech, a man who lost his life for making his film Submission. This year, Jaap Cohen wrote an autobiography about the controversial life of Theo van Gogh.
Because Cinecitta shares Theo van Gogh’s belief that film is an incredibly important form of expression and to honor Theo van Gogh’s work, on Sunday, August 25, Van Gogh’s last feature film Interview will be shown.
After the film screening, film programmer Sam Simons and De Bolle Gogh author Jaap Cohen will discuss Theo van Gogh’s films, his legacy, influence, and the importance of art as a voice to address social and political issues.
Movie Cocktail Experience – Thursday, August 29th at 8:00 PM
What would 007 be without a Martini? Isn’t The Dude from The Big Lebowski even cooler with a White Russian in his hand, and would The Great Gatsby have become such a spectacular film without all the cocktails flowing richly?
Cocktails and Films are inextricably linked. Therefore, on August 29, there will be a cocktail tasting at Cinecitta, but you will do more than just taste cocktails. You will make the film cocktails yourself. In groups of four, you will learn to make cocktails like those seen in James Bond and The Great Gatsby, all while enjoying a matching snack.
Were you always curious about how the famous film cocktails taste in real life? Be there and sip your self-made cocktails as coolly as The Dude in The Big Lebowski.
