NETHERLANDS FILM FESTIVAL 2026

At the beginning of this month, the Netherlands celebrated the 46th edition of the Netherlands Film Festival (NFF), one of the country’s most important events dedicated to cinema and audiovisual creation.

 

Held in Utrecht, the festival once again brought together filmmakers, industry professionals and audiences to celebrate the richness and diversity of Dutch film and television.

 

As every year, the festival culminated in the presentation of the Golden Calf Awards, the most prestigious prizes in Dutch cinema. The ceremony honoured outstanding achievements in filmmaking and recognised the talent of artists and professionals across a wide range of categories.

 

 

One of the evening’s biggest successes was Truly Naked, directed by Muriel d’Ansembourg, which emerged as the most awarded production of the night with six Golden Calves.

The film received the award for Best Feature Film, while d’Ansembourg took home the prizes for Best Director and Best Screenplay. The production was also recognised for its cinematography, editing and production design.

 

The drama series BASTA was another standout, collecting three awards, including Best Drama Series, Best Director Drama Series for Remy van Heugten, and Best Leading Role Drama Series for Chris Peters.

 

The 2026 Golden Calf winners

 

Feature Films

 

• Best Feature Film: Truly Naked – Isabella Depeweg & Els Vandevorst, Isabella Films
• Best Director: Muriel d’Ansembourg – Truly Naked
• Best Screenplay: Muriel d’Ansembourg – Truly Naked
• Best Leading Role: Daan Buringa – Joe Speedboot
• Best Supporting Role: Thor Braun – Downtown
• Best Cinematography: Myrthe Mosterman – Truly Naked
• Best Editing: Emiel Nuninga – Truly Naked
• Best Production Design: Fleur Ankoné – Truly Naked
• Best Costume Design: Mattijs van Bergen & John van Vlerken – Downtown
• Best Hair & Make-up Design: Katja Alexis – The Wolf, the Fox & the Leopard
• Best Sound Design: Evelien van der Molen – Sugar
• Best Music: Spinvis – Toutes Directions
  

 

Documentaries and Short Films

 

• Best Feature-Length Documentary: Mijn woord tegen het mijne – Maasja Ooms & Willemijn Cerutti
• Best Short Documentary: How to Catch a Butterfly – Kiriko Mechanicus
• Best Short Film: This is Your Captain Speaking – Nienke Deutz & Digna van der Put
• Best Leading Role in a Short Film: Juul Vrijdag – A Shot At Art

 

Television and Digital Culture

 

• Best Drama Series: BASTA – Mark Furstner, Hollands Licht Producties
• Best Director Drama Series: Remy van Heugten – BASTA
• Best Screenplay Drama Series: Luuk van Bemmelen & Martijn Hillenius – Hein 2
• Best Leading Role Drama Series: Chris Peters – BASTA
• Best Supporting Role Drama Series: Sabri Saddik – Mocros
• Best Digital Culture: Graves’ End – Finn Stevenhagen

 

Audience and Special Awards

 

• Audience Award Feature Film: Our Girls – Koji Nelissen, Derk-Jan Warrink & Marijn Wigman
• Audience Award Documentary: Mama’ku – Van Jakarta tot de Molukken – Chris de Krijger & Sven Peetoom
• Film Culture Award: Halina Reijn

 

 

The Netherlands Film Festival offered not only film screenings, but also premieres, talks, special events and industry activities, providing a vibrant platform for Dutch cinema in all its forms. The 46th edition once again highlighted the vitality of the national film scene and its capacity to engage both audiences and professionals.

 

The Golden Calves remain a key moment in the Dutch cultural calendar, shining a spotlight on the films, creators and performances that have shaped the year in cinema.