Festival opener “Voor de Meisjes” from Dutch filmmaker Mike van Diem led the awards haul at the 45th Netherlands Film Festival, taking home four Golden Calves including Best Feature Film.
Van Diem’s drama, about two sets of parents locked in a manipulative clash after their teenage daughters are involved in a serious accident in the Alps, also earned him prizes for screenplay and directing. Thekla Reuten was named Best Lead Actress for her role in the film.
Morgan Knibbe’s “The Garden of Earthly Delights” matched the tally with four awards, including Best Director. The Manila-set drama also won for editing (Xander Nijsten), cinematography (Frank van den Eeden) and sound design (Vincent Sinceretti). The film centers on an 11-year-old scavenger navigating survival in the Manila slums who encounters a troubled Dutch tourist facing a devastating moral choice.
In total, 26 Golden Calves were awarded across 25 categories at the ceremony in Utrecht, hosted by presenter Stijn de Vries. Two new honors were introduced this year: Best Hair and Make-up Design, awarded to Renée Wijnhoven for “De Idylle,” and producer of Best Feature Documentary, which went to Sandra Beerends and Floor Onrust of Family Affair Films for “Nesjomme.”
Neidi dos Santos Livramento won best supporting actress for “Drie dagen vis,” a Rotterdam-set black-and-white dramedy about a father and son’s strained relationship. The project also picked up Best Costume Design for “Manon Blom.” Other feature film winners included Bram Doyer for production design on “Fabula” and Ella van der Woude for her score to “Alpha.” The audience award for feature film went to Cyriel Guds’ “Loverboy: Emoties Uit,” while Mark Verkerk’s “De Wilde Noordzee” won the audience prize for documentary.
Five awards were handed out in the drama series categories. “Oogappels 6,” created by Roos Ouwehand and Lex Passchier and directed by Will Koopman, won Best Drama Series for ITV Studios Netherlands Drama. Eva Crutzen earned Best Director for “Bodem 2,” while Karen van Holst Pellekaan and Alexander de Bruijn were recognized for their screenplay on “Bennie.” Belgian actress Ahlaam Teghadouini won best leading performance for “Sihame 2,” with Bianca Krijgsman named best supporting actress for her role in “Dag & Nacht 2.”
In shorts, Amir Zaza’s Gaza-set “Close Your Eyes Hind,” dramatizing the true story of six-year-old Hind Rajab, won Best Short Film. Joes Brauers was named Best Lead Actor in a short for Muriel d’Ansembourg’s “Fuck-a-Fan,” which previously won the NFF Debut Competition. Erfenis van een droom and director Gülsah Doğan took Best Short Documentary for “De Wolkenfietsers – Erfenis van een droom,” about Rudi van de Wint’s art installation De Nollen and its continuation by his sons.
Other honorees included “Ancestors” from The Smartphone Orchestra, which won the digital culture award for director Steye Hallema, and Marina Blok, recipient of the festival’s film culture award.
The Netherlands Film Festival will return for its 46th edition Sept. 25–Oct. 2, 2026.
Winners of the Golden Calves 2025 (full list)
Digital Culture Production
“Ancestors,” Steye Hallema
(production: The Smartphone Orchestra)
Short Documentary
“De Wolkenfietsers – Erfenis van een droom,” Gülsah Dogan
(production: 9Stories)
Short Film
“Close Your Eyes Hind,” Amir Zaza
(screenplay: Amir Zaza, production: MATTAR)
Lead Actor (Short Film)
Joes Brauers (“Fuck-a-Fan”)
Lead Actor (Drama Series)
Ahlaam Teghadouini (“Sihame 2”)
Supporting Actor (Drama Series)
Bianca Krijgsman (“Dag & Nacht 2”)
Screenplay (Drama Series)
Karen van Holst Pellekaan and Alexander de Bruijn (“Bennie”)
Director (Drama Series)
Eva Crutzen (“Bodem 2”)
Drama Series
“Oogappels 6,” Rogier Visser, ITV Studios Netherlands Drama
(screenplay: Roos Ouwehand and Lex Passchier, director: Will Koopman)
Sound Design
Vincent Sinceretti (“The Garden of Earthly Delights”)
Music
Ella van der Woude (“Alpha”)
Cinematography
Frank van den Eeden (“The Garden of Earthly Delights”)
Editing
Xander Nijsten (“The Garden of Earthly Delights”)
Production Design
Bram Doyer (“Fabula”)
Costume Design
Manon Blom (“Drie dagen vis”)
Hair & Make-up Design
Renee Wijnhoven (“De Idylle”)
Feature Documentary
“Nesjomme,” Sandra Beerends and Floor Onrust, Family Affair Films
Feature Film
Thekla Reuten (“Voor de Meisjes”)
Supporting Actor (Feature Film)
Neidi dos Santos Livramento (“Drie dagen vis”)
Screenplay (Feature Film)
Mike van Diem (“Voor de Meisjes”)
Director (Feature Film)
Morgan Knibbe (“The Garden of Earthly Delights”)
Feature Film
“Voor de Meisjes,” Derk-Jan Warrink, Koji Nelissen, Keplerfilm and Marijn Wigman, Nuts & Bolts Film Company
(screenwriter and director: Mike van Diem)
Audience Award (Feature Film)
“Loverboy: Emoties Uit,” Cyriel Guds for Never Boring Films
(screenwriter and director: Cyriel Guds)
Audience Award (Documentary)
“De Wilde Noordzee,” Klaudie Bartelink for Dutch Maritime Productions and Ignas van Schaick for EMS FILMS
(screenwriter and director: Mark Verkerk)
Film Culture
Marina Blok